Born in the late 20th century and early 21st, members of Gen Z are now entering the workforce in greater numbers. Organizations are realizing many benefits from these individuals, who are bringing new perspectives and ideas to the workplace. Those same companies, though, are learning that, to fully realize those benefits, they must tailor their recruitment and engagement approaches as they more fully understand Gen Z workers and their priorities.
Meet Generation Z
Members of Gen Z are generally considered tech-savvy individuals who are comfortable with the technology and work models that have become more common during Covid. As companies’ digital transformation efforts intensify, their employees must evolve, too — and Gen Zers’ comfort with new technology helps them transition smoothly into a new or temporary workplace.
As self-starters who tend to enjoy working independently, many members of Gen Z have proven their ability to take initiative and produce timely work thanks to their motivation and goal-oriented mindsets. Their resourcefulness and open-mindedness allow them to adapt to new situations quickly, which has proved quite beneficial over the last year as organizations were forced to shift to remote work due to Covid-related restrictions. In addition, Gen Zers’ desire for and acceptance of greater diversity and inclusion in the workplace contributes to a more collaborative work environment that embraces multiple different skillsets and perspectives.
Tailoring the Recruitment Process
To effectively recruit and hire Gen Z workers, it is important to understand the benefits they find attractive when searching for a job. These individuals tend to value flexibility in their work schedules so they can create a healthy work-life balance. Over the past year, job stability has become increasingly important due to Covid-related unemployment surges. Furthermore, a company’s culture and values are important for Gen Z workers, and they tend to gravitate to companies with a fun, positive atmosphere with values that align with their own.
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Understanding what benefits these individuals find attractive will allow you to better tailor a recruitment process specifically geared to Gen Z. It is important to tell your story, highlighting benefits and core values, to better highlight your company culture.
Impact of Covid
Over the past year, technology — and recruitment processes — have changed rapidly, with Zoom interviews and virtual career fairs enabling companies to hire from anywhere.
While this change was difficult for many, members of Gen Z have displayed comfort not only with remote interview processes but also hybrid and remote work models. Going forward, some may even prefer those models, given the flexibility these models provide. It is important to understand these employees’ preferences and offer a model that meets their values and preferences.
Supplying and shipping necessary hardware and administering an engaging and productive virtual onboarding experience will create a positive initial perception of your company. For some companies, providing employees with office furniture and internet stipends has eased hybrid or remote work transitions and created added benefits for Gen Z workers.
Gen Zers’ comfort with technology amidst the new normal of remote and hybrid work models, along with their resourcefulness and values, make them a key addition to today’s workforce. For recruiters to attract the best and brightest, they must understand the values and preferences of Gen Z workers and design their recruitment and engagement processes accordingly.