Gen Z employees are reshaping the workplace, and HR professionals have an opportunity to learn from them and adapt to meet their needs. At ADP’s 2024 Women@Work summit, a panel of intergenerational experts shared their insights on how Gen Z views work, how their view compares with previous generations and how to support workers of all ages as workplace expectations change.
Gen Z workers are quickly becoming the majority generation at many workplaces. According to ADP Research, Gen Z employees account for a third of new hires and 16.9% of the total workforce.
As part of ADP’s annual summit Women@Work, a panel of intergenerational experts explored what Gen Z employees are looking for in today’s workplace and how organizations can respond effectively. Panelists agree that there are significant incentives for companies to understand what Gen Z employees want if they hope to attract and best engage this talent pool.
“Gen Z is really forcing a lot of employers to reevaluate their strategies, their philosophies and even their policies in order to remain competitive. The reality is Gen Z has choices and they’re not willing to settle,” says Jazmyn Mijuskovic, senior strategist, experience at exaqueo.
Here’s an overview of this session’s top themes, including actionable advice for HR leaders and managers.
Gen Z employees are rapidly growing into management roles
Gen Z workers are quickly becoming the majority generation at many workplaces. According to ADP Research, Gen Z employees account for a third of new hires and 16.9% of the total workforce.
As part of ADP’s annual summit Women@Work, a panel of intergenerational experts explored what Gen Z employees are looking for in today’s workplace and how organizations can respond effectively. Panelists agree that there are significant incentives for companies to understand what Gen Z employees want if they hope to attract and best engage this talent pool
Career growth is the number one factor
Mijuskovic goes on to explain that in a study of Gen Z workers conducted by exaqueo on what factors were most important, the top thing early careerists are looking for is career growth. While this can be seen in the speed and trajectory at which they’re joining the workforce and advancing to leadership roles, it highlights the importance of having clear communications with top talent and candidates on how your organization can support their career growth.
Organizations should ensure ” that they’re communicating those opportunities to Gen Z not just before they [are hired] but reminding them along the way while they’re here and they’re working for you too, here’s how you can grow your career here,” Mijuskovic explains.
Inclusion-native thinking is the new digital native
There’s been extensive discussion of how millennials have an advantage with workplace technology as digital natives. The panelists note that Gen Z employees bring a whole different kind of advantage to the table — the ability to navigate a world that prioritizes inclusion, adapts to a range of identities and celebrates diversity.
“I’m not surprised by ADP’s research, which shows that Gen Z workers are being promoted at higher rates. Sure, as digital natives they tend toward mad tech skills,” says Sterling Cruz-Herr, founder of TransClue. “But they’ve also been immersed in a broader worldview – enabled by social media – from the get. That translates to greater ease with difference and that translates to greater workplace potential.”
Empower the influencers in the hiring process
As organizations develop strategies to recruit Gen Z talent, it’s important to explore how the process itself may look different. Mijuskovic notes that Gen Z is more likely to consult their parents on employment options. But in reality, all generations borrow from and value elements from the prior generations. HR leaders must think about creating tools that help inform and engage influencers along the hiring process and facilitate inter-generational mentoring and teams in the workplace.
As a result, there’s an opportunity for a strategic shift.
“In talent acquisition, we often focus on the source of hire and not as much on what all of those sources of influence are along the way and that the relationships that people have are important,” Mijuskovic says. This knowledge creates an opportunity for organizations to effectively reach younger talent by resourcing their parents and other advisors in creative ways.
Purpose and authenticity are crucial to Gen Z employees
Cruz-Herr notes that Gen Z employees are more likely to be honest and blunt with leadership in the workplace, whether that means selecting employers that align with their values or openly calling out cultural challenges they want to see addressed. ADP’s Chief of Product Inclusion, Giselle Mota, notes that Gen Z talent knows they have many career options and opportunities — including opening a business or becoming an influencer — so they’re less likely to take jobs or work conditions that aren’t a fit. This generation, more than others before them, sees their potential to use their skills beyond traditional career paths.
The panelists observe that there’s a strong desire for Gen Z workers to find purposeful work and to identify a career path that aligns with their own values, specifically human values. It’s a bonus if they find a company with values that align as well.
For HR leaders, this highlights the opportunity to articulate a company’s values and to ensure that the purpose and contributions of each role are clear throughout hiring and retention cycles. Authentically communicating what it’s like to work within your organization will help top talent find the alignment they’re seeking.
This article originally appeared on SPARK powered by ADP.
