Gen Z in the Workplace | What They Want & How to Support Them
So how do you actually support Gen Z at work? I was on a client call recently and one of the things this client was struggling with is that their younger employees did not seem to take the initiative. They were on their phones a lot, they reported problems too late, and they were not picking up on the things the business expected of them.
So I asked her what training they give young people when they join. She looked a bit befuddled and said, well, nothing really. We kind of expect them to have learned it at university.
And that is where the conversation got interesting, because Gen Z get labelled with a lot of things. Lazy, entitled, can’t be bothered, no resilience, all struggling with their mental health. When you look at the data it says something different.
In this blog I want to go through what the research says Gen Z actually want from an employer, what you can do to attract them, and four things you can start doing tomorrow to support the ones already working for you.
Contents
How to Support Gen Z Employees at Work (Video)
Why Gen Z Show Up Differently at Work
Four Ways to Support Gen Z in the Workplace
What Do Gen Z Care About When Looking for a Job?
What Companies Can Do to Attract Gen Z Talent?
Supporting the Wellbeing of Gen Z
The Real Reason Gen Z Don’t Want to Work (Video)
How to Support Gen Z Employees at Work (Video)
Why Gen Z Show Up Differently at Work
To understand how to support Gen Z, you have to understand how they grew up. There is a good book by Jonathan Haidt called The Anxious Generation which is worth a read if you get the chance. He writes about how this is the first generation to grow up with a smartphone in their hand from being a baby right through to adulthood. Their whole childhood and their teenage years happened on these devices.
And here is a number worth sitting with. Between 2010 and 2020, anxiety in young people aged 18 to 25 went up by 139%. That is an enormous shift in a very short space of time.
That anxiety does not stop when they leave education. It follows them into work. Deloitte found that 40% of Gen Z feel stressed most of or all of the time. Four in ten of your younger employees could be walking into work already feeling stressed before anything has even happened.
I see this in the room as well. When I deliver workshops and there are younger employees in the group, they are often the more timid ones. They start with lower confidence, a bit shy, less willing to speak up at first. And most of the time that is not because they cannot do it. Of course they can. Growing up with a screen has given them fewer chances to practise the social side of work, speaking in a room, having a slightly awkward face to face conversation. A lot of that got replaced. So they arrive with less practice. And do not forget the pandemic landed right in the middle of some fairly important developmental years, when they were not allowed to see anyone.
When you understand all that, it is easier to be a bit more empathetic about how they show up. It is easy to look at a younger team member and decide they are lazy or quiet or hesitant, and get frustrated with them. In most cases it is not a character flaw. They just have not grown up the same way their older colleagues did.
The good news is that confidence and communication can be developed. Younger people can get more confident, they can get better at communicating, and they can learn to take the initiative. They need the right guidance to get there.
Four Ways to Support Gen Z in the Workplace
There is plenty you can do, but these four are a good place to start.
1. Give Them Baby Steps
Give them small, low stakes tasks where they can have a bit of success, and then build on it. Do not throw a nervous team member into presenting to the whole company and expect them to shine. Give them guidance, do it one to one at first, let them practise. Confidence comes from small wins built up gradually, so create the opportunity for that to happen.
2. Be Clear About the Unwritten Rules
Rather than assuming they already know, make things clear. We do not know what we do not know. Some of these things will seem basic to you, but if someone has never come across them they need to be shown.
Let me give you an example of something I did not know. I was in a restaurant eating edamame, and having never been served it in the pod before, I ate the whole thing. Towards the end I thought, this is a bit chewy, I cannot eat this. So I took it out of my mouth and put it down. Then I looked over and saw someone else squeezing the beans out of the shell and eating just the beans. That is how you do it. Something that simple, and I had never been shown.
We cannot expect young people to pick things up if nobody has shown them. So teach them, and do it in an encouraging way. It makes a big difference.
3. Give Praise, and Be Specific
People like to be encouraged. When something goes well, say so, but be specific about it. Do not just say well done this week. Tell them exactly what they did well and why it mattered, how it helped the team or the company. When praise is clear and specific, they understand what they did that worked so they can go and do it again. It is another way of building their confidence bit by bit.
4. Create the Space to Check In
This one is probably the most important. Gen Z have higher levels of anxiety than any other generation, so we need to be checking in on their wellbeing rather than waiting for them to come to us.
Whether that is a one to one or a wellbeing survey, the checking in has to happen. And it is not only about asking, it is about the environment you ask in. Another Deloitte study found that three in ten Gen Z employees worry their manager would discriminate against them if they raised a concern about their mental health. So a lot of your younger team members might be struggling and saying nothing, because they are worried about what happens if they do.
Which raises a fair question. How do you support your team if they are not going to tell you what is wrong? That is one of the places Workplace Lens comes in. It is an anonymous wellbeing survey tool that lets you check in on your teams, whether that is everyone or specifically your younger team members. You can run a short wellbeing pulse weekly, fortnightly or monthly, or a more detailed survey over quarters so you can track how people are doing across the year. Free to get started, and there is a walkthrough of how it works.
What Do Gen Z Care About When Looking for a Job?
It would be easy to make assumptions about what matters most to Gen Z but the data shows it is probably not what you think.
Of course this generation wants to be paid fairly, have good benefits and enjoy their work, but those are not the biggest factors. According to research by Gallup, the number one workplace want for Gen Z is an employer that cares about employee wellbeing.
Wellbeing is a broad thing and the Oxford dictionary defines it as the state of being comfortable, healthy or happy. So what does that mean for Gen Z? It means they want to feel looked after, cared for, have a sense of purpose and be happy in the job. Companies that prioritise that have the best chance of getting the most out of their people.
Gen Z also value flexibility. A lot of them were introduced to the working world during the pandemic so they are used to working from home. That does not mean they only want to work from home, it means it is what they know. And working from home is not always ideal for this age group. With a lot of young people flat sharing or living with parents, working from home often means working from their bedroom. Sitting in one room all day is not great for any of us, and without the right equipment it can lead to a range of health issues. A bad back, neck pain, loneliness, stress. What Gen Z seem to care about is having the option, depending on their circumstances. They value the flexibility.
What Companies Can Do to Attract Gen Z Talent?
Whether you are a retail business, a technology company, in financial services or something else, these are the things to think about when you are trying to attract Gen Z into your workforce.
Create a Great Workplace Culture
In Microsoft’s 2022 Work Trend Index, a positive workplace culture came top of the things employees say are very important for an employer to provide, at 46%, ahead of wellbeing benefits at 42% and a sense of purpose at 40%. Gen Z share the same top three. Workplace culture is the mix of values, standards, beliefs and normal attitudes inside a business, and it is a big part of whether Gen Z accept an offer. Creating a culture where colleagues feel respected, appreciated and valued is a good step towards something Gen Z and every other generation would appreciate.
Champion Employee Wellbeing Initiatives
As we said earlier, employee wellbeing is the number one workplace want for Gen Z, so putting wellbeing initiatives in place helps you attract and keep them. Whether that is wellbeing focused workshops, fitness challenges, mental health support, health checks or support groups, having some of these in place matters. Without health and wellbeing being taken seriously, who is going to do the work when people are off sick? Gen Z understand their wellbeing is a priority.
Offer Continuous Learning and Development
Learning matters to this generation more than most. LinkedIn found that 76% of Gen Z want more opportunities to learn or practise new skills when they are job hunting, and 69% say they want to learn about a topic they are personally interested in. That backs up the need to offer training and development to help this generation do well. You can teach them skills specific to the job, ways to build confidence, how to create good habits, how to handle the difficult bits. Investing in learning is another part of attracting the next generation.
Support Great Causes
Supporting good causes seems to matter more to this generation than any before it. According to Forbes, Gen Z are the most likely generation to say they donate because it is the right thing to do. Working for a company that supports good causes is an attractive proposition when you are job hunting. Charitable work often brings employee engagement with it too, whether that is fundraising, sponsored events or volunteering, and all of that adds to a sense of purpose.
Offer Flexible Work Arrangements
The demand for flexibility has never been higher, especially among Gen Z. A survey from Deloitte found that a significant portion of Gen Z value work life balance and look for flexible hours and the option to work remotely. They see flexibility as a core part of job satisfaction and mental health rather than a perk. Flexible working means trusting people to manage their own schedule while still meeting their responsibilities, and that trust gives employees the feeling of being valued, which is good for culture and morale.
There is a lot more to think about, but those are good steps towards attracting the future of the working world.
Supporting the Wellbeing of Gen Z
Some people consider Gen Z a soft generation, but they have had to deal with modern struggles that older generations cannot really relate to. Before the internet, people could only compare their lives to the people they actually knew. The internet opened up a whole new level of comparison, and with clickbait headlines and constant negativity, these young people have grown up with a lot thrown at them.
CNN report that compared with other generations, Gen Z are more likely to report stress, anxiety and loneliness, which is not surprising given what they are dealing with. There are steps employers can take to support the health and wellbeing of this age group, and here are a few.
Implement Mental Health Programmes
Mental health programmes are a good way to show Gen Z that their mental health is supported. A programme can include mental health days, mental health first aiders, workshops, access to professional counselling, crisis intervention services and awareness campaigns. Putting something like that in place shows employee wellbeing is a real part of your culture rather than a line in a handbook.
Promote Work-Life Balance
With the shift to remote and hybrid work the lines between work and home can get blurred. It is worth putting things in place to keep them separate. Emailing colleagues on a weekend or late in the evening is not best practice for a company trying to build a culture of balance. Gen Z want their personal time respected, and the companies that respect it have the best chance of keeping them.
Encourage Physical Activity
We all know how important physical health is, and we are not always great at looking after it. A workplace that encourages physical activity helps improve the wellbeing of everyone in it. Research by UNiDAYS, who surveyed more than 12,000 students, found that 49% of Gen Z work out one to three times a week, so exercise is clearly a part of their lives. Whether it is wellness challenges, a running club, gym discounts or facilities on site, all of that supports the health and wellbeing of Gen Z.
Facilitate Support Groups
Support groups are a nice way for colleagues to bond, share experiences and build connections. They can be really valuable for younger people, helping them build confidence, learn new skills and make friends at work. An organisation that runs groups like this shows Gen Z they are more than someone hired to do a job. Forward thinking companies understand that when an employee grows, the company grows with them.
Ensure a Safe Working Environment
A safe working environment should be standard everywhere, and safety does not just mean making sure nobody trips over a wire. A safe workplace is one where people feel comfortable. Making sure there is no bullying, no microaggressions and no discrimination of any kind is crucial. Somewhere people feel safe is somewhere people feel respected and included, with an equal chance to do well. If Gen Z do not feel safe in your organisation, it will not be long before they leave.
The Real Reason Gen Z Don’t Want to Work (Video)
Supporting Gen Z and getting the best out of them is not always easy, and most managers do not have the time to build the training themselves. If your workplace wants help setting something up to build confidence and improve communication among your younger team members, have a look at our bespoke team workshops or get in touch and we can talk it through.
But even if you never work with me, those four things will get you started with the Gen Z members of your team. Take what is relevant for you.
A happy workforce is a productive workforce.
Author Tyler Lowe, Health & Wellbeing Speaker