The first generation to never know a world without the Internet, Gen Z are the group between Millennials and Generation Alpha, born between 1997 and 2012. Often characterised as highly inclusive and social-conscious, there's a lot to consider when looking to attract Gen Z workers to your business. Gen Z make up more than a third of the global population and will soon be the most populous generation on the planet. So, if you aren't already planning for how your business is going to attract Gen Z talent, this is your time to start.
In a survey by Fiverr, Gen Z's top three priorities when looking for a job were flexible working hours (44%), abilitiy to build their skills (34%), and a friendly working culture (35%). Continue reading to find out more about the best ways to attract Gen Z talent:
Workplace Flexibility
Workplace flexibility is by no means a new topic within the job market, as a number of job seekers will no longer even consider a job that doesn't offer remote working in some form. Beyond working from home, flexible working also covers options such as flexitime, part-time, and annualised hours.
For Gen Z, 44% rated flexible working as their number one priority when looking for a job in a bid to achieve a better work/life balance. In another survey by TalentLMS, a massive 74% of Gen Zers surveyed wanted either fully remote or hybrid working options, with flexibility in when and where they work voted as important for 81% of Gen Z employees.
Due to the changes bought about by the pandemic, many businesses will have already reviewed their flexible working policy. With the Flexible Working Bill soon to become law which will allow employees to request flexible working options from day one of their employment, if you haven't already implemented a flexible working strategy for your business, it is an absolute necessity to keep up with your competitors and attract the best Gen Z talent.
Training and Career Progression
Opportunities to further your skills and your career is important for many of the current workforce, no matter which generation they are from, but for Gen Z it's becoming a deal breaker. In a recent study by Workplace Intelligence and Amazon, 74% of Gen Z and Millennial workers are considering quitting their job within the next year because their current business doesn't offer enough opportunities to develop their skills.
To add to this, LinkedIn reports that 30% of Gen Z employees are looking for ways to learn something new in their role, so offering opportunities for improving their current skills as well as offering opportunities for training in an entirely new area will help in attracting and retaining Gen Z employees. If you're wondering what exactly the post-millennial generation are looking for in regard to further training, a study carried out by TalentLMS found that training for leadership and managerial positions was the most sought after at 49%, with soft skills training resulting in a close second with 48%.
Creating a Positive Culture
Going to work each day is always more enjoyable and fulfilling when a business has taken the time to foster a positive workplace culture. Gen Z are highly aware of this, with 35% rating a friendly working culture as a high priority when searching for a new opportunity, coming just under training and flexibility in a survey by Fiverr.
As part of improving workplace culture, it's a good idea to take a look at your current wellbeing initiatives. Ensuring that your employees feel supported both inside and outside of work is a great way to foster a positive workplace culture, and shows you're making the wellbeing of your employees a priority. As many as 82% of Gen Z workers stated that they want mental health days to be offered from their place of work in a recent survey, with half of respondents stating that they want mental health training also.
The increasing focus on building a positive culture and employee wellbeing was heightened by the Covid-19 pandemic, but this change appears to be here to stay, with an article by the Harvard Business Review even stating that, "Wellness will become the newest metric that businesses use to understand their employees."
Celebrating Individuality
Amongst the many benefits of having a more inclusive and diverse workforce, diverse businesses see higher rates of employee engagement and innovation, and they're proven to be more financially successful. Diversity and Inclusion is also highly important to Gen Z, in a survey by Monster, 83% of those surveyed stated that a business's commitment to diversity and inclusion is important to them when choosing an employer. Gen Z also want to be part of a positive change for businesses as when asked how they believe they can positively influence their organisation, 34% chose DE&I, making it the second most popular answer in a survey by Deloitte.
Ensuring we are all taking steps towards an equitable future is important in every aspect of our lives, and this includes within the workplace. We will spent most of our time at work, so it's everyone's responsibility to ensure that the workplace is somewhere that everyone feels comfortable, accepted, and afforded the same opportunities.
Promoting Sustainability
As conversations around sustainability and climate change continue, businesses should be paying attention to how they can help create a more sustainable and environment-friendly future. For Gen Z, climate change remains in their top three concerns for 2023 according to Deloitte's Global Gen Z and Millennial Survey. In the same survey, 39% of the Gen Z respondents said they have rejected job offers from employers who don't align with their own values.
Looking into how your business can operate more sustainably and take part in initiatives that help the environment are a great way to ensure you're doing your part in creating a more sustainable future for everyone. Whether it's removing single-use plastics in your offices or running workshops on how to live more sustainably, there are a range of changes you can make to your business that will both help the environment and attract Gen Z talent.
Innovating in Tech
Gen Z are the first generation of digital natives, never knowing a world without the internet and growing up in a digital age amongst rapid technological advancements. Gen Z are used to consistently adapting to technological advancements and reportedly 70% would leave their current role for a business with better tech. As the use of AI in the workplace becomes a hot topic of conversation, 68% of Gen Zers surveyed by The Telegraph say they welcome the use of AI and other emerging technologies within the workplace. Therefore, reviewing the tech you currently use within your business and seeing where you can make changes to adapt to the latest innovations is a great way to show Gen Z talent that you're a top choice for their next opportunity.
Another thing to consider when aiming to attract more Gen Z talent into the business is the way you should be communicating with them. An article by Tech Crunch reported that Gen Z are actually turning to apps such as TikTok and Instagram over Google to find answers to their questions. In light of this, is your business using the right channels to communicate with this generation? It's worth considering which online platforms are best in order to target a Gen Z audience, as you may need to add TikTok and Instagram to your arsenal.
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