The New Generation of Workers: 4 Tips To Attract and Retain Gen Z Talent

It’s fair to say that the youth that makes up Gen Z proudly represents the next generation of talent. If your company needs good people, you need to think of them during your hiring efforts and modify your current processes so you can retain them for years to come.

Generation Z typically includes young people born between the late 1990s and the early 2000s. These are the folks who are graduating from college and they’re looking for the perfect job. You need to try to capture this audience, and you’ll have to modify your tactics to do so. Here are four tips to attract this talented group.

1. Provide the Option of Remote Work

The youth of Gen Z love to work with technology, and they enjoy their independence, so it’s no secret why many in this age range would love to combine those passions by working from home. When asked, 29% of Gen Z’ers said they’d prefer to work remotely, and 27% said they simply must be allowed to work outside of the office. If your company is in an industry that enables the possibility to do so, consider mentioning that the position you’re hiring for can be done in the office or at home.

Recent technological advancements have changed the game. Video conferencing software enables employees to communicate and discuss projects face-to-face. Also, cloud computing allows team members to share files seamlessly from anywhere globally. You’re running out of excuses not to allow a remote workforce, so consider making a change, and you could draw in great talent.

2. Make Mental Health a Priority

Gen Z has separated itself from previous generations by making it known that they won’t settle for the first job they can find and won’t work outrageous schedules just because the manager tells them to do so. Instead, these young people know that there’s more to life than wasting their day away at work, and they’re not willing to put their mental health in jeopardy for their employer.

If you want to attract the Gen Z crowd, then your company must eliminate the frustrations that many employees face every day. The jobs of today can impact our mental health in many ways. Often, it’s the long hours that many employers require, which can eventually lead to burnout. When your associates feel exhausted and overworked every day, and they’re unhappy at work, their work will suffer, and even worse, they could experience depression and other unfortunate issues.

To attract Gen Z workers, you not only need to prove that you won’t abuse the employer-employee relationship, but you also need to explain the tactics that you have in place to avoid the potential for poor mental health. Efforts to help manage mental wellness in the office can include providing open communication between employees and management, offering mental health days off, providing free counseling, and offering flexible scheduling. Put these perks in the job description, and you could see an influx of applications.

3. Provide Real Opportunities for Growth

Another way to attract the Gen Z crowd is to note in your job listings that you offer a real opportunity for growth within the organization and then actually mean it. The young people in this generation don’t want to get a position and stay there for years to come. They want to move up, and if they get a job with you assuming they can move up the ladder and you don’t follow through on that promise, many won’t have a problem quitting.

Once you hire an employee who desires to rise in the company, talk to them and create a personalized roadmap for their success. Tell them the skills they need to learn and the positions they’ll need to fill along the way, and then help them to hit each stepping stone.

Even if an employee doesn’t immediately express a desire to move up, management should still offer mentorships, job rotations, and cross-training opportunities, and they may eventually show interest. A good manager should want to see their staff learn everything and then move on to better things. Allow them to do so, and they may return the favor by referring their qualified friends to apply to your company as well.

4. Show You Align With Their Values

One of the most significant differences between Gen Z and other previous generations is their seemingly unending desire to see diversity. They want to see equality flourish around the world. They’re typically socially conscious and open-minded, and they care about social justice and ensuring that everyone gets an equal share.

To attract these young people, your company must show that you share the same values. One way to do so is to add your inclusive mission statement on all job listings. Make it known that you’re an equal-opportunity employer. Also, HR leaders can look at ways to give back by serving underprivileged communities. Give current employees a chance to volunteer in the community. Hopefully, they will spread the word to their friends that yours is a company that cares.

At a minimum, these four tips should make their way into your company’s recruitment strategy if you’re looking to attract the intelligent folks of Gen Z. Tweak the programs as time passes, and you’ll find more qualified candidates knocking on your door.

Authors

Ainsley Lawrence

Ainsley Lawrence is a freelance writer from the Pacific Northwest. She is interested in better living through technology and education. She loves traveling to beautiful places and is frequently lost in a mystery podcast.