When starting a business, you need to put a heavy emphasis on talent retention and attraction. The problem, however, lies in the fact that a lot of these entrepreneurs read general guides that don’t necessarily address the issues that are relevant to their target demographic.
Let’s say that you’re keen on hiring members of the Gen Z and you just can’t go on based on the guide that was written with millennials in mind. So, to help you out with this crucial issue, here are several important workplace issues that Generation Z is interested in.
1. The First Step Towards Independence
About 37 percent of all members of Generation Z have the end goal of starting their own company. This means that, while in your employ, they most likely won’t see your business as a temporary employment option but rather a stepping stone towards something greater.
Keep in mind that if you play this card right, you can get them to invest maximum effort while they’re there. Just try to put things into the right perspective and explain to them how this will take them one step closer towards the goal of starting their enterprise.
2. Nothing Beats Career Growth
Some of the older generations find stability to be a crucial factor in their employment. What they’re looking for is a positive workplace environment, a paycheck that can provide them with the lifestyle they want (a white picket fence and a dog named Spot), as well as a position from which they can just retire in peace.
For Gen Z, it’s all about the chance of growth and progress. In other words, they’ll stay in your employ as long as there’s a challenge in it. As long as they believe that there’s more room for them to advance, they will be unlikely to leave your employ.
3. They’re Far More Cautious
One of the things that a lot of people wouldn’t expect from Gen Z members is the fact that they’re incredibly interested in safety in the workplace. So, protective gear and equipment and the importance of the right safety policy may be far more important to them than it is to anyone else.
They also want to know what happens in the worst-case scenario. What if they get sick or injured and can’t continue working? One way to resolve this is to contact superannuation lawyers and consult them when drafting your workplace safety policy. Chances are that some of your employees might use them.
4. Don’t Expect That They’ll Be There For Long
As we’ve already mentioned, what you need to understand is the fact that Gen Z members hop jobs at an unprecedented pace. This means that it might not be a good idea to place someone who has these traits into a position with long training time.
For instance, it would be a waste of time to groom someone for the position of leadership just to have them abandon you in a matter of days or months. Remember, there’s so much for them to do while they’re there and it would be a shame to miss out on this massive potential.
5. They’re Quite Tech-Savvy
One more thing you need to understand is the fact that Gen Z members are incredibly tech-savvy, which doesn’t come as a surprise, due to the fact that they’re practically born with a smartphone in their hand.
They also do not see the difference between digital and real life, which makes their transition into the digital work environment a lot smoother. This is also great for group projects and collaboration tools, as well as remote working.
6. The Traditional Way of Communication
Perhaps the most surprising fact about Gen Z employees is the fact that they prefer the traditional workplace communication. This is probably because, in their private life, they’re mostly isolated and accustomed to spending time with their friends in the virtual environment.
Sure, introverts might like it this way but a substantial amount of extroverts are in your employ as well and they might miss the opportunity for face-to-face encounters. This workplace environment may provide them with just that.
The very last thing you need to understand is the fact that important workplace issues that Gen Z is interested in might to seem unique and even completely counterintuitive.
After all, if talent retention is impossible, then what’s the point in working on it, to begin with? The truth is that it’s not about how long you manage to keep them but how hard you can make them try in this period that matters the most.
