When Millennials entered the workforce, they disrupted the office landscape by making flexibility and work-life balance a necessary part of company culture. Today, members of Generation Z (born after 1997) are launching their careers. In fact, they already make up 20% of today’s workforce.
As more Gen Zers come of age and their older colleagues retire, Generation Z will have a greater impact on the workplace.
Here’s what you can expect from your Gen Z employees and colleagues.
Generation Z Has an Entrepreneurial Spirit
Generation Z values entrepreneurship more than other generations. According to a 2016 study by Monster titled “Move Over, Millennials: Gen Z is About to Hit the Workforce,” 1 in 2 Gen Zers wants to start a business compared to 1 in 3 from all previous generations.
How does this entrepreneurial spirit translate when Gen Zers work for someone else?
Generation Z will take their professional development into their own hands. According to Monster, 3 in 4 members of Gen Z say they feel responsible for their own advancement in the workplace.
Generation Z is also made up of hard workers who seek opportunities for upward mobility. But, if you treat Gen Zers like they’re at the bottom of the proverbial totem pole, micromanage them, or fail to give them meaningful responsibilities, you won’t be able to retain them.
Generation Z Values Tech in the Workplace
Technology is a tool that gives Gen Zers the freedom to design their days and their careers.
As Monster reveals, members of Gen Z are more likely than previous generations to find smartphones more essential to work than laptops. When Gen Zers can check email and work from their phones, they’re able to do their job whenever and wherever. In fact, 58% of them are happy to burn the midnight oil if it will lead to higher pay.
The opportunities and freedom that technology provides impacts where the members of Gen Z choose to work. According to “Gen Z is Here. Are You Ready?”, a 2018 study from Dell, 91% of Gen Zers would select a job based on the technology they could use.
Generation Z Wants to Learn from Their Colleagues
Despite their tech-savvy nature, Gen Z understands that tech doesn’t replace human interaction. The Dell study revealed that Gen Zers crave in-person communication.
Even with their entrepreneurial spirit, Gen Z values working with others. Dell found that the majority of this young talent pool would rather work on a team than on their own, and in the office rather than at home. Furthermore, three in four Gen Zers would prefer to learn new skills from colleagues rather than through virtual training.
Members of Generation Z understand the value their colleagues can bring to their professional development.
Final Thoughts: What to Expect as Gen Z Enters the Workplace
What will your Gen Z colleagues, employees, and interns be like? When you understand what they value, you can better manage and collaborate with them.
Members of Generation Z seek opportunities to carve their own paths and view tech as a tool for creating freedom. However, they also know that tech doesn’t replace the valuable in-person lessons they can learn from their colleagues.
Like the generations before them, Gen Z will likely influence changes in the workplace that will improve it for everyone.
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