Is your company ready for the next generation of employees?
And no, they’re not Millennials, or those born in the 80s and 90s, reaching adulthood after 2000. We’re talking about Generation Z—individuals born between 1998 and 2016. That means the oldest Z-ers are just entering their 20s this year. In fact, many of them might have applied for work in your organization.
While much has been said about the reputation of Millennials in the workplace (from being apathetic, entitled, and needing to belong), little is known about Generation Z. The good news is Millennials and Generation Z have many things in common, such as their affinity for technology, their focus on career growth and a need for a sense of purpose.
And that means Millennials are the perfect people to manage Gen Z-ers. With that being said, how exactly can Millennial managers handle this generation of employees?
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Create Strong Relationships
Generation Z-ers respond better to strong leaders handling small teams. But they don’t want to be talked down to either, because more than anything, they desire to be a part of a team that has direction and is doing something worthwhile. They want to have genuine relationships with their leaders, who they expect to teach as much as lead.
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Shower Them With Feedback
Annual performance reviews are slowly becoming a thing of the past, and Gen Z-ers will be one of many factors driving it. Like Millennials, Gen Z-ers hate being left in the dark. Their constant access to communication and social media means they expect feedback that’s constant and more importantly, fast.
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Provide Shorter Communication
Also because of social media, Gen Z-ers prefer quick and bite-size information instead of lengthy messages. They have neither the patience nor attention span for lengthy meetings and daily interdepartmental memos. If it can be sent electronically, ideally through an app, all the better.
And just because Gen Z-ers have shorter attention spans doesn’t mean they can’t do their jobs or aren’t paying attention. On the contrary, younger individuals have adjusted to the abundance of information they receive daily and know how to sort and remember critical data using technology and memory.
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Provide Interpersonal and Communication Training
Gen-Z employees will need more training to develop their interpersonal and communication skills. Many of these potential employees have grown up seeing the world through their computer or smartphone screens, so they may need some guidance on how to handle real-life, customer-facing situations.
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Provide Paths to Career Advancement
Generation Z employees are all about opportunity. If you want them to thrive and stay motivated, it’s important to show them your company is invested in their growth and advancement. This will show them their dream position is right within your organization waiting for them.
Generation Z workers are a challenging and complex set, but they’re not impossible to manage, especially if a millennial is in charge. If you’re having problems recruiting Gen Z-ers, call the staffing services experts of The Reserves Network for assistance.
