In the beginning I want to say that every generation brings to our world something new. We live in 21st century and it’s the age of technology, but the main point of our Gen Z (the age group who was born between 1995 and 2000s and this demographic makes up 32% of the global population) is that we are more open, creative and emotional people. In this blog I mostly focus on showing that our generation is ready to lead people and improve the quality by different methods. Gen Z named 'co-workers who like to collaborate' as being the type of worker who would help them do their best work, let’s see why?
Gen Z from the experiences of their parents, siblings and already with our own are aware of how broken the workforce is today. Our generation is the one that values equality the most whether we're talking about race or gender or sexual orientation or transgender issues.We are more open and care about employees, like everyone should get satisfaction from his work, in another case it will lead to apathy, not productivity and other problems with a staff. This greatly affects the quality of work. Previous generation is used to doing their job, giving instructions, hiding their emotions, not entering into personal dialogues with colleagues, however sometimes you need to talk to your employees in order to find out all the pros and cons, maybe there are some misunderstandings, and you will never know about it if don’t ask. Don’t be surprised that the Gen z workforce wants “human interaction at work”, we are not only about digital innovations, as it's really important that our generation can teach older people.
When I worked at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Prague, it was as comfortable as possible, extremely easy, and simple to work with a manager, who was older than me, however we spoke on “the same language”and my performance was way more productive. Younger workers value communication and collaboration over business performance. We want frequent and ongoing conversations and feedback regarding their own performance as well.
The importance of hiring Gen-z at work was already mentioned by Ms. Anastasia Klochai in her blogpost “Gen-Z in the workplace, no time for hesitations & doubts”. She told us “It doesn’t mean that all employees must represent the same generation, but the working environment should diversify due to all the different members of staff” and I absolutely agree with this.
I would like to mention some more reasons for you to hire Gen Z.
We are passionate about:
working long hours
managing time
negotiating, resolving conflicts
managing other people
Also, here is how Gen Z reshaping the workforce:
As I did research and found the information that in Stockholm School of Economics where 50% of the graduates, who are saying that they would like to have their own businesses because they would like to have more autonomy in life. According to this and how the world changes rapidly, I want to say, that we are really motivated and responsible generation, we are inspired by ourselves and more than ready to create new rules, breaking the stereotypes. Some people say that we are not learning anymore, but we understand deeply that specifically we need learn to progress with anything in life. We understand that the only way to ensure that you are relevant is to adopt an everyday learning process making your executive decision about your future now.
Now let’s get back to the fact that our generation dependent on phones and other digital approaches. Digital Natives want a job with a good working climate to fulfill their goal of self-actualization. We are raised in an era of available technology that makes starting a business relatively easy. We turn to technology for a lot of things whether it is entertainment, research, education. Just part of what we are. Technology was made to turn our weakness into a strength, to make our job better, easier, faster and we should use this. The jobs will change, and technology will be a part of this world either other generations are ready for it or not, ready to adapt or not the more people inhibited the more they fear technology the more reactive. Jim Link said:
"Companies seeking to be an employer of choice must leverage the collaborative revolution taking place and provide the technology, tools, and processes that facilitate and encourage it.”
What I am trying to say, it’s very beneficial having Gen Z in the workplace, because we have different ways of thinking, innovative ideas and leadership skills. Moreover, our generation has plenty to offer in terms of skill set, particularly when it comes to digital solutions. Gen Z accustomed to digital tools and the pace at which they change. Managers should tap into and learn from this capability. As Gen Z enter the workforce, they are bringing change, challenging the workplace structure, and creating new conditions for employees.
If you are still reading this article, I can assume that you found something interesting or useful for yourself. Then it’s time to change your mind or at least to think how Gen Z can affect your business. I will really appreciate if you let me know what you think about this in the comments below!
Author: Ms. Varvara Stradina, Business and Hospitality Bachelor Student at Hotel Institute Montreux (HIM), from Russia