Introducing Generation Z
We’ve all just gotten comfortable with the idea of having millennials in the workplaces and their work ethic and habits. Now that they’re moving into management, it’s time to introduce the next generation — Generation Z. This year will be the first year they set foot in the workplace and in three years they will make up more than 20% of the total workforce.
They’re not so different from millennials; they grew up similarly with technology on all sides and the same sense of inclusion and team building. As expected, their introduction to the workplace will further the technology gap between the younger employees and the boomer generation. But their new outlook on business and technological demands and workplace expectations will encourage companies to expand and grow in different ways.
Generation Z will have shorter attention spans (8 seconds) but it’s because they process and filter information faster than any generation before them, so if the work isn’t captivating and the website doesn’t provide – they won’t engage with it.
They are also born brand managers. They’ve grown up hearing the Millennials warnings about online image and now they’re hyper aware of their perception on social media and they work hard to maintain it. Because socialization is no longer limited to school, a large portion of it takes place online for Generation Z so if they’re not engaging with it – they don’t exist.
Their world view has been shaped by financial crisis and now they are more aware of their finances. Gen Z is more likely than Millennials to plan ahead, save money, and make choices that provide them with a stable future.
These views will also present employers with new challenges in the face of employee engagement and retention. Onboarding and branding will be more important than ever to retain top talent and maintain a succession plan.
More so than even millennials, Gen Z is looking to drastically transform the office. They want their job to be rewarding, to expand their skills and to be flexible. More workers will be working from home, more workers will have side jobs in 2017 and now it’s more important than it ever for employers to be flexible because the new generations lives a little differently.
Learn more about the BirdDogHR Talent Management solution or checkout the 7 Talent Management Trends to Expect in 2019 to learn more about how talent management is changing.
