Most Generation Zs are coming to an age where we are looking for work, and chances are we will be the future of your company. So, how are you going to keep your business alive with Gen Z on the rise? Simple, hire them. Believe it or not, we need a job too.
Many Gen Zs are graduating from college, so if you want a chance to hire them you need to act fast, because many other companies have already started hiring this fresh market of employees.
“The world moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once and while you might miss it.”
-Ferris Bueller
Times are beginning to change, and if you don’t keep up then your company is bound to crumble. I know what you’re thinking, if it’s worked for so many years, then why change it? That’s problem number one. Those business strategies and methods of employment may have worked for you many years ago, but this is not then, and changes involving Gen Z’s new business methods and modern ideas are necessary to keeping your company profitable. You may not know where to start or what to change, and that’s where Gen Z steps in. We know more about these modern times than anyone–heck we grew up in it. If there’s one thing that happens far too often, it’s the rejection of Gen Z ideas (refer back to the second sentence). Not only are modern ideas vital to keeping your company alive but treating younger generations as inferior is one of the biggest turn-offs to those demographics. So, listen to what we have to say, it may just save your business.
But what are they going to say? How do the minds of Gen Z think?
As a member of Generation Z myself, I know this one. Most Gen Zs are more like Gen X than Gen Y, in fact, from what I’ve seen, millennials dislike Generation Z. Most late-born Millennials are very interested in today’s politics. Most Gen Zs that I’ve talked to don’t like to bring up politics, and more specifically dislike generalizing statements about groups of people. It’s important to keep this in mind when you are hiring a Gen Z. Most Gen Zs are also very socially aware and sensitive to what other people think; we care a lot about how we are perceived by our peers. In fact, a lot of people make blanket statements about Gen Z. One of those statements being that all Gen Z-ers are “screenagers,” totally absorbed by any and all technology and not experiencing the world because of our iPhone.
While every Gen Z-er is practically attached to their phone, we do not use it as a substitute for face-to-face interaction. Gen Z craves human interaction, and most of the time it’s more important to us that we are just hanging out in general–it doesn’t really matter to us what we do while hanging out.
Here are a few more important things to note about hiring Gen Z employees.
The DOs and DON’Ts of Attracting a Gen Z
Do: Use social media to advertise to younger populations in the workforce; create a business profile, because that’s where Gen Z spends most of their time.
Don’t: Make the common mistake that companies make in these efforts–AKA trying to act young and fresh. Seeing adults trying to act like teenagers is something I see a lot and it never works. It always feels forced and unnecessary, and not the best way to advertise to us.
Do: Talk like a normal human and get straight to the point. Gen Z desperately wants to be taken seriously, and it’s a major blow to see people treat us as inferior. Being straight forward and giving all the information necessary in one fell swoop is a good way to gain the trust of a Gen Z.
Don’t: Bring up politics in the workplace–it is major no. Whether someone cares about it or not, no one likes a conversation about politics in the workplace, especially Gen Z.
If you have a Gen Z working for you right now, you’re in luck because it won’t be very hard to keep them. Gen Z has a pattern of commitment and once they find a job, they’ll likely stay with it for a long time. The only reason Gen Zs leave a current job is if they don’t think it’s right for them, but they’ll make that decision early on in their career.
Times are changing, and if you want your business to thrive, it’s important to hire fresh talent to work for you, and Gen Z is a prime market.