Oh joy! The next generation is here and they are greatly different from the Millennials.
Generation Z is defined has those born in the mid-1990’s (definitions vary) and are just starting to come into the workforce now. Addeco, the temp staffing firm, released a study on Generation Z and there are some interesting results.
There are going to a bunch of these workers showing up in the workplace. In four years, Addeco, says these workers will be about 20% of the workforce.
Why is this a concern?
It turns out Generation Z has significant differences from the Millennial generation that preceded it.
Employers are going to have to have different environments for these different generations. Don’t forget the baby boomers are still hanging around and they have different requirements also.
They Want Stability
Generation Z is looking for more stability than Millennials. Generation Z does not want to work for 20 different employers in their lifetime. They are interested in working for just a few employers.
The big takeaway from this study is the desire for stability. These workers saw their parents and grandparents struggle through economic problems and Generation Z has fears of loss of work that seems to overshadow all other requirements.
Social Concerns
However, that does not limit their concerns. They also have social concerns. Equality in the workplace, the ecology, etc. are all on their mind.
These workers are not as concerned about lifestyle issues as Millennials. Because of insecurity fears, they put job freedom, remote work, excessive benefits (e.g., free food) lower on the scale of requirements for their careers.
Tools for usage in the workplace become work important to this generation as they cannot conceive all information needed for their work not being available at their fingertips.
Work Problems
My discussion with Generation Z members reveals that they are struggling with two issues. Need for job security and the problem of having their lives revolving around their work creates a tension. They are dismayed at seeing work overwhelm the lives of their parents. However, the need to earn money gives them focus on their career. The company that understands these tensions and helps to relieve them will be very successful with these workers.
Culture
The most difficult requirement is the company must match their cultural ideals. These workers must feel that they fit into the organization. Their employers stand on politics, supporting the community, helping others, global suppliers, fair trade, and the ecology all are important. Also, the team members they work with also have this important impact on their happiness.
Hesitation in Accepting a Job
This requirement to match their values makes accepting a job very difficult. We are going to see delays in a job offer being accepted while they evaluate the offer. This is going to cause some problems from employers expecting they will grab the job right away. However, I foresee a very loyal employee once they accept the job.