I'm Aimee, an apprentice in digital marketing and a part of Gen Z. I’ve written this article to assist leaders in understanding the most effective approaches to engage Gen Z workers. In order to generate six ideas and methods on how to engage your Gen Z employees, I combined extensive research with my personal experience.
Generation Z, sometimes known as "Gen Z" (those born between 1997 and 2012), are starting to alter how businesses operate. We are the first generation to have grown up with the internet and social media. It can be difficult to engage workers, especially those in Generation Z. Companies need to understand how Gen Z differs from other employees. This will make it easier to recruit the newest talent and your future leaders.
Here are some strategies for engaging your Gen Z staff:
Leverage Great Technology
As digital natives, Generation Z, thrive on social media and electronic communication. Utilise modern technologies to aid in communication, teamwork, and building relationships.
The following are some examples of employee engagement tools that will benefit Gen Z workers:
- Tools for teamwork: Slack and Miro
- Digital learning: Work at your own pace and customise learning with Google Digital Garage
- Online meeting tools: Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet
- Technology for employee feedback
Support Development
Gen Z workers are motivated and aspirational. We value chances for professional development. Two-thirds of Gen Zers said that their goal in life was to make it to the top of their profession.
Keep us engaged by demonstrating your dedication to our development and progress. Create chances for us to develop.
Here are a few options for how to go about it:
- Provide visible & accessible career path options within the company
- Offer leadership training
- Prepare employees for greater responsibilities
It's crucial that you let us know you have faith in our ability to expand the business. There are instances when our leaders don't respect Generation Z. Because of this, we can lose respect for the company, which might lead to retention problems.
I worked for a well-known fast food restaurant when I was 18 years old. They would assign me numerous daily duties that had a significant influence on the store. But none of my ideas were taken seriously. Ideas that would improve customer happiness while also enhancing workflow and engagement. I "didn't know what I was talking about," they claimed. They stopped by maybe once every four months throughout the two years I spent working there. I knew what I was talking about. One of the reasons I and so many others my age left was because of their persistent downplaying of my ideas.
Encourage Transparency
Technology allows Generation Z to learn anything they want to know about your business. Even during the interview process. A culture that promotes transparency will increase their engagement as employees.
There are a few techniques to improve transparency in your organisation:
- Encourage leaders to communicate openly and honestly
- Set definite objectives and expectations.
- Give staff opportunities to get to know one another
- Share your culture on social media frequently and openly
When applying to jobs, I always check the reviews from people that work / have worked there. It’s the best way to get an insight into what it’s like to work there before you’re already in.
I had used Glassdoor to look at one of the company’s I was thinking of applying to. The ratings weren't very good. There seemed to be a toxic culture at the organisation.
I decided to apply anyway, thinking that I would utilise this to hone my interview techniques. They did make me an offer, but I declined it. I wasn't planning on working in a toxic environment.
By being transparent with their employees, this company would have solved their culture problem and I might have made a different decision.
Celebrate Diversity & Inclusion
It’s important to celebrate the diversity in the workforce. Gen Z is the most ethnically diverse generation yet. We have high expectations in this area, so make sure you are demonstrating to us that you care about D&I if you want to keep new talent interested.
Do this by:
- Showcasing the company’s approach on social media
- Allow employees to share their interests, special skills, etc.
- Create a safe and inclusive workspace, where diversity is celebrated
When looking for jobs / opportunities, one important factor I consider is the company's D&I policy. Like many members of Generation Z, I don't want to work with people who have the exact same beliefs as myself.
It's important to surround yourself with people who, in their perspectives and experiences, differ from you in order to expand your own knowledge. This is the best way to succeed.
A business that values diversity and inclusion is urging its staff to push one another and grow. This can create an extremely engaging environment.
Company Mission
Employee engagement is higher when they feel their work is in line with the company's objective. Gen Z is not an exception. Gen Z is more likely to be engaged if the organisation shares their interests and passions.
Highlight the mission of your organisation in:
- Departmental and corporate meetings
- Small-group discussions
- The company newsletter
Don't forget to check that your team is moving in the same direction on a frequently. That laser-like focus on the future gives Gen Z a compelling "why" and enables them to match their personal beliefs with those of the organisation.
While one organisation I worked for liked to boast about its goal, it was never truly used there. They used it to appear more progressive than they actually were, almost like a broken promise.
In addition to being a toxic workplace, the company's values appeared to be shifting continuously. This made it very challenging for me to be motivated at work and ultimately led me to decide to quit.
Regular Feedback
Gen Z expects feedback frequently. This could be an effect of the immediacy that digital platforms provide. 66% of Gen Z employees said they needed feedback from their supervisor every few weeks or more to stay at their job.
They like regular feedback because it enables them to stay on task at work. Consider:
- Regular performance reviews
- Scheduled 1:1s
- Opportunities to interact with senior leaders
- Ongoing coaching from managers
We also expect to be able to provide feedback. So creating an opportunity for us to have a clear voice in the organisation is key to continued engagement.
In earlier positions, I've provided and gotten employee feedback. Observing how different generations responded was quite fascinating. Gen Zers would ask for feedback more often.
I thought it would be beneficial for my growth to find out how I could improve. Regular two way feedback is a key part of our ways of working at Ten Space and I really thrive from this approach.
Gen Z are just beginning their careers. As they begin to take up larger portions of your company, it will become more and more important to keep them engaged.
An employee engagement survey is a smart way to evaluate the success of your initiatives. To ensure a higher employee engagement rate, you can better connect your strategies with the employees using the results you obtain.
Use our employee feedback survey to learn more about engagement. We can assist you with identifying your Gen Z audience (and others), understanding their specific engagement needs, and determining where you may need to adopt a new strategy to gain the most engagement and performance boost from your efforts.
If you’d like to understand more about how we can help you with team retention, engagement and performance, you can find out more about the work we do here: www.tenspace.co.uk
