Generation Z makes up more and more of the workforce, but the transition hasn’t always been smooth. Their different expectations — as well as their arrival to the labor market during an unprecedented time of disruption — means that some Gen Z workers may be floundering.
“They grew up in a world of rapid change and uncertainty,” said Nirit Peled-Muntz, chief people officer at HiBob, noting that Gen Z has pushed through five years of disruption, political tension and, of course, COVID-19. “They entered into a workforce during the pandemic, so they are missing a lot of in-person workplace interactions that probably help develop skills and build relationships.”
Here’s what HR professionals can do to help.
Keep Gen Z priorities in mind
Gen Z workers want their jobs to be more than just a job. According to Deloitte’s 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, 86% of Gen Z workers said having a sense of purpose is important to their overall job satisfaction and well-being. Additionally, 75% of Gen Z and millennial workers said an organization’s community engagement and societal impact is an important factor when considering a potential employer.
Environmental sustainability is also a top concern, with 62% of Gen Z workers reporting feeling anxious about climate change in the previous month. In fact, Deloitte also found that two in 10 Gen Z workers have already changed jobs or industries to better align their work with their environmental values, with another quarter planning to do so in the future.
To keep Gen Z engaged — and on the job — HR managers should foster a feeling of belonging and connect employees’ work to what means a lot to them. That might mean volunteering and supporting the community through work “which also really helps them feel they’re important where they can support others,” said Peled-Muntz. Such opportunities through work can also foster a sense of belonging, and overall satisfaction with their job.
Don’t neglect the onboarding process
Another way to help Gen Z find their place at work is to make sure they’re onboarded properly — without being rushed through the process. That should at least be 12 to 18 months, said Doug Dennerline, CEO of Betterworks.
“After that 12 month period, you start to break even as a company,” he said on preparing a worker, and at 18 months, you start seeing the benefit of that investment.
That onboarding process should be thorough and can include things like shadowing workers before doing the job on their own and being taught how to develop both soft and hard skills, he said.
The ideal onboarding process is structured and comprehensive, added Peled-Muntz, which helps workers make the transition into the workplace and also provide clarity as to what their role is and what it can be.
When older generations started work, “you understood that you are at the bottom of the pyramid,” she said, but it was usually clear as to why their job was important. Gen Z workers need a bit more guidance getting there, and employers should “show them how their roles have an impact,” she said.
Survey Gen Z workers to find weak spots — throughout the workforce
HR professionals and managers can check in on how their Gen Z workers are feeling by surveying them often, said Dennerline. Not only can these surveys help figure out where Gen Z workers might need some help, but they also can point out if managers might be harboring unconscious bias against younger workers.
Surveys can “find out where managers aren’t using the best language or creating an environment where someone can be open and authentic and say I’m struggling and need your help,” he said.
That kind of openness is important to Gen Z workers, as is support for mental health concerns, even if a worker’s stressors are mostly at home, said Peled-Muntz. “They want us to make sure that they have a good work-life balance and make sure that if they have any psychological struggles, they get support,” she said. “The expectation is that we do try to help.”
