Dive Brief:

• A majority of Generation Z respondents (ages 18 to 23) to a survey by solutions provider Nintex said they plan to stay at their first job for more than one year. Nintex identified respondents as either college graduates with a four-year degree who are employed in a job in which they use a computer for five hours or more per day, or as future or current enrollees in a four-year degree program who will be actively looking for full-time employment. Nintex also surveyed 500 business decision makers. 
• The survey found that Gen Zers desire for prompt promotions is driven by economic conditions, such as debt, cost of living expenses and economic instability, rather than generation-based entitlement, Nintex said. Generally, most Gen Zers said they're ready to commit to a company if given professional growth, recognition and advancement opportunities — nine out of ten respondents want in-person check-ins with managers.
• Most Gen Zers accept their role as their employer's in-house tech experts, the survey found. About 80% of decision makers surveyed have adopted a tool or technology that was suggested or requested by a Gen Z employee. However, Nintex said members of this generation also fear that automation and artificial intelligence might cost them their jobs, preventing them from embracing these technologies.

Dive Insight:

Research has shown Gen Z is interested not only in frequent performance feedback, but in coaching, too. A survey by InsideOut Development found that 75% of 18- to 23-year-old employee respondents expected their bosses to coach them. The same survey also found Gen Zers want to be promoted quickly, rather than remaining on staff for months or years without a career path or an opportunity for growth.

As tech-savvy as members of the generation are, the Nintex survey and others demonstrate most of them want a human touch in their employment journey. More than half of Gen Zers in a Yello survey released in May said they prefer face-to-face interaction with recruiters over digital communication, and nearly half of respondents said that their interaction with recruiters had the biggest impact on their decision to accept a job offer. This shouldn't go unnoticed by recruiters, who may need to communicate frequently and personally with candidates and make the candidate experience a priority if they want to attract up-and-coming talent.

Recruiters can improve their chances of attracting and retaining Gen Zers by working with their learning and development (L&D) colleagues, experts previously told HR Dive. Emphasizing flexibility and amplifying growth opportunities when they become available are key L&D strategies to consider.