We as individuals may not be getting any younger, but the opposite seems to be true of the workforce at large. Members of Gen Z were born between 1997 and 2012, which means that the oldest members are now in the early career phase. Every person is an individual, but there are broad strokes you can take to help set up your Gen Z workers for success.
Acknowledge Their Values
As a whole, Gen Z tends to value individuality and egalitarianism. They are not typically interested in siloed workplaces where each department is cut off from the next, and they have little tolerance for workplace harassment or discrimination. They want to express their individual style, and they value flexibility and work-life balance.
Help Gen Z workers grow into professional roles by setting reasonable boundaries within which they have freedom to explore. Empower them to make decisions within the guardrails you set, and be ready to explain why the guardrails are there. Develop a strong work culture, prioritize balance, and work hard on diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Respect Their Communication Style
While Millennials are considered the first digital natives, Gen Z are the first to grow up in our social media-saturated world. They may be most comfortable with text or chat, rather than phone calls or emails. They may also use a lot of text-speak, attempting to get across a message in as few words as possible.
Work with your Gen Z employees to set up communication channels that work for them as well as for management. Help them learn which situations call for longer-form communication, but allow them to shorthand their messages to each other. And call on them for help with your social media sites and other digital solutions.
Embrace Technology
As digital natives, Gen Z workers are accustomed to implementing technological solutions for nearly any problem. While you don’t need to redo all your systems and processes to accommodate them, be open to embracing these solutions when they make sense. Encourage your Gen Z team members to speak up when they see a novel way to save time or money, and follow up on their suggestions.
Like every other generation, Gen Z consists of individuals. But the world in which they grew up is very different, which creates a golden opportunity for them to learn from your older team members and vice versa. Openness and transparency are the keys to success.
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