Gen Z Is The Future Of Work

3 things Gen Z is looking for in a workplace

The modern iteration of the grumpy oldtimer in the neighborhood yelling at kids to get off his lawn is the Boomer or Gen Xer on social media complaining that Generation Z has no desire to work.
 

That could not be further from the truth.

True digital natives — the first generation that did not experience a world without the Internet — the reality is that Gen Z is the future of work.

However, how they work is different than any generation that came before them.

Their challenge is they don’t have a seat at the table or a voice in the room with the people who are currently dictating how work should be done — which is essentially how it has always been done.

But this is a new age, a digital culture that requires new ideas and approaches, and nobody understands that better than Gen Z.
Using a psychometric aptitude testing process that assesses a job candidate’s potential, we have collected and analyzed years’ worth of data that provide a unique insight into specific groups that are historically under-represented and under-employed — veterans and their families, neurodivergent individuals, Indigenous Canadians and, yes, youth.

This data shows our younger generation is, in fact, one of Canada’s greatest untapped resources when it comes to finding the digital skills our economy needs right now.

From this information, we can see that Generation Z is more altruistic than the generations that came before them. They see the potential in technology and want to use it to solve problems and make the world a better place.

It has also shown that Gen Z has above-average abstract reasoning and pattern recognition, skills that are vital to both predicting future problems before they arise and solving those that do.

Being born and raised in the digital age, eight in 10 youth already have intermediate or above tech skills — before they get any training. They learned on computers, read from digital textbooks and the younger cohort did much of their learning online during the pandemic.

Quite simply, they are the bridge we need over the digital skills gap.

But the challenge here is not on the shoulders of Gen Z. While they are the future of work, we must acknowledge that they are still mostly in or vying for entry-level roles. They aren’t stepping into the corner office of the executive suite.

It is up to employers to embrace the changing times and empower Gen Z to come work for their company, understanding that a person’s potential is often worth much more than their experience.

It comes down to three things Gen Z is looking for in a workplace.

They desire a flexible working environment.

Long gone is the strict 9-5. The ability to build a schedule around heavy commuting hours or family commitments is desirable. Gen Z likes to spend some days working from home. Remember, the last three graduating classes have endured some measure of virtual learning. With a secure Internet connection and a laptop, pretty much anywhere can be “in the office.”

Internal talent mobility is important.

While they generally understand they are starting at the beginning, they don’t want to stay there. But at the same time, they crave stability. The knowledge that they can grow and progress in a company is highly sought by Gen Z. But this does mean more than simply promotions up the ranks. With stability, they want intellectual challenges. They want to learn new skills and abilities that will help them explore more options as they grow and mature.

The last is education.

While the older generations have displayed some disdain for Gen Z, youth coming into the workplace are seeking guidance and mentors.

Generation X — who have adapted nicely to the Internet Age — have to be willing to teach and educate to help Gen Z grow as individuals.

Employers will not regret making these accommodations to recruit younger talent to their teams. The result will be a workforce that is more diverse, loyal and innovative. In short, the future of work.

Author Bio

Kait McGregor is the Chief Research & Innovation Officer at WithYouWithMe (WYWM). Connect Kait McGregor