Welcoming Zoomers in the workplace

Generation Z (also known as Zoomers) – those born between the mid-90s and late-00s – are coming of age.

Perceived as unmotivated, demanding and difficult, Gen Z have been unfairly criticised for their work ethic which is generally considered lower than previous generations. Currently, they represent approx. 15 percent of the total population in New Zealand and alongside Millennials they’re expected to make up the majority of the workforce within the next five years. Add on another 30 plus years and Gen Zer’s will be the CEOs of the business world.

While every generation of workers has at one stage been subject to some stereotype – remember we use to call Millennials the job-hopping generation – the misunderstanding about what motivates Gen Z or perhaps the ability of the rest of us to adapt, has been noticeably pronounced.

Every generation contributes in their own way to the future of the workplace. Savvy businesses understand that if they haven’t started already, now is the time to start engaging Generation Z.

For context, this is a generation that has never known a world without the internet. They also had the misfortune of entering the workforce during a global pandemic. Think about the early years of your professional career and what that would look like if you experienced it during a lockdown.

In the book Gen Z, Explained: The Art of Living in a Digital Age, Stanford researchers described the typical Gen Zer as:

“…a self-driver who deeply cares about others, strives for a diverse community, is highly collaborative and social, values flexibility, relevance, authenticity and non-hierarchical leadership, and, while dismayed about inherited issues like climate change, has a pragmatic attitude about the work that has to be done to address those issues.”

Remember that these are simply generalisations and in fact across all generations we have similar impressions and experiences based on our life stages, for example entering the workforce for our first full time job.

Now, back to those claims of being “really annoying” in the workplace…

Complete a random survey of any workplace and you’ll likely receive similar anecdotal evidence of Gen Z’s differing workplace behaviours:

• Their unique attitude towards traditional workplace norms
• Their sense of entitlement or urgency (“too-soon promotion”) despite a lack of experience
• Their lack of professionalism
• Their conflicting priorities – income is important but they don’t agree with “living to work”
• They are too soft and easily offended

Thinking back to that whole global pandemic situation, this is a generation who for a time missed out on the formative ‘learning by observation’ that the rest of us likely benefited from in the early stages of our career. Even today with hybrid working in most organisations, there is a lack of face-to-face time in the office. And to be fair, across all generations, on our return to the office we were all a bit rusty on our soft skills.

But let’s look at the positive. According to a McKinsey study, Gen Z are generally more pragmatic; collectively they demand purpose and accountability; they are more individualistic, with a stronger sense of personal expression; and they are more interested in belonging to an inclusive, supportive community.

Surprisingly, they are a generation who prefer in-person communication, they appreciate directness and transparency, they have an agile mindset and are quick to find solutions, they have strong core values and of course they are highly knowledgeable of ever-changing technology.

Just imagine the transformative change they will drive in the workplace – the way we think, act and treat each other.

Welcoming and managing Generation Z in the workplace is in some ways unchartered territory. Businesses who are fast to adapt will be better equipped to take on this challenge and ultimately, secure the very best talent to build a workforce for the future.

Here’s our advice on how to attract, engage and retain Gen Z talent.

Gen Z are attracted to brands (that includes employers!) who are making a positive impact on society – they are strong supporters of social issues (i.e., sustainability, inclusivity). Your employer brand needs to clearly demonstrate your social responsibility.

Values matter and this generation is looking for alignment with their employer organisation. Inclusivity is expected and they’ll question the authenticity of an organisation’s DEI commitments. For employers, this means genuine inclusivity policies and actions.

Highlights from the Deloitte Global 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey –

• Both generations are increasingly willing to reject assignments or employers who don’t align with their values.
• Three-quarters of Gen Zs and millennials (75%) say that an organisation’s community engagement and societal impact is an important factor when considering a potential employer.
• Two in 10 Gen Zs and millennials have already changed jobs or industries to better align their work with their environmental values.

Gen Z crave personalisation or brands that understand them – how can you personalise their recruitment experience (i.e., targeted career microsites). But be warned, this is a generation that has grown in the digital age, they are sceptical of overtly ‘corporate’ messaging and can easily spot inauthenticity. Think instead of user generated content (i.e., employee testimonials, employer review sites) which will hold more sway.

Traditional communication channels used for recruitment may not resonate with Gen Z – go where they are i.e., social media, or think about incorporating interactivity into recruitment and approaches like gamification. This is a generation that embraces new technologies from digital tools for communication through to AI, they’ll be making a judgement about your openness to innovation as well.

Also, think about your talent pipelines. Gen Z are the least likely generation to value traditional higher education. You may need to reconsider not only where you tap into emerging talent but also what qualifications are required for roles. This brings into play new ways of assessing candidates and moving towards more skill or potential based hiring approaches.

When it comes to employee benefits, competitive remuneration is obviously important but remember that Gen Zer’s are also driven by making a positive impact. Equally valued is personal wellbeing – this generation is looking for organisations who provide positive initiatives promoting mental health and wellness.

Career progression and development is also important. Think continuous learning, ongoing training, mentoring, clear career paths, opportunities for lateral moves, networking, and well-designed graduate programmes.

Gen Z places a high premium on the working environment and specifically, ways of working. Do you provide flexible working arrangements – work/life balance is a standard expectation for this generation? Do you promote working collaboratively? Remember this is a generation that values direct communication and honesty. They also seek a sense of community and belonging – how connected is your work environment?

Does your organisation need to reconsider its employment models i.e., part time roles, job sharing, side gigs? This is a transient generation who won’t remain in a role or organisation for life – your focus should be on getting maximum value from them while they are with you.

A final word on workplace culture. All generations need to learn to adapt to each other. And that’s why it is important to promote a culture where inter-generational dialogue is valued, and all ideas can be freely expressed in an open and respectful way.

At Decipher Group, we take your career as seriously as you do. We’ve been connecting talented people with exciting opportunities for over 16 years. Our team are fully committed to making a positive impact for our candidate communities – empowering and enabling talented people to meet their career ambitions. Let’s talk.

To stay on top of current recruitment trends and hear about new role vacancies, follow Decipher Group on LinkedIn.

The modern workplace is likely to be made up of four generations, this includes – Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964), Generation X (born 1965 to 1980), Millennials or Gen Y (born 1981 to 1996), and Generation Z (born 1997 to 2012). It is considered the most age-diverse workforce in history.

Each has a specific set of values and attitudes towards work which presents a challenge for employers in terms of creating an environment where all generations can co-exist and thrive.

In New Zealand, Millennials make up the majority of the working population. This is likely to shift within the next five years with Generation Z increasing in size and relevance. Globally, there are around two billion Gen Zer’s and by 2030 they are expected to make up around 30 percent of the worldwide workforce.

Millennials entered the workforce in the 1990’s and early 2000’s and are now moving into leadership positions – it is likely that it will be Millennials who are ‘managing’ the next generation of workers. In general, Millennials are seen as being achievement-oriented and focussed on career development.

Generation Z are just starting to enter the workforce but they are already creating significant change in terms of their impact on culture, communication and technology. They are independent and entrepreneurial and possibly the most likely of all the generations to take risks in their careers.