#GenerationZIsComing

[kymberlinraee-blog]

Understanding Generation Z

Before, people had a hard time adjusting to the working techniques of millennials but now a completely new generation is emerging. Also called the Gen Z, this generation is distinct from millennials though it also shares a lot of similarities. These are some issues that you may see and ways to solve them when you enter the corporate world.  

First of all, unlike millennials, Gen Zs prefer to be more independent and rely on themselves to make decisions in order to advance in life. In addition, rather than the big and collaborative workspaces that millennials loved, the Gen Z prefers closed-off workspaces.  Instead of working together, they’d rather be judged by their own merits.  This could be a problem in the workplace because especially in a corporate setting, people need to communicate and work together in order to provide the best output they can using the ideas of all the people involved.  A lot of jobs can be accomplished alone, however, with little to no collaboration, it is hard to be sure about things without anyone to double check the work for you.  Also, collaboration allows all employees to pitch in their ideas, participate, and have their say.  I think that a way to solve this is to create a training program wherein the Gen Z will be trained in collaborative workspaces in order to get rid of their independent nature of wanting to do things themselves.  Collaboration is still an important process in every job because it allows room for mistakes, criticisms, and improvement.  Without anyone to say anything about one’s work, there is a bigger chance for error and misunderstandings with the other older employees.  

Another trait of this new generation is that they lose interest pretty fast.  They are quite impatient and do not like to wait at all. In the workplace, they prefer to take on multiple roles in a company if it means that they can advance into a higher position faster.  They also have little brand loyalty and care about whether they are advancing fast or not. This generation is willing to stick around in a company if it means stability and new opportunities to take on new responsibilities for them if not, they will most likely move on to another competitor.  One way to solve this is by learning how to pique their interest and how to keep them interested.  A takeaway from the article said that “we tell our advertising partners that if they don’t communicate in five words and a big picture, they will not reach this generation”. Thus, it is important to keep them interested and give them different opportunities.  

Among all the generations combined, the Gen Z is the most tech-savvy and the ones who are most adept at using technology.  They were born in an era wherein smartphones and social media platforms were already prevalent.  Thus, they are more familiar with new apps, updates, and features.  I think a problem in this would be their lack of research skills and exposure to real things.  Most of them cannot even function well without their phones.  One study even showed that some of them become withdrawn if they are without their smartphones for long.  Thus, a way to solve this is to make sure that the older employees in the workplace are also well-versed with technology, whether it be the different social media platforms or new apps designed to make work easier since these are the ones familiar to the gen Z.  This will also help the seniors better understand this younger generation when they go to work with them.  Although they are younger, it is also important to learn from them.  One article said that this could change the corporate hierarchy because in the future, we might have Gen Z bosses even though they are younger.  Even if the older generation knows more, the fate of our world rests on the shoulders of this new Gen Z.  In addition, they are also the key to reaching the newer generations that will emerge after them.  

Gen Z members also tend to have higher demands than millennials. They will not settle and stay at a job if they do not feel appreciated.  As mentioned above, they also have little to no brand loyalty and are willing to transfer companies if it will benefit them.  Unlike millennials who want to find meaning in their jobs and make the world a better place, money and job security are at the top of their list.  They also want to make a difference in the world but surviving and thriving are far more important in their opinion.  They care about advancing in the corporate ladder fast and are good at multitasking which makes them willing to take on several roles and responsibilities at the same time.  As a senior in the workplace, it is important to make them feel like they can improve in their job and that there are different opportunities waiting for them so that it will make them want to stay.  A solution to this would be to offer jobs that have a different set of tasks involved instead of doing a similar monotonous job all the time. They can also use job rotation in order to fulfill this eager-learning generation’s constant need to learn and improve.  Another thing that can be done is to offer certain incentives after they finish a set of jobs in order to keep them motivated to keep doing their best.  The company may also opt to offer a raise in salary when Gen Z members attain higher positions in the business and give bonuses during holidays.  

Lastly, this generation lacks a clear and concise communication system.  Also called the emoji-generation, the Gen Z rarely sends messages without any emojis which leaves more room for unambiguity and confusion if you come from an older generation.  For example, they send a message with the tears of joy emoji in it.  A senior in the workplace would think that they have a problem or that they are crying.  They also use a new set of words that only their fellow generation members would understand.  Words such as “fire”, “DMs”, and “can’t even” are very common to them.  I believe that a way to solve this is to make sure that older workers in the workplace are also well-versed on words that Gen Z commonly uses so that they can understand each other well when talking at work.  They can also research on the usual words that Gen Z uses on a daily basis in order to be prepared when they enter the workforce. In the case of the Gen Z, it is also important to train them that at work, they still have to use the standard, straight to the point, and formal way of communicating when they use emails, letters, and contracts.  The company may also use a mentor-mentee system wherein an older worker oversees and monitors their work until the Gen Z get used to this type of communication system during their first few months at work.  

Sure, it would take a while before generation Z emerges in the workplace since most of them are just graduating high school. But it is better to do some research and be prepared for when they come and work in order to know how to manage them more efficiently and enable them to work at their best conditions.  Most of the Gen Z qualities that were mentioned in the articles are also not applicable to all its members since it is just a generalization.  Also, there are steps that need to be studied and implemented in the workplace with the older generations in order to prepare for the Gen Z.  this would also take time because the workers need to adjust and steer from their usual working styles that they have grown used to. I believe that it is important to study about this new emerging generation’s behavior in order to better know and be more knowledgeable on how to manage them and where to best place them in a corporate setting.