What GenZ wants from the workplace?

Building a strong corporate culture is essential, particularly as more companies adopt a permanent remote work model. People want to operate in an atmosphere where they are valued and accepted. Employees are more likely to be motivated and perform effectively when they experience this. Every human resource personnel  is concerned with employee retention, but the employees that businesses are attempting to keep are concerned with culture. Nearly two-thirds of employees in a recent survey cited corporate culture as one of the most crucial factors in determining whether they would stay with their present employer or start looking for employment elsewhere.

While the group born between 1997 and 2012 may only recently have entered the workforce, savvy employers are already considering how their workplace culture can draw in and keep Gen Z employees.According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, people between the ages of 16 and 24 made up 11.6% of the workforce in 2020, mostly working in elder living, retail, and hospitality, which were all particularly hard hit by the pandemic and lockdowns. This gives the younger population a special perspective because they are new workers in unusual situations.

Here are the elements that employees want from their organization:

• Employees to feel respected
• Transparency
• Supportive Leaders
• Fair Pay
• Perks and Benefits
• Training and Development
• Supportive and friendly colleagues
• Job Security
• Safe and healthy work environment

Where the above are what employees look for in any organization, now let’s go through what GenZ wants from employers and organizations.

1. Compensation that affords work-life balance

70% of Gen Z survey respondents said pay or compensation is the most important factor.  These days employees not just look for a good pay but a work that gives them a work life balance.

2. Clarity into career paths and internal mobility opportunities

• 71% of respondents expect to be promoted between 6 months to 1.5 years
• 64% attend career events to ensure there are growth and development opportunities

Known for being entrepreneurial and seeking a feeling of ownership, Gen Z. Nearly 1 in 5 Gen Zers say they would continue working for an employer that offered upskilling and reskilling opportunities, so they want to work on unique initiatives that help them advance their skills. Given that skill development is a top priority for forward-thinking HR leaders, early talent will feel more vested in their company with every chance to learn and develop. 

Gen Z wants guidance and support to help them through their first professional work experiences, and as they make their way in the workforce, they frequently ask for feedback.

3. A modernized approach to benefits—with an emphasis on flexibility and mental health

• 73% of survey respondents said benefits is the #1 reason they would stay with an employer 
• Healthcare is the #1 most important benefit, according to 76% of respondents
• 73% of respondents said they like having a flexible schedule

Early-career job seekers are increasingly interested in perks that will help them balance work and life, from financial perks (60 percent of poll respondents said 401k plans are a key perks) to ones that will improve their physical and mental health. In truth, 59% of students and recent graduates said they valued company-wide mental health days.

4. Community, Culture and Collaboration

• Strong peer relationships (63%) and feeling like a part of the organization (57%) are key reasons early talent would stay with an employer

Early-career talent is ravenous for networking, cooperation, and socializing. They also want confirmation that managers give it top importance. In reality, students use Handshake to gather opinions from the general public about the employee experience before deciding whether or not to apply for jobs there. 

Gen Zers want to enjoy themselves at work, of course! It involves striking a balance between fulfilling work, community engagement, and cultural encounters to show early career talent what it’s like to be a member of your team.

GenZ will ultimately be the future of the organization, hence it is important to know what they look from the organization. They have the latest set of talent and technological know-how. Organizations should be certain to put their employees first if they want to keep them around.