Embracing the Next Generation: Welcoming Gen Z to the Workplace
Gen Z is in the office, and things may never be quite the same. Who are they, and what should employers know about designing a workplace to accommodate them? Let’s take a look.
Defined as those born between 1997 and 2012, the members of Gen Z are the first of us to not know a time before the internet. Combine that with living through the Great Recession in their formative years and the COVID-19 pandemic just as many of them were joining the workforce, and you can understand why their frame of reference might be a bit different than previous generations. They’re the most diverse generation to date, and there are quite a few of them: more than one-quarter of the U.S. population as of 2020 (source: Deloitte).
Before we get to workplace design, understand that members of Gen Z really care about the DNA of the companies that employ them. Salary is still important, but proportionally less important to Gen Z than to any other generation in comparison to caring about their work and being fulfilled by it. They want their employers to be good and ethical social citizens as well, with a commitment to sustainability, diversity and other societal challenges. Consider your company’s social footprint and commitment to its various communities, and whether the combined total sends a message of social responsibility. Things like team community-building activities, or achieving LEED status for a workplace, really matter to Gen Z.
Before the pandemic, items like flexible work schedules and wellness programs were considered nice perks. Those are no longer nice-to-haves … they’re expectations. Employers should take a careful look at internal career paths, also. Gen Z wants to be valued and to see a path forward at their place of work.
As employers decide where to land on the spectrum of encouraging return to the workplace versus requiring it, attractive and flexible workplaces are a great incentive. In general, open workplaces are welcomed by Gen Z, provided there are also spaces for small groups or individuals to work in private. They’re more comfortable with technology than any prior generation, so don’t skimp on the tech. Some employers are deploying apps that allow employees to view which desks are available – and who’s at the neighboring ones – before reporting to the office.
Of course, chances are good that your workforce won’t be all Gen Z. You’ll need to accommodate a wide range of ages, backgrounds and skill sets. That’s yet another reason to design flexible spaces that will answer the needs and preferences of everyone.
Collectively, Gen Z is different, but in the end, the things they want are pretty universal: Work that matters, employers who care about them and about society, and a welcome and flexible workplace. We can all agree on those.
Questions about how to accommodate Gen Z in the workplace ? Contact Douron.