And here we are, at Gen Z…
The latest generation of employees to enter the workforce.
Unfortunately, this latest cohort tends to get an unfair rap for being “entitled” and “lazy”.
Gen Zers are imagined as a slack bunch who’d rather be trekking up a mountain or lying on a beach than doing their actual job (come to think of it, that sounds rather enticing!).
But are they? Let’s take a look at their side of the story.
Gen Z Explained
Unlike digital pioneers – AKA Millennials, Gen X and, to an extent, Boomers – Gen Z is the very first generation of digital natives.
They’ve grown up with technology. So they’re not simply going to be impressed by the fact that you embrace technology in the workplace. They expect it.
They’ve also been brought up in an era of increased focus on individual fulfilment and living life to the fullest. They’ve been raised by parents who were burned out by the mirage of a work-life balance.
Millennials and their forebears were sold a vision of working from 9-5 and balancing that with plenty of time for their personal lives. But it just takes a quick peek at any bookstore self-help section and the endless titles on how to achieve work-life balance to realize it’s primarily geared towards helping people recharge their batteries so they can do their jobs better.
For the earlier generations, the pressure was on work first, life second. Whether they liked it or not.
Nope, not for Gen Z.
Work-Life Blend, not Work-Life Balance
Rather than being “entitled” and “lazy”, Gen Z genuinely values getting the job done well. They strive to maintain a sensible work-life blend, not a work-life balance. If they’re checking their social media or side hustle emails during work hours, they think why should you care if they’re getting their job done?
They also don’t see the point of drawn-out processes, tedious meetings, and doing things “the way they’ve always been done” if they see there’s a better way.
88% of Gen Z employees believe technology improves their jobs. If something can be done more efficiently through technology or by cutting out unnecessary steps, and you’re not doing that, a Gen Zer is going to be asking themselves (and maybe you) why.
You have to admit, it’s a really good question. Why stick to the “old” ways of doing things, just… because?
This “why” is at the very heart of their experience with an organization. It’s absolutely and unavoidably going to impact how they perceive the company – from application through to long-term retention.
Take recruitment, for example. Even in the 21st century, the way we interview is more often than not quite traditional. We formally invite candidates for an interview. We wear business attire and sit in a meeting room in an office building. We pitch it as an equal interaction, but at the end of the day, there’s no escaping the fact that the interviewer is in a familiar environment and the candidate is in their territory, with the onus on the latter to conform to certain behaviors.
Helloooooooo, 1993.
Sure, we’ve automated much of the initial filtering stage by adopting Applicant Tracking Systems. Many companies then clap themselves on the back, going “yay us!” and plow on with tradition.
Gen Z isn’t having any of that.
Gen Z Job Seekers
A Gen Zer’s perception of your organization is determined by their very first interaction with it – way back at the application stage. And they will be judging you.
In fact, 54% of Gen Z job seekers won’t apply if they perceive your recruitment method to be outdated. How many great candidates are you missing out on by sticking with tradition?
Gen Z value face-to-face interactions, which in their dictionary often means virtually. Doing things online speeds things up and is tremendously convenient. No need to take time off work from their existing employer, or coordinate schedules for when all parties are physically available to meet in the office.
Thanks in large part to the recent pandemic, e-recruitment has become the norm for many organizations anyway.
That’s why virtual interviewing platforms such as Skreenbe makes the hiring process a win-win for everyone. It’s visually attractive, super easy to navigate, paperless, and offers a supremely high-quality, reliable video interview experience – everything that a Gen Zer loves.
Applicants can be interviewed by multiple interviewers at the same time, or separately, all through the same portal. They can be assigned scientific (yet fun!) skills tests that they do in real-time. In this environment, Gen Z candidates are more relaxed, perform better, and walk away with a truly positive impression of your organization.
And let’s not forget the hiring specialist, whether or not they’re a Gen Zer 😊. The interviewer can store the résumé, take online notes, collate assessment results, and download everything for their ATS or HRS – all from one portal.
Interested in learning more? We recommend you check out Amplifying The Recruiter and Candidate Experience to discover how Skreenbe makes virtual interviewing a sweeter experience for candidates and recruiters across all workforce generations.
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Skreenbe. Built by recruiters, for recruiters.
Article: © Skreenbe 2021