Generation Z at work

New challenges in talent management and leadership culture

Summary:

What exactly is it like with this Generation Z? The media columns are filling up, the baby boomers are getting upset, the employers are rolling their eyes, young work force demands for more and more.

Even Socrates mocked the effeminate youth. The definition of a generation by year of birth and the image generated from it is simplistic and nonsensical. Just as our society is multi-layered, multicultural and colourful, so are the individual generational representatives of each generation. Of the many contributions, the recently published book by Rüdiger Maas caught my attention. I selected a few hints for your recruitment and leadership programs.

Today, Generation Z is defined as those born between 1995 and 2010. Such generational descriptions do not differentiate. There is no homogeneous Generation Z! It is stratified, complexly differentiated and consists of many subgroups. In the media, the subgroup of the privileged Generation Z dominates. This privileged part of Generation Z does not want to devote its entire life to work, but strives for a balanced relationship between work and leisure.

Employees from Generation Z are in short supply

This gives them a certain amount of power and allows them to use it against employers if they want to. In his new book, "Generation unemployable", Rüdiger Maas says: "It's our own fault. We are overwhelming young people with offers that they don't need. Companies have only themselves to blame for the fact that Generation Z has such high expectations.

Talent Acquisition and Talent Management:

Social Media:

Being cool as an employer and boss on social media seems rather "cringe" in this context. Too flippant, too ingratiating is the verdict. Young people are looking for security and leadership. Interest in them as a person. An open day or an advertising stand at university or vocational school seems to be the better approach. Analog beats digital. However, use social media to generate visibility, disseminate information and initiate dialog. Keyword: Employer branding

Benefits:

Fruit basket, table football, hammock. More weekends, more vacations, more money. In times of a shortage of skilled workers, companies are coming up with lots of ideas to attract young applicants. Is working in your company so unpleasant that you have to sweeten it with additional benefits? Companies are captured in a sort of negative selection within this inhomogeneous target group. They target future employees who do value additional benefits more, than the content of the job.

Recruiting with AI-selection and tools:

Everyone is talking about a shortage of skilled workers, and yet recruitment is taking place as if it were a matter of separating the wheat from the chaff. Filtering the three best candidates from hundreds of applications. Those days are over. Filters, questionnaires and a helpful chatbot to fill out a 3-page applicant mask. Not popular with the young. Well-qualified candidates sometimes abandon such processes. Recording simulated interview videos at the touch of a button and uploading them yourself. That doesn't score points with Generation TikTok either.

Relationship is king:

To recruit future co-workers and co-creators and to apply as such is a relationship business. Therefore, allow for relationships to form during the application process. Building relationships was and is personnel and resource intensive.

Define your target audience:

Generation Z is NOT a homogeneous target group! When looking for applicants, focus on quality instead of quantity, the author Maas advises. In case of doubt, leave a position unfilled, until it fits. True to the motto: If you want to win more esteem, take a back seat.

An example of positive selection:

Maas recommended that a company advertise for the toughest internship in Germany. The company targeted high-performing candidates in particular with their wording - and by doing so, tickled their ego. The number of applicants multiplied.

Because Generation Z is very diverse, there is also a large group of high achievers, the competitive, the ambitious. Address your campaigns to this target group. They are not always just looking for money and status. These young people want to show what they are able to, seek to manage exciting projects and take on responsibility. They exist, even among Generation Z. This is the only way to explain the attractiveness of an ETH or HSG, known as very selective and high performer focused universities.

Rethinking leadership:

"Young employees attach particular importance to good leadership," says Maas. They expect to be listened to, to have their strengths and weaknesses recognized and to be supported in their development. This implies, that a manager would have to take more care of his young employees in the future. This would be only possible with smaller teams. Reduce leadership span. More than 5-6 direct reports can not be accompanied individually.

However, in recent years we have observed the thinning of middle management roles, the splitting into project groups, fewer bosses, teams that shall manage themselves. Is this new need already a course correction?

What will come next?

By the way, in the generational alphabet, the "Z" is followed by the alpha. In other words, all those born since 2010. Rüdiger Maas has already written a book about them, too, calling them "generation unfit for life". In the coming years, they will enter the labor market.

Maas's book: Generation arbeitsunfähig: «Wie uns die Jungen zwingen, Arbeit und Gesellschaft jetzt neu zu denken» Rüdiger Maas, published 27th of March 2024.