We all can think of someone–a former boss, a mentor, or a peer–who helped us when we started our careers. Many members of Gen Z, who were born between 1997 and 2012, are just now entering the workforce and are likely to seek out similar guidance and mentorship to help them kick-start their career journeys.
According to a new report from Udemy, Gen Z is more influenced by senior leadership and talent development teams than any other generation. This is not surprising for a generation that came of age during a global lockdown, which kept them isolated from their peers and mentors. Now, Gen Z is looking to rebuild those connections and get guidance on how to navigate the “new normal” of workplaces.
As leaders welcome Gen Z to the workforce, we need to support them as they begin to have a larger and larger impact within the working world. This requires building trust with these employees to have a positive influence across teams and organizations. We can set an example for Gen Z employees, who are expected to make up a quarter of the workforce by 2025, while also meeting the specific needs they crave from leadership.
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As with all generations, there are unique characteristics to consider when motivating Gen Z. In our research, which surveyed over 6,500 multigenerational global learners, we found that Gen Z wants these five things from their leaders:
- Feedback: Despite stereotypes to the contrary, our research found Gen Z thinks feedback is a critical part of a good working relationship. About a third of Gen Z welcome constructive feedback on their work performance, a significantly different percentage than other generations. Gen Z is also looking for managers to be open to receiving feedback of their own, to be aware of and respect different communication styles, and to be willing to use different types of communication tools and platforms. Leaders should analyze their own feedback styles, take Gen Z’s preferences into account, and make adjustments accordingly when communicating with these employees.
- Work-task clarity: Gen Z wants clear direction on their tasks, which ties directly to their desire for open and honest feedback. In our research, over 60% of Gen Z respondents said that they “prefer structured tasks over open-ended or ambiguous tasks.” Only about a third agreed with the statement “I often find uncertainty to be exciting rather than stressful.” Some of this lack of confidence with ambiguity is likely because of their newness to the workplace. Leaders working with Gen Z should ensure they offer clear and actionable tasks these employees can complete without much confusion.
- Transparent (and in-person) communication: Open feedback and work-task clarity requires transparent communication from leaders. “Clear communication and transparency” was one of the top three traits Gen Z respondents said they valued from their direct manager. Surprisingly, almost 60% of Gen Z prefers face-to-face meetings for communication, which challenges many assumptions we have about a post-COVID, hybrid workforce. Gen Z’s preference for face-to-face is ranked slightly higher than the preference for video conferencing. Leadership should consider the type and frequency of meetings held, in-person vs. hybrid, and how to most effectively use those meetings to communicate the information your teams need.
- Valuing flexibility and work-life balance: Despite the preference for face-to-face meetings, Gen Z still values flexibility and work-life balance. Flexibility and understanding of work-life balance were another of the top three areas that Gen Z valued from their direct manager. This follows post-COVID trends for a desire for more hybrid work schedules across generations. The balance can be hard, but leaders should find ways for employees to collaborate and connect in person while also giving people the flexibility to feel a true work-life balance.
- Support for development: Gen Z has a strong desire for career advancement. The final top trait that Gen Z respondents value from managers is an investment in their professional growth and development. When looking at what Gen Z wants from senior leadership to feel motivated, investment in professional development was the highest motivator, coming in at almost 50%. Forty percent of Gen Z value support for professional development from their direct managers and almost 100% spend at least one hour a week on learning opportunities. Almost two-thirds spend five or more hours on learning activities weekly. Leaders should actively encourage Gen Z workers to carve out time to develop the skills needed to succeed in their roles, checking in as they make progress in advancing their skill sets.
If leaders can offer Gen Z these five things, they will be much more likely to flourish as employees. Understandably, generational transitions within the workforce can be rocky. But if we can better understand Gen Z’s needs, we can create a high-performing, cross-generational workforce of the future inspired and motivated to work alongside their leaders and grow into leaders themselves.
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