19.02.2024

LOOKING AHEAD: DO COMPANIES SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF GENERATION Z

Generation Z (Gen Z) is the focus of attention of brands and companies. They are the next generation of consumers and employees to enter the economy, and they are very different in habits, values and motivations than previous generations.

For employers, this requires a number of changes in human resource management policies, oriented towards innovation in both recruitment and onboarding processes, talent management, additional training and even corporate social responsibility, which the generation places as important factor in choosing a company.

What are Gen Z looking for?

In hundreds of materials of various organizations and institutions, the characteristic features and driving values of this generation are discussed.

Generation Z was born into the digital world and carries all its traits - new, fast-moving, with endless possibilities, open to change, sensitive to universal themes, connected to the world and determined to improve it.

Young people of this generation believe that a career is meaningful only when it leads to personal growth and brings social benefit. They do not bow to authority, but listen readily to mentors ready to share their knowledge with them and help them in their mission to make the world a better place.

And last but not least, Gen Z values work-life balance highly and strives to get it right here and now, in their youth, rather than postponing living for a later stage like previous generations did.

Do we have a connection with Gen Z?

Have companies learned to speak the language of Gen Z yet? Some companies have good experience on the subject.

Most important is the lead precisely in topics that excite Gen Z strongly - diversity, equality and inclusion, careers, employee well-being, induction training and talent attraction, as well as digital HR processes.

As a corporate citizen, the company must be exactly that – innovative, fast-growing, responsible to people and nature, strongly committed to socially significant causes and determined to contribute to a better future.

In addition to competitive pay levels, an ever-enriching benefits package that meets the needs of employees at different stages of their lives, the modern company must also invest in strong training programs that build valuable skills for the future. This way he will motivate his current team, but also attract the interest of many of the young people.

A socially responsible company

Perhaps the most recognizable example of a company's social commitment is an initiative in which a significant fund is donated to the implementation of civic ideas that seek to improve the lives of people across the country.

The various initiatives aimed at protecting the environment, which should be carried out traditionally, also receive a strong response.

The latest initiatives focus on a very important aspect of health care – conscious nutrition, which is a topic of particular importance for Generation Z as well.

Don't wait for Gen Z to seek you out, you go to them

Generation Z likes to search for information and easily get to what interests them. At the same time, however, he expects reciprocity in the relationship and believes that as important as it is for you to look for your potential employer, he should also try to find you.

Therefore, in addition to the career guidance events that companies participate in or organize, the direct way that a company would reach young talent is through specially developed youth programs oriented to different age groups of Generation Z - dual training for learners in vocational high schools, an internship program for adult students who are looking for work for the summer months, a summer internship for students who get direct experience in the various departments of the company, working on specific projects, and a training program for young graduates oriented to management positions.

Interest in them is growing, and the feedback from the participants is very positive. This, in turn, motivates companies to constantly develop these formats and provide increasingly attractive conditions with added value in the form of professional training, incentive awards and the building of a talent community.