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How organisations can embrace Gen Z’s true potential
Summary
Unlock Gen Z’s potential in an ever-evolving workplace by flipping their perceived negatives into strengths
In today’s BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, Incomprehensible) world, organisations face tremendous pressure to be agile and establish themselves as resilient. Within this demanding environment, organisations find themselves ensnared in a paradoxical predicament: Organisations are having a hard time comprehending Gen Z—the traditional expectations of ‘loyalty’ and ‘hard work’ are being challenged by a generation that is perceived as ‘lazy and reluctant’, ill-prepared to join their workforce.
However, unlike their previous generations, Gen Z was born and raised in the BANI world—they understand the need for agility and resilience and are prepared for it in the face of rapid changes and uncertainty that surrounds them. Forming almost a third of the workforce by 2025, organisations can no longer ignore their Gen Z workforce—they will have to transform themselves to leverage Gen Zs potential and guide them to stay resilient in the BANI work environment:
Leverage Gen Zs learnability
Gen Z demonstrates agility; evident in their ability to embrace change and swift adaptation to new tools and technologies. Raised in a digital-first world, they are able to navigate digital platforms with little difficulty. They expect opportunities for advancement and want to explore various roles to push their skills and capabilities. Gen Z individuals realise that continuous learning is pivotal for their progress, giving organisations the chance to harness their learnability to lead the way.
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Organisations must revamp their Learning and Development (L&D) initiatives, transforming them into more Micro, Interactive, and Dynamic formats to meet these expectations. This strategy aligns with Gen Z’s inclination towards bite-sized, engaging, and adaptable learning opportunities, ensuring sustained engagement and relevance in the ever-evolving landscape of skills and knowledge.
Match Gen Z’s entrepreneurial spirit
Gen Z is restless; they are a generation in perpetual motion, constantly on the lookout for fresh avenues of career growth. They are shunning conventional linear career trajectories, seeking agency and mobility, craving command over their lives and careers, readily switching jobs for better prospects. Organisations need to acknowledge the restlessness of their Gen Z workforce and create ecosystems where employees can take responsibility for their tasks, make choices, and foster innovation without being micromanaged.
Nurture approachable leaders
Gen Z appears fragile; their reliance on instant information and a fast-paced digital environment makes them brittle. With a preference for quick answers over deep analysis, Gen Z often skims through vast amounts of information without delving deep, having only surface-level knowledge. Furthermore, rapid consumption of information can lead to a diminished inclination to question and develop nuanced perspectives. This makes the significance of leaders and mentors in organisations pivotal. They must facilitate an approachable environment for the Gen Z workforce, where they feel supported and encouraged to delve deeper into subjects. Gen Z respects leaders that exhibit authenticity, approachability, and inclusiveness.
Culturally support mental health concerns
Gen Z is anxious; studies show 61% have received formal medical diagnoses for anxiety disorders, originating from the uncertain and hyper-digitalized environment they have been raised in, coupled with social media pressures. Organisations need to ease the anxious generation by constructing supportive atmospheres that cater to mental health and well-being to retain and inspire their workforce—providing counselling support, advocating for work-life equilibrium, and nurturing a culture of assistance and empathy. Organisations should take this support a step further, by making cultural changes within—normalising that not everyone can perform at 100% every day, and making employees feel valued in knowing that they won’t be judged for expressing their state of mental health.
Embrace a heightened sense of purpose
Gen Z has a heightened sense of purpose; they display an acute sense of duty towards the environment and society and gravitate towards working for entities that prioritize Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) endeavours.
Organisations need to provide employee value proposition on this—not just by having a social cause, but making employees feel they are a part of the change. By embracing sustainable practices and social accountability, organisations can involve and harmonize with this socially aware generation.
As Gen Z enters the workforce in significant numbers, their impact on organisational culture and performance will be profound, and it is imperative for organisations to transform themselves structurally and culturally. By inculcating innovative L&D strategies, coupled with Gen Z’s digital proficiency, organisations should redefine work—substituting terms like ‘hard work’ and ‘tough role’ with ‘smart work’, and ‘challenging role’. Organisations need to embrace the potential of Gen Z by flipping their perceived negatives into strengths: moulding a fresh dynamic between Gen Z employees and their work.
Saumya Sindhwani is an assistant professor of organisational behaviour (practice), Indian School of Business.
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