What will you learn from this article?
- Who are the people of Gen Z?
- How do the digitization of the onboarding process and the digitization of the workplace affect the candidate experience of Generation Z?
- Is a company that identifies itself as environmentally friendly more attractive to young employees?
- How to communicate with Gen Z already at the recruitment stage?
- What do reports say about the young generation in the labor market?
Generation Z - who is it?
Gen Z are those born after 1995 (many studies indicate a range from 1995 to 2012). This generation grew up among the Internet and mobile devices from the very beginning, so they have an excellent knowledge of new technologies. They can intuitively use apps and don’t like to waste time on meaningless tasks that consume their time.
Generation Z people are well-educated, care about continuous development and are not reluctant to put their best foot forward. They are also the first generation to be able to use the Internet nonstop, and from the very beginning, it has been their first source of information.
Representatives of Generation Z expect to be able to handle all paperwork online, including working with documents or signing a contract with just a few clicks. What’s important young employees pay attention to the onboarding process even before they start working for a given company.
What are Generation Z's expectations towards employers?
It’s time to meet the expectations of your employees. Reports don’t lie!
- More than half of Generation Z employees (54%) need better digitalization of HR processes and solutions. Thanks to the company’s open approach to digitalization, candidates are more convinced to accept the position already at the recruitment stage.
SD Worx Research, 2022 - According to research from before the pandemic, 26% of Generation Z representatives confirmed that the lack of appropriate technology hurts their performance.
How to Be an Employer of Choice for Gen Z Workforce Institute Kronos, 2019 - Thanks to their competencies, young people are perfectly prepared to function in modern organizations in the context of using the latest technologies.
Generation “Z” on the modern labor market in the opinions of employers Rafał Muster, 2020 - 71% of people aged 18-24 confirm that if they worked in a place where the employer insisted on returning to full-time work, they would consider finding another job.
People at Work 2022: A Global Workforce View ADP Research Institute - Young employees have high expectations in terms of quick, clear and specific feedback and substantive communication between the employer and the candidate/employee.
Generation Z on the labor market Collegium Humanitas, under the supervision of Professor Dr. hab. Michał Kaczmarczyk, 2023
Generation Z - important issues in onboarding
During discussions with our clients, we have noticed the importance of a well-prepared, digitized onboarding process for young employees. The time and money spent on travelling to the workplace just to (manually, often indistinctly) sign a document will not find a place on Generation Z’s list of “to-do” tasks. The lack of digitization of the hiring and onboarding process becomes the reason why the best candidates choose to work for another employer.
Often, when the best young candidates are supposed to appear at a recruitment meeting in person, they drop out. Even when the job was supposed to be hybrid or in-person, they are well aware that there is another meeting waiting for them that does not require them to appear in person at the company.
Gen Z and the full digitization of the workplace
Generation Z people care about having a sense of meaning from their work. According to them, projects should be done not only well, but also quickly. They feel the need for constant development and opportunities to show their creativity. As a result, they are eager to learn how to use new programs and take on new and engaging tasks with ease.
Companies often require candidates to have excellent knowledge of new technologies. Unfortunately, the reality is that they do not offer them to their employees in their daily duties. A step forward on the part of employers is to provide a comfortable and modern workplace with access to proven systems, including a dedicated online document management program.
Gen Z and a company's impact on environmental protection
According to a report prepared by Delloite: Global 2023 Gen Z & Millenial Survey, as many as 60% of Gen Z generation feel anxious about environmental changes. Climate issues play an important role in young people’s career decisions. More than half of Generation Z representatives (55%) say they research the company’s environmental impact and policies before accepting a job from a new employer. These are not just words thrown to the wind – 69% of Zetas confirm that they actively try to minimize their impact on the environment, and as many as 7 out of 10 take measures leading to environmental improvement.
If you want to identify yourself as a company that positively impacts the environment, remember to implement an online document management solution. Printing contracts, addenda and other employee documents and then sending them by couriers just to get a signature has absolutely nothing to do with caring for the environment. Smart heads from Generation Z can see this right from the very beginning of working with a company.
Generation Z and the value of feedback
Generation Z communicate mainly through instant messages. They value quick feedback and expect it regularly. Ideally, when all information on a given topic is in one place. Specifically, with a clear message. It is important to keep this in mind already at the stage of discussing the terms of the contract or sending documents necessary for hiring a new employee. With the ability to add comments to documents directly in Pergamin, the time for negotiating and making changes to online documents is significantly reduced.
Summary
People from Generation Z are valuable employees, but they do not become attached to one workplace if it is not consistent with their values. Dell’s survey of Gen Zers found that 80% wanted to work using cutting-edge technology, and 91% said that the technology offered by their employer would be a factor taken into account when choosing job offers. So if your company does nothing to meet their requirements, this is a sign that it’s about time for a change!
