Turning Over a Young Leaf: How to Recruit and Retain Gen Z Talent
Building a multi-generational workforce can help companies mitigate some of the challenges associated with retaining talent in today’s competitive landscape. But hiring Gen Z — people born between the late 1990s and the early 2010s — requires an understanding of what this generation is looking for. Understanding Gen Z at work means digging into what motivates them, how they search for jobs, and what they expect from employers.
Gen Z is currently Europe’s youngest (and smallest) pool of talent. But even though they account for only 9% of the European workforce right now, they make up 30% of the global population and are on track to be 27% of the world’s workforce by 2025. Employers that invest in recruiting and retaining this demographic now will be better prepared for the departure of the Baby Boomers.
Who is Gen Z?
Nearly 40% of European members of Gen Z are employed now, but more are joining the workforce each year. Priorities among Gen Z workers vary considerably from those of employees in older demographics.
Gen Z are digital natives, which translates into a high level of tech savviness. But while this cohort will learn about job opportunities primarily online, they prefer personal interactions: face-to-face interviews over online assessments, for example. Gen Z employees tend to be independent, competitive, and entrepreneurial, but also strongly invested in finding a career that gives them purpose.
Recruiting Gen Z
To attract Gen Z job seekers, organisations must understand the balance of personal and social interests this group has. While members of Gen Z are more comfortable expressing their desire for benefits, perks, and flexible work arrangements, they’re also very connected to their peers and colleagues.
Be Flexible About Work Arrangements
Three-quarters of Gen Z professionals say they prefer remote or hybrid work arrangements. Work-life balance is a high priority for this group, and their independent nature means they want the control to manage their time and workload. Flexible scheduling options, job-sharing arrangements, and a focus on deliverables and results over the amount of time put in will help with hiring Gen Z employees. Consider letting candidates specify their preferred working environment on their job applications.
Showcase Your Diversity
Diversity, inclusion, and equity are high priorities for Gen Z in the workplace. Research shows that DEI goes beyond race and ethnicity with Gen Z employees — 88% feel companies should ask about preferred pronouns, and more than 40% want employers to participate in conversations about sexism in the workplace. When recruiting Gen Z talent, it’s critical to highlight your organisation’s commitment to supporting all members of the workforce.
Offer Competitive Compensation
Having a high-paying job is the second-most commonly cited consideration when European Gen Z members think about their future careers. In addition to competitive salaries, Gen Z talent expects medical insurance, paid time off, retirement savings, parental benefits, student loan repayment, and tuition offsets. Be prepared to pay Gen Z workers for their time and talent.
Build a Positive Employment Experience
60% of Gen Z job-seekers prefer to learn about employment opportunities from current or former employees rather than via traditional or social media. Build a candidate-centric recruitment process and a healthy, supportive workplace culture to ensure your applicants and staff are giving you a good reference.
Employ a Multi-Channel Approach
Recruiting Gen Z requires a multi-channel approach. These digital natives are used to finding the information they’re looking for immediately and across multiple platforms. They prefer images to text and want copy to be concise and to the point. Job ads aimed at recruiting Gen Z talent should span a wide network of platforms and include punchy headlines and clear descriptions of the position.
Move Quickly
Gen Z applicants won’t stick it out through lengthy hiring processes — 17% expect an offer within a week of their first interview. Streamline your recruitment process and provide clear communication at every stage to improve your chances of hiring Gen Z talent.
Recruit Gen Z with Hirematic
Hirematic’s programmatic job ad platform can help you overcome the challenges of recruiting Gen Z talent. We combine the power of automation and AI with human expertise to help you streamline your recruitment process, lower cost-per-application, and reach a broader, more diverse pool of candidates. Want to learn more? Contact us today.
