How managers can train (and retain) Gen Z
Employers hire Gen Z, but do they want to keep them? It doesn’t seem like it. Employers often find Gen-Zers hard to manage and motivate, and almost delight in being able to let them go shortly after hiring them.
But that’s a shortsighted approach that will rob any organisation of the future talent it needs to grow and sustain the business. Far better for managers to take the time to train Gen Z to appropriately fit into today’s workforce, an investment that will pay dividends for the organisation in the years to come.
First off, some perspective is in order. Every generation from the past 30 years has had labels put upon them. Remember when Gen X was considered lazy slackers and millennials were deemed entitled narcissists? Slapping a label on the latest cohort to enter the workforce is nothing new.
It’s important to take a moment to consider the environment in which Gen Z grew up and came of age. It was heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to remote learning and remote work that the pandemic ushered in. For many members of Gen Z, “remote” is all they know, which means many elements of an actual, in-person job feel unfamiliar or even foreign.
This is where the onus shifts to managers. They need to realise that Gen Z, like any generation, is a product of its time. Rather than critiquing any skills gaps that might be present, managers should actively work to train these new arrivals on how to thrive in the workplace.
That starts with the onboarding process. Don’t just hand a Gen Z employee a laptop and a training video and assume they’re good to go. Explain to them what the culture, etiquette, and expectations of the organisation are, everything from the dress code and expected work hours, to how to interact with clients.
For that matter, explain the importance of prioritising tasks and hitting hard deadlines. Remote work has offered flexibility to complete work whenever it’s convenient. A Gen Z employee might be less familiar with the boss approaching their desk at 5:00 p.m. and saying, “Where’s that report that was due by close of business?”
It’s also worth giving a quick primer on the difference between texting someone and emailing someone. A two word response to a business email in a professional setting? That doesn’t fly – it comes across as unprofessional. Texting and email are different modes of communication, and it’s worth explicitly spelling out that distinction.
To much of the above, some might say “that’s really basic stuff, every potential employee already knows that”. No – they don’t. Again, keep in mind that what seems like common sense to an older generation shouldn’t be taken for granted as universal knowledge, particularly for a generation that’s largely been remote and screen-based in their interactions. A little bit of teaching and mentoring goes a long way toward preempting any hiccups in the work environment.
In addition to this cultural guidance and onboarding, there are several other steps that managers can take to get the results they need from Gen Z.
One of Gen Z’s genuine strengths is AI, so leverage it. Take advantage of something they’re already comfortable with to address areas where they might be less comfortable, for instance, have them run any emails to clients through AI to ensure they’re suitably professional.
Managers can also do their Gen Z direct reports a huge favor by engaging in some “narrative thinking” – essentially, thinking out loud and explaining how they reached a decision or why they took a certain action.
For example, don’t just have your direct reports watch you do a sales call. Immediately after the call, explain the logic behind the choices you made and why you steered the conversation towards certain areas but not others. Observation of action is not enough – there needs to be a window into the underlying thought process, and it doesn’t even require much time to share these insights.
Another recommendation for managers is to provide ongoing coaching and evaluation in short bursts, in as close to real time as possible. The traditional six-month evaluation isn’t going to work here, you don’t want to let half a year go by before doing a comprehensive analysis of how things are going and what might need to be corrected. Don’t be afraid to deploy a little bit of radical candor while you’re at it – be straightforward and say what you mean (without being mean) to help them improve.
The good news is that according to a recent Deloitte study, members of Gen Z are craving exactly this kind of training and mentorship – 86% of surveyed Gen Z respondents said they were seeking it.
Now managers need to do their part. Otherwise, they’re just selling an entire generation short, when a solution is within easy reach.
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