Today’s fluid and flexible career paths may appear more stimulating yet without the security humans crave. It’s no wonder the latest generation to enter the workplace, Gen Z thinks the workplace is broken and they, rightly and wrongly, don’t always want to do anything about it.

We’ve found that 60+% of talent teams in Europe and the US face huge turnover of young employees and lack new hires with the right skills. Another survey found that half of US workers who want to leave their jobs say they’re unfulfilled, burned out and underpaid. A hangover from the COVID-19 pandemic is that many now find work to be less important. Why bother, Gen Z says when finding jobs is miserable, peers are livestreaming layoffs on TikTok, and AI will take their jobs.

We need to fix work for the current generation before Generation Alpha starts entering the workforce, expected in the next 10 years. The key? Career development, but with a modern twist.

The new career development

Job progression in the past was confined to a set career. But the world looks differently now. Companies need to shift their thinking from roles to focus on skills to engage Gen Z. The best way is skills-based learning. 

Skills-based learning isn’t new but it’s becoming more important for corporations to futureproof workforces. For instance, not all entry-level sales employees will become Head of Sales. But skills-based learning means the skills they will learn, and pick up through training, make them applicable for roles in operations or marketing. Finding alternative routes for employees, using the STARS system (Situation, Task, Action, Result), can help to solve talent gaps in the business and reduce layoffs.

Implementing learning effectively 

Skills-based learning is mainstream now because it's much easier to implement with technology. Previously mapping skills and implementing specific skills training was manual and difficult to instigate through the sheer time it would take to keep up to date. AI now takes care of this. Instead, you can focus on finding talent inside the business who knows how to implement and grow those skills. Tap into this knowledge of your ‘subject matter experts’ to educate the next generation. This benefits the experts invited to share their knowledge by making them feel valued. 

Put the resources in place and give employees the time and space to learn new skills and improve current ones. In my previous role at The Walt Disney Company, my team would constantly hear employees saying they didn't have enough time to learn. Yet, by linking development opportunities more closely to the skills people use daily, we can align development and incorporate it into their work, so people are learning while doing their jobs. Education takes time – allow employees to learn at their own pace and support their growth development. 

Empowering the next generation to take pride 

Research shows that L&D leads to better performance and engagement. Team members are more likely to take pride in their work and are less likely to leave. This is a win-win: committed employees who work hard will stay and retain knowledge, reduce hiring costs and create a more productive workforce. 

This provides purpose and pride for employees - important for upcoming generations that aren’t driven solely by money. Understand that they want to make a difference and want to see the places they work also support them. Get this right, and it will become part of your growth strategy. 

We are still a few years away from Gen Alpha entering the workforce. We must make things right for the current generation or risk leaving them behind. It’s time for positive change.

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