Growing up in a different world to perhaps those who are ‘in charge’, I find them to be acutely aware of the evolved role of ‘the company’. They’re also fully on board with new ways of flexible working, and are demanding more of their employers as a result. I can’t pretend I’m not a little bit jealous, I remember my manager getting to WFH one day a month back in my advertising days and that was all I wanted to work towards. As a 34 year old I think I’m plugged in to contemporary culture, but everyday I’m reminded that there’s a world around me I’m not fluent in and learning more about all the time.

So, how can understanding your Gen Z workforce help you in your business journey? And what lessons can I share from supporting Gen Zers at SharpEnd that have seen us benefit from the value they bring?

Who are Gen Z?

Gen Z workers are those born between 1997 and 2012 (although I hope no-one reading this hires 10 year olds). What I find is that this generation is keen to write their own story and not follow the precedent of ‘corporate life’. Not only do they want the big pay cheques, they want flexibility in the way they work and bring with them their own social and environmental values demanding more be done for a better working world in the future. 

For many young businesses in my field (IoT) , there are the obvious advantages of employing digital natives who are constantly connected. Their relationship with technology and the way they connect is profoundly changing the world today, and they can teach us all a thing or two about the world through their eyes. This then brings fresh thinking and insights to client briefs, which is great because we’re paid to understand and inform how brands can play meaningful roles in different communities.

Here at SharpEnd we connect brands with their consumers in-store and through connected products using technologies such as QR Codes, NFC tags and Augmented/Virtual reality. A key advantage working with the current ‘connected’ generation is that they are very often the target users of these technologies. As well as being hard-working and passionate, I find our Gen Z team members are not afraid to speak up and provide insightful feedback at all times (regardless of what I have to say).

Nurturing talent

In my experience, Gen Zers expect their employers to live out their missions, and will hold them accountable if they don’t. Company culture is just as important as the work, and they are well suited to a fast-paced environment (probably something to do with 6 second videos being a main source of content consumption). Nurturing their talent on the journey, and managing their expectations, is crucial if they’re to flourish and stay with you.

Here’s some lessons learned on how to provide a supportive and nurturing environment for the Gen Z workforce and why it pays to always listen to what they have to say. 

• Accept you’re not that cool any more - I’ve improved a lot as a founder and business leader by opening myself up to learning lessons from the ‘next generation’ and made immediate progress when I even accepted there was a next generation in the first place 
• Respect their independence - give them growth opportunities that they can own. Too often things have been given to this group and they crave a challenge to show their worth. They want to be part of something. Startups are the perfect breeding ground to give them these growth opportunities, and they can come in many forms
• Be communicative - The way they’ve grown up is being constantly connected to friends and peers via smartphones. So talk to them, build it into your appraisal system but don’t be afraid to tell them how it is if something isn’t right. They want the good, the bad and the ugly so they can develop
• Accept that it’s a new world - Put structures in place that encourage a good work/life balance but trust them to find their own way. Never has it been more important to give people the space to find a working style that suits their life - it’ll be a skill they use throughout their whole career
• We work in a 'new normal' where we have to be considerate of people's time and outside lives. Memories of going into the office five days a week are a distant past for many and we need to understand that the world has moved on since then. Embracing new techniques and ways of working means we can still be just as productive and creative.

There’s huge potential in this generation that is exciting for all businesses. Gen Zers can often be underestimated but when you take the time to understand them, they can deliver huge value when given the opportunities they need to tell the story they’re striving to tell.