Getting Ready for Gen Z

2017 marked the first full year with Generation Z in the workforce—a cohort typically defined as being born between 1995 and 2012. As these new employees set their sights on becoming future movers and shakers, organizations need to know what Gen Z brings to the workplace in order to foster the vibrant multi-generational mix that every enterprise depends upon.

Gen Z is a distinct generation and not to be grouped in with their Millennial counterparts. From their expectations around technology to their preference for work–life blend over balance, these employees are already reshaping the workplace in new and exciting ways.

By understanding a few core characteristics, organizations can learn how to engage Gen Z employees more authentically and harness their talents to the fullest. At the same time, there are challenges associated with integrating a new cohort into an already age-diverse workforce.

This article examines the key traits of Gen Z and describes how effectively integrating these newcomers can help create an inclusive environment that enables employees—irrespective of age—to be the best they can be. Social researcher Claire Madden and Gen Z guru David Stillman weigh in with their perspectives and latest research findings on this generation.

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About the 2018 Global Workplace Trends

Every year, Sodexo looks at the main factors affecting the world’s workers and employers now — and in the future. These trends resonate across the spectrum of employee experience and can serve as a useful tool for employers navigating a landscape that is ever evolving.

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Other trends that might interest you

 The Internet of Things: Shaping the Future Workplace

In an environment of constant progress, more organizations are questioning how future technology could impact their operations. More so than almost any other development, the Internet of Things (IoT) offers immediate improvements to the employee experience, from enhanced organization to more efficient facility management that boosts productivity.

 Human Capital Management 3.0: Transforming the Employee Experience

While new technologies have delivered significant benefits, workplace complexity continues to rise and global employee engagement levels remain low. As organizations look for ways to simplify interactions and reduce overload, the employee experience has come into focus as a key area for improvement—and Human Capital Management (HCM) is increasingly being leveraged as a solution.

 Creating the Emotionally Intelligent Workplace

Our lives are a kaleidoscope of up to 500 emotional experiences per day. We may only be conscious of a fraction of them at any one time, but they color every interaction. With this understanding comes a recognition of the need to navigate these emotions in the workplace, meaning that emotional intelligence (EI) has become a core skill set for high-performing organizations and outstanding leaders today.

 Re-imagining Resources in the Sharing Economy

Faced with an often difficult “new normal” in the post-2008 economic sphere, both individuals and corporations are re-examining how their resources are used. Out of this has grown a “sharing” or “gig” economy; one that eschews traditional ownership to promote maximum efficiency of labor and materials.

 Moving the Needle on Gender Balance

For much of the recent past, business has taken a more direct approach to improving diversity in the workforce, particularly when it comes to addressing gender imbalances on teams. Now, with a growing awareness around the unique challenges faced by women in the workplace—and because of the significant value generated by improved diversity—it’s clear that the focus of diversity needs to include not only making the numbers add up but also instilling a true feeling of belonging and inclusion.

 Employees: New Change Agents for Corporate Responsibility

To succeed in today’s business world, organizations need to become involved in more than just economics—they also need to become actors of change around large-scale environmental and social problems. However, responsible business is being nudged forward not only through business case logic, but because employees increasingly expect their employers to act responsibly.