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According to statistics, in Russia, depending on the region, generation Z accounts for 9.7-24.4% of the total working population. It is logical that their colleagues from generations X and Y are faced with the question: how to properly interact with young employees and how to motivate them? We asked the experts about this.
How are zoomers different from generations X and Y?
A study by MATS University describes Zoomers’ attitudes towards work as critical: selective, with high expectations, and needing a mentor rather than a boss. It is best to partner with companies that believe in sustainable and socially responsible business practices and practices. The younger generation places more importance on aligning personal values with company values.
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“We are noticing a strong trend towards self-knowledge and a more careful attitude towards work-life balance, where work occupies an important, but not a priority, place,” says Ekaterina Pigasova, Senior PR Director at Rassvet.digital.
“We are increasingly seeing that for zoomers it is not so much important to adhere to a strict work schedule, but to complete tasks efficiently. They can do everything faster so they can devote more time to themselves. According to them, work should be intertwined with personal values,” says Yuri Kanareikin, Senior HR Brand Manager at Grow Food.
Zoomers’ attitude towards work is not based on the concept of debt to the company. The paradigm “I was hired, I am very grateful for it, now I will do my best” is becoming obsolete among them.
A key observation to help us understand Zoomers is that they are a radically self-centered generation. What matters most to them is how much they now like their way of life, what they do, and who surrounds them. Thus, self-development and improving their own lives first and foremost come to the fore.
In other words, this generation chooses work for life, not life for work. Young people have high levels of empathy both towards themselves and towards others. Personal boundaries are important to them, but there are no prohibitions or barriers if there is a goal. They are open to the world and try to understand it not only with the mind, but also with feelings, stopping attempts to devalue someone or something.
Zoomers in the office: how they work
The general vector is clear, but what are the zoomers that act directly? Experts point out the following characteristics:
– Zoomers are proactive, do not have templates, are ready to get involved quickly, but cannot work with risks due to lack of experience;
– in their work, these colleagues approach processes more critically, ask questions more frequently and offer alternatives;
– They are well aware of trends, because their field of information contains a lot of news related to the most current debates in society.
This is confirmed by a study by the company LANIT: it is observed that zoomers value the possibility of choice in the workplace and do not obey rules whose meaning they do not understand.
“Older colleagues have more experience in certain areas, which helps both generations cope better, which is why we like to have people of different ages on the team. An interesting fact about zoomers: we noticed that they find it difficult to manage people from older generations, so a zoomer is more likely not to choose an adult candidate to join their team,” says Elena Khrenova, HR Director at Golden Apple.
“They have a high level of observation, a good understanding of visual language and aesthetics; they can make videos, presentations, collages and any other materials much better than older generations, most of whose representatives often do not feel this. It is worth noting the self-presentation skills developed thanks to their early appearance on social networks,” says Alexander Lednev, head of the strategic direction of Signal.
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Zoomers therefore love freedom more and think outside the box. Do companies have to accommodate them in any way in the workplace? And is it true that they often change jobs?
Zoomers Adaptation: Attracting and Retaining
It seems like a myth that Gen Z is inexperienced and difficult to adapt. These are kids who have graduated or are graduating from universities, are ambitious and want to learn a lot and change the world for the better. Still, adaptation is required. The approach may vary from company to company. Somewhere, Gen Z is taught not to procrastinate while completing tasks and is given time to breathe, counting it as work time.
“We teach zoomers to tackle the necessary amount of work without getting lost in the process. For example, all employees keep calendars where they record tasks – this is mandatory. But this should not demotivate you: we do not force you to write down every sneeze! On the contrary, the calendar is our assistant, not a strict micromanager. It allows you to avoid procrastination and leave enough time for creativity and development. We call these “free hours” – up to two hours a day that we spend carefully planning the day, studying or simply “pondering” over tasks. These hours are not directly related to projects, but we believe that it is important to count them as working hours because training and planning are part of the work process. This helps the manager to better manage the workload,” says Ekaterina Pigasova, Senior PR Director at Rassvet.digital.
You need to understand that mentoring is important for zoomers. Mentors will tell you where to get information and how to develop yourself most effectively. Yuri Kanareikin, Senior HR Brand Manager at Grow Food, particularly highlights the importance of this: “In fact, the position of a mentor is key in shaping the image of the company for an employee. Young people listen to more experienced colleagues with respect and involvement, because for them it is an opportunity to gain valuable knowledge in a relatively short period of time.”
It is believed that zoomers do not work in one place for a long time. This is refuted by a study by the company LANIT: according to its data, employees born after 1995 quit less frequently than those born before 1980. At the same time, 73% of respondents believe that they should be promoted once a year. Researchers claim that the discrepancy between reality and expectations can lead to increased staff turnover.
Zoomers may make the decision to quit their job because of such a discrepancy with lightning speed.
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“A typical story among young developers and engineers is that they come to big tech companies for 1-2 days, see a reality that doesn’t correlate in any way with what they were told in the interview, and leave. They won’t wait a year in the hope that something will change,” says Alexander Lednev, Head of Strategic Direction at Signal.
How Zoomers Are Changing the Workplace
The GUU 2020 study states that Generation X brings entrepreneurial spirit, openness to change, informality and flexibility to the companies where they work. Generation Y: teamwork, multitasking, technology and ability to find information. What is changing under the influence of Generation Z?
Experts say Zoomers have a more flexible schedule and the opportunity to combine work and study. Existing meeting formats may change.
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“We have changed the format of the welcome meeting: if previously an HR employee would tell newcomers about the company in a lecture format, now we invite both top managers and department heads, who help them see the company from all angles. We have turned this format into a real networking session with personal communication,” the VKontakte press service comments.
Companies also pay attention to collecting feedback. It is even possible to devise special practices for this.
“I like to do a monthly self-reflection with my colleagues: we determine the emotions that prevail in the team, choose memes of the month and write manifestos for the next month. This way, in a playful way, it becomes clearer what was missing and what, on the contrary, was superfluous,” says Ekaterina Pigasova, Senior PR Manager at Rassvet.digital.
Sometimes even new positions can be created for zoomers.
“We didn’t have a leader in the community managers product team before, but a young colleague fit the role perfectly and showed a willingness and desire to become the leader of this stream,” shares Yulia Averina, HRD Sports.
Schedules have been discussed, retrospectives have been scheduled, positions have been created. But what should be done on a daily basis to make Zoom users feel comfortable at work? How can young people be motivated to achieve success and develop within the company?
How companies motivate zoomers
Motivation is the key that helps you find a common language with zoomers and establish effective work with them.
“We pay a lot of attention to the individual needs of young professionals in the company, we try to be as flexible as possible, adapting work processes to people and not the other way around,” says the press office of the MAAG brand. RAW, DUB and VILET.
You need to be properly motivated. The VHI alone will not be enough. “For them, motivation is not only the social package, but also what happens every day,” explains Irina Koroteeva, HR specialist at Signal.
Zoomers need a constant challenge, they need to maintain their focus and interest, they need to see what they get from completing tasks, where they grow and what cases they can be proud of and talk about at thematic conferences. As a rule, the departure of zoomers is related to functionality and the prospect of further movement in the company: they are bored with tasks, they have become of the same type, there is no opportunity to switch to others. The limited role, the feeling that no development is foreseen, demotivates them.
It is also important to provide competent feedback. A manager’s support in achieving goals significantly strengthens motivation and efficiency at work. But in order to retain young specialists, the company must not only provide conditions for development, but also create an atmosphere of confidence in their potential.
“We support Zoomers in their desire to develop and be heard, which is why the company has internal career consultants whom any employee can turn to for help with career growth and resolving a difficult situation in the team,” says Elena Khrenova, HR Director at Manzana Zolotoy.
And don’t forget about common values and transparent processes.
In general, experts cite the following reasons why zoomers leave their jobs:
– systemic problems in management;
– bureaucracy;
– low participation and depth of interaction;
– impersonal communication;
– lack of their (zoomers’) value in the workplace.
To work productively with zoomers, it is important to keep in mind that in order for them to be loyal to the team, a social package is not enough. They value work-life balance and will not tolerate bureaucracy or systemic problems in the company. But if you give them interesting mentors and tasks, provide feedback, and allow them to focus on the tasks and not on the time spent in the office, the results will be excellent.
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