Does Gen Z Need Fixing? Or Just a Little Understanding?

The scoop

The New York Times recently headlined a story in its print edition: “Jonathan Haidt Has an Idea to Fix Gen Z.”?

Ah, the “kids these days” effect — the notion (quite tired at this point) that the younger generation is more deficient than their elders. This apparent generation gap may simply reflect a knowledge gap, and organizations need to help recruiters and hiring managers understand who Gen Z is, what they prefer, and why they prefer it.?

Why? Because the ability to hire Gen Z may be the key to competing successfully in the age of AI.

“Theirs is a generation molded by transformative forces,” says Cat Ward , the vice president of employer mobilization at Jobs for the Future, “including a global pandemic, a racial reckoning, political gridlock, climate crisis, and the rise of artificial intelligence.”?

Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012, has grown up with the internet, smartphones, and social media. They are digital natives primed for the age of AI , and by next year they will make up 27% of the workforce in OECD countries.

Which is all to say, there’s a reason that attracting and retaining Gen Z talent has been cited, according to the recent 2024 Future of Recruiting report, as the second-biggest challenge for recruiting over the next five years.?

Here are three things you can do to make sure Gen Z both arrives and thrives at your org:

• Stamp out experience inflation. An analysis LinkedIn did in 2021 found that employers asked for a minimum of three years of relevant work experience on 35% of their entry-level job posts. Hire Gen Z for their skills and potential, not their experience.?
• Double down on flexibility. Gen Z started entering the workforce en masse right in the thick of the pandemic. They like the autonomy of working remotely but also the sociability of the office. Give them both — truly embrace hybrid work.
• Build a dynamic, multifaceted learning program. Gen Z is 36% more likely than other generations to prioritize advancement opportunities and 34% more likely to prioritize skill development opportunities. “If you’re not investing in their growth,” says Nick Vallelly, the head of TA for Google DeepMind, “you’re not going to be able to hold them.”

Finally, make sure your teams understand that Gen Z is not a problem. It’s a solution.

By the numbers

Despite Gen Z’s reputation as job-hoppers, they’re more likely to prioritize job security than any other generation, according to the latest LinkedIn data .?

The last word

“My bottom line always to employers is to stay open to hearing about different ways to get things done, because Gen Z has one foot in the future.” — Roberta Katz , a coauthor of Gen Z, Explained: The Art of Living in a Digital Age , in a Stanford Report article

What has your experience been recruiting and hiring members of Gen Z? What has worked? What hasn’t?