How to Recruit and Retain Gen Z Employees

Gen Zers are on the fast track to entering the workforce, in fact, the oldest at 28 are already establishing their careers. This begs the question, what do we know about this next generation of workers? How do we begin to recruit these young upstarts who have little or no memory of the world as it existed before smartphones. According to Becker’s ASC Review, Gen Z will overtake Boomers in the workforce for the first time in 2024. To start recruiting and retaining Gen Z, a company’s marketing strategy needs to be just as unique as the next generation.

Here are 5 tips to effectively tailor your marketing strategy to successfully recruit and retain Gen Z employees:

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1.????? Be where the Gen Zer’s are:? social media.?

If you want to reach Gen Zer’s, you will want to advertise your careers and organization on social media.? According to the Annie E Casey Foundation, 95% of the generation utilize YouTube and 67% utilize TikTok for brand awareness, public opinion of influencers, and their overall main new source.? The other top social media platforms include Instagram and Snapchat.? In addition, 76% of Gen Zers use Instagram to post or share content.? Not only is it important to attract the candidates via social media, but brand is also very important to the generation.? According to LinkedIn, 80% of Gen Zers care about the values and authenticity of a company, meaning brand image matters.? By implementing a recruiting strategy that highlights the values of an organization and engages them on social media, an organization will have a much better chance of recruiting Gen Z talent.

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2.????? If your organization does not currently have a diversity and inclusion strategy, add it.

Not only is a diversity and inclusion strategy important for any organization, but it is also key with Gen Zers.? This generation has an expectation that there is already a D&I initiative in place.? According to The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Gen Zers are more racially and ethnically diverse than any other generation.? The breakdown includes the following:

·???? White, 51%

·???? Latino or Hispanic, 25%

·???? Black: 15%

·???? Asian or Pacific Islander: ?6%

·???? Two or more Races:? 5%

Organizations that implement a diversity and inclusion strategy have higher revenue growth, greater readiness to innovate, increased ability to recruit a diverse talent pool, and have 5.4 times higher employee retention according to Great Places to Work.?

3.????? Take into consideration the unique set of benefits Gen Zers value.

?According to Forbes, the top five most important benefits to Gen Z employees are as follows:

·???? Flexible work options:? 83%

·???? Flexible parental leave options:? 64%

·???? Flexible paid time off/vacation:? 65%

·???? Upskilling opportunities, 63%

As you can see, the key takeaway with Gen Z is “flexibility” which is a significant divergence from past generations.? Some potential benefits to consider are remote options, coaching/mentoring opportunities, access to an LMS and training opportunities, unlimited PTO, and paid parental leave for both mothers and fathers.? Keep in mind, Gen Zers entered the workforce during COVID or shortly after.? A majority of the Gen Z workforce have only experienced remote work as a result. By taking that into consideration when building a benefits package, you will not only attract Gen Z candidates but retain them as well.? ??

4.????? Use company data to build genuine company initiatives that are important to Gen Zer’s.

According to Forbes, the top initiatives that are important to Gen Z and want organizations to genuinely be committed to include the following:

·???? People-first culture

·???? Work-life balance

·???? Pay equity

·???? Promoting talent

·???? Diversity, equity, and inclusion programs

·???? Team feedback and goal setting

·???? Team recognition programs

In comparison to the other generations, pay equity was much higher as a priority for Gen Zer’s. Therefore, it is important that companies start to dive into their data and build an initiative around pay.? If you haven’t already, take into consideration the different jobs, gender, and races to ensure that pay does not vary amongst different groups.?

5.????? ?Gen Zer’s thrive on learning and development so incorporate that into their work.

According to a study published by LinkedIn, 76% of Gen Zers believe that learning is the key to a successful career.? Likewise, 36% of Gen Zer’s said that training, onboarding, learning, and development are the top factors when considering a new job.? To keep their attention focused on ways to improve their learning and development opportunities, invest in a learning management system, and consistently provide opportunities for development. ?When they are working remotely, it can be difficult to cultivate those relationships.? So, in addition, consider creating a mentorship program as well.? This will provide an opportunity for Gen Zers to meet and collaborate with others at the organization.? When they are working remotely, it can be difficult to cultivate those relationships.?

Thank you so much for reading my blog.? I hope these 5 tips help you on your recruiting journey.? Do you have any success stories with recruiting Gen Z?? Please reach out with any suggestions or feedback, I would love to hear from you!? Also, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter titled “All Roads Lead to Recruiting” to see all future postings.

To learn more on how to attract, qualify, and onboard more driver candidates, with EBE Technologies recruiting solutions, please call 309-350-2066, send an email to [email protected] , or visit www.ebeships.com .

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