The Secret to Engaging Your Gen Z Workforce

Hi there,

Welcome back to another edition of Training the Frontline, your favorite source for all things frontline training.

You've probably heard plenty of stereotypes and assumptions about Gen Z employees in recent years.

Purpose-driven. Quiet quitters. Hard-working. Lazy. Entrepreneurs. Perk-loving. Difficult. Need regular mental health days. Prioritize salary above all else...

It's evident we're currently looking at an unclear picture of who Gen Zers are and what they care about, especially when it comes to the workplace.

But, engaging your Gen Z workforce could be crucial for your business. Read on to find out who this new generation of workers actually are, why you should care, and how to save Gen Z engagement and retention rates.?

Also in today's newsletter: discover how to bring the power of TikTok into your Gen Z training strategy, and secure your spot in this week's webinar.

Thanks for reading!

The eduMe team

Frontline news ??

• 'No going back': trial of flexible working for frontline staff shows boost to job satisfaction and wellbeing (People Management )
• How retailers can build and retain a strong frontline workforce in 2024 (McKinsey )
• 42% of employee turnover is preventable but often ignored (Gallup )

Deep dive ??: How to Engage Gen Z in the Workplace

Google anything about Gen Z, and you’ll be hit by a myriad of contradicting insights.??

There are the ‘good’ Gen Z values: they’re concerned about climate change, they really care about their contribution, they prioritize learning new skills and meaningful work, they’re focussed on DE&I.

There are also negative claims leveled: they’re lazy, they’re stubborn, they will only do remote work, they see work just as a means to living, they’re obsessed with work-life balance, they’re picky about work environment.??

"By viewing the Gen Z workforce as a new, almost alien species to the world of work, we’re assuming that no other worker has the same priorities. In reality, the differences aren’t quite as clear-cut."

For example, a recent Deloitte study revealed that 86% of Gen Zs value having a sense of purpose at work - but so do 89% of Millennials. The same study found that 2 in 10 of both Gen Z and Millennials had changed jobs or industries due to their environmental values.? 50% of Gen Zs and 43% of Millennials have turned down a project based on their personal ethics or beliefs.?

Look elsewhere, and you’ll find even more similarities. For example, both generations believe that training is the most or one of the most important factors influencing employee engagement.?

Rather than viewing demographics as separate entities, it’s perhaps more useful to see the new generation of workers’ wants and desires as representative of a systemic change in how we all think about work; a change that’s been influenced by macro factors such as the pandemic, global insecurity, economic downturns, and the climate crisis.?

That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t investigate how we can engage Gen Z in the workplace - after all, they are going to make up 30% of the workforce by 2030. It just means we should take a different approach.?

So, what is that approach?

1. Match their technology expectations

Gen Z are digital natives, true. But that doesn't mean you should jump to giving your employees fancy MacBooks.

Rather, think about how this generation consumes today’s technology - invisible, mobile-first and intuitive - and consider how we can integrate these experiences into the working day.?

Over half of Gen Z workers say they'd quit a job due to a bad technology experience.

Here are some examples of what we mean:

• Engaging tech experiences that are accessible via handheld devices, like their mobile phones or company tablets
• UI that mimics social media, making their 9-5 feel more consistent with their ‘5-9’ (non-working hours)???
• Simple digital journeys that don’t require passwords to log-in or have information siloed across multiple apps?
• An experience that feels personal to them?
• A seat at the table through the ability to get involved. For example, creating training content for peers as an SME?

2. To-the-point training

How many of you have started a video only to put it on 2x speed?

We're all low on time - and this is especially true of those in deskless roles, who are often assessed or even paid by the speed at which they can complete tasks.

As a result, 67% admit not giving training videos their undivided attention. This has knock-on effects on productivity and job satisfaction, which, as we know, are two contributors to engagement and retention.?

Your training needs to be as concise and to the point as possible. Stick to microlearning experiences, keep your video content under two minutes max, and support them with subtitles or text for viewing on-the-go.

• Want more recommendations for engaging your Gen Z workers? Click here to continue reading

Extra reading ??

TikTok-Style Training: L&D Fad or Our Future?

Is introducing TikTok-style training into your employee experience a good idea? In this blog , we're looking at why TikTok for learning is more than a trend, and where to take inspiration from to engage and educate your workforce.

Case Study: How Temco Logistics saved $600k with social media-style training

This case study featuring home goods delivery and installations provider, Temco Logistics, is a great example of how complementing in-person sessions with TikTok-style microlearning can boost engagement AND business metrics.

Join the conversation ???

Very much related to the topic of Gen Z and tech in the workplace, this week we're holding a live webinar on the topic of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).

Is delivering training to personal devices right for your business? Are there other ways to increase training engagement if BYOD is a no-go?

We'll be covering it all tomorrow - and answering your burning questions - at 10am PT / 6pm BST.

Click here to sign up ??

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