The Complete Guide to Gen Z Talent Acquisition and Retention

Gen Z job is the generation born between 1995 and 2010. This generation has been known to be more entrepreneurial and tech-savvy than any other generation.

In a world where the workforce is getting more and more diverse, companies have to start thinking outside the box to attract and retain talent. They need to rethink their recruitment strategies and offer new benefits that Gen Zers are looking for.

Working on employee retention strategies can produce fruitful results for any organisation.

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The best way for companies to attract Gen Z talent is by being transparent about what they stand for. They should also provide opportunities for growth and development because young people want to learn how they can grow in their careers.

Gen Zers are known for being less traditional and less interested in following one path or career for the rest of their life. They prefer to switch careers, making it difficult for employers to pinpoint what they want or need from them.

This generation is also known for being more creative than other generations, making them excellent at generating large-scale content ideas.

Difference between Gen Z and Millennials:

Gen Z is the first generation to grow up in an age of constant connectivity and technological advances. Millennials are people born in the 1980s and 1990s as one of the four generations born after 1970. Gen Zers are called iGeneration, Constant Connectivity Generation, or Digital Natives.

Millennials spend about 9 hours a day online, while Gen Zers spend about 16 hours online daily. Gen Zers have a higher rate of watching YouTube videos than any other age group. Millennials spend about 3 hours per day watching TV, while Gen Zers watch about 1 hour daily. The average age of a millennial is 27 years old, while the average age of a Gen Zer is 22 years old. 

Generation X parents brought up millennials in the information age of the Internet. They were raised with a drive towards lifelong learning and social media marketing. Gen Z has been born into an online world with apparent advantages over millennials.

Gen Z’s Biggest Challenges in the Workplace:

Gen Z has emerged from their parents’ shadow to become a formidable force. They’re increasingly pushing for diversity and inclusion among their peers, yet they’re also skeptical of their older coworkers. 

Gen Z’s biggest challenges in the workplace are not about their skillsets. They are about how their employers treat them.

Gen Z is a generation of young people who have grown up with technology and have been exposed to it all their lives. This has led them to be more tech-savvy than any other generation before them, but it has also led them to grow up with a desire for work-life balance and career fulfilment in general.

Gen Z’s biggest challenge is that the workplace does not accommodate these desires for work-life balance and career fulfilment. They have grown up in an age where many options are available, and they expect the same opportunities as everyone else.

Read the blog further and learn how to attract and train Gen Z talent.

Tips for Retaining and Attracting Gen Z Talent:

1- Review the Experience Requirements in Your Job Postings Again:

Gen Z is a generation born and bred in the digital age. They constantly interact with their peers through social media platforms, and they are more likely than previous generations to expect an experience-based job that looks fun.

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The alternative hiring process has taken over the industry, and employers feel pressured to offer more flexible work settings in order to attract Gen Z talent. With this target audience in mind, employers need to take a second look at their job listings and consider what it takes to stand out from the crowd.

2- Increase Your Adaptability:

What if you could leverage flexibility at the workplace to retain your Gen Z team members easier? Imagine being able to focus on the day-to-day operations while your Gen Z employees outperform. That’s a win-win!

Embracing a hybrid or remote work culture will give the employees a sense of satisfaction as they would be able to create a work-life balance and also increase their productivity. 

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Losing talent or losing a team member can be financially and operationally devastating. But in a fast-paced environment, you need to retain your Gen Z talent. One of the crucial tips is to increase your adaptability. The more flexible you are, the better your chance of retaining your young talent.

3- Craft Impactful Compay Core Values:

What’s important to and crucial for Gen Zers is to know what you believe in. What are your values? Understand where you come from and understand that with your decisions and actions, they can follow you too.

To retain and attain Gen Z talent, the main thing is to walk the walk with values and be proud of who you are. Every decision, move, or deed that you do will show if you have values or not. This is a reality for all businesses, especially those recruiting Gen Zers.

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Showing those values in your day-to-day operations will prove that your company sticks to values, for example taking initiatives about employees’ mental health can prove very effective for the retention of Gen Zers.

At the end of the day, we’re all humans keeping up with millions of other humans in this world.

4- Effective Onboarding is the Key:

You’ve got a great team of employees and want to keep them around, but how can you do that without losing the attention of your most valuable and core team members?

Studies show that a strong onboarding process improves new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%.

Recruit by reaching out and asking Gen Z’s what they want — this will help you avoid dead-end jobs that are tiring and boring! Give them a flexible schedule, deploy mobile apps, offer modern benefits, and make it more than just a job.

A warm welcome won’t do the trick, you need to go beyond that. Exhibit the company’s positive culture so the new recruit feels motivated, and give them time with the direct manager.

Make sure the employee feels welcomed and get everything set up for him/her like workflows, equipment, etc.

5- Focus on Learning and Development:

Humans are not the most forward-thinking creatures; we tend to stick with who we know and what we’ve seen. Gen Z has pushed our ideals back in time to focus on learning and growth.

The human brain is also the least capable of processing information, so Gen Z demand less content than any other generation. They want to hear your story, not your brand story.

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Be that person that Gen Z loves to work for and grow with. Be a company constantly trying new things and sharing its successes with its employees.

76% of Gen Zers think that learning is the key to a successful career. Incorporating effective learning and development programs will not only develop employees but will also be beneficial for the progression of any organisation. Employees will tend to stick longer in the organisation when they know that the organisation is working on their progression.

Final Verdict:

The Gen Z workforce is the most diverse generation, with a more inclusive mindset than any other generation before them. They are also the most educated, and they have high expectations in terms of pay and workplace culture. In order to retain Gen Z talent, companies need to implement flexible work arrangements, offer competitive salaries and benefits, and provide a clear career path for employees.

Our LinkedIn marketing experts at Tash Ads are well trained. Contact Tash Ads if you require assistance with your recruiting. We have a wide range of experience with lead generation for recruiters and can help you with any aspect of the hiring process.