Keep These 8 Tips In Mind For Hiring And Retaining A Gen Z Candidate!

After successfully accommodating millennials ( who are now in their 30s), it is time to open your arms to welcome the Gen Z candidates into your workforce.

There are a lot of negative things claimed about Gen Z on the internet, such as their short attention spans, suspected smartphone addictions, and the fact that they are hoppers. Whether it’s a myth or not, you may use these ideas to create an A1 hiring and recruitment process for this generation’s employees.

Before we move on to the tips, it is important to elucidate on the behaviour patterns, this generation exhibits. This is the generation of technology and innovation, so you can count on them to come up with brilliant ideas at a moment’s notice; they are also more sensitive and aware of concerns, so any form of discrimination during the hiring process will just lead to a tweet ( that will not be good for the company’s brand image!). 

Furthermore, Gen Z candidates are those sincerely seeking possibilities to further their careers while working in an enthusiastic and active workplace. Finally, they are by-products of a world that is continuously providing more sustainable sources of income, therefore they aren’t averse to changing employment.

Now, let us get to the chase. If you are an employer looking to hire and retain Gen Z employees, keep these following 8 tips in mind!

1. Maintain Work-Life Balance

Earlier, there used to be a fine line between work and personal life – work ended at 6, and from there on, people had the liberty of social life. Now, with expanding technology, and smartphones, work travels post 6 pm in our pockets, blurring work-life balance even on weekends. 

Generation Z is critical of this blurred line and really adamant about maintaining a healthy work-life balance. They are more concerned about finishing tasks than staying long hours for nothing. So, as long as you provide them with the flexibility of doing their work at any time, from anywhere and shift from a deadline-oriented attitude to a task-oriented attitude, you have their attention! 

2. Provide Career Growth Path

Gen Z does not cage themselves in one box of skillset – instead, they are continuously reinventing their potential and learning new skills. And it is also what they expect a company to do for them. So, during hiring, make your growth and development plan clear to them. Show a developmental plan that guarantees personal and professional advancement at work within and outside their role. 

Remember that with the rise of the gig economy, there is a rise in alternatives where your Gen Z employees can go. If you don’t promise career growth, there are likely to look for it elsewhere.

3. Start Recruiting Early

This generation does not adhere to a strict high school-college-job schedule. Instead, some people are more likely to wish to be recruited early in life, possibly just after high school. This is because this generation does not feel that formal schooling is the sole way to learn new skills; rather they are open to learning new roles by virtue of experience. 

So, if you want to amp up your hiring and retaining process viz-a-viz Gen Z, then start recruiting earlier than you did for millennials.

4. Adapt To Their Culture
Generation Z is the first generation to be born and brought up in a completely digital era. This accounts for a unique upbringing that they have as a collective generation. So, if you want to hire and keep employees of this generation around, you have to speak their language and adapt to their values and culture.

How?

Well, you have to keep in mind, that more than traditional perks and benefits, workplace culture matters a lot to Gen Z. They are more educated and sensitive about injustice and discriminatory practices, and if they sense a mismatched culture that is toxic, they will be the first ones to call you out. Hence, while hiring, show what your culture is like, and how they can hone their creativity and social connection at work.

5. Be Flexible
Covid-19 pandemic has shown us that rigid rules of office can be shattered and rebuilt into flexible conditions of working from home. Many from Gen Z are probably starting out in the workforce with a work-from-home job, so during your hiring process, you need to highlight that you are okay with providing flexible work hours.

Gen Z is the most tech-savvy generation inhabiting Earth, and they can work from anywhere, at any time. So make sure, you adapt to their fabric and give them what they want – flexibility at the workplace!

6. Showcase Teamwork
Generation Z is one that is all out for social connections. They like building relations on a personal tangent and would any day choose a video call over formal phone calls. So, while hiring, don’t forget to specify your activities as a team and all the fun social gatherings and shenanigans you conduct.

Gen Z likes to know that they are part of something bigger than corporate initiatives- things that make a difference to the society and world. So, it is always a good idea to exhibit your environmental and equity concerns on your social media handles or explicitly mention them in the office.

7. Prove Your Dedication To Mental Health
This generation is not one to be part of the ‘ hustle culture’. They are critical of maintaining boundaries and really vocal about the importance of mental health..as they should be. So, if you exhibit an image of burnout and a ‘ get things done ’ attitude, you are most likely to sway them away in the opposite direction.

So, show them that you are dedicated to improving the mental health of your employees by giving rest days, and conducting workshops on the importance of the same. An office that respects mental & physical health is one that Gen Z will likely prefer.

8. Focus On Peer Coaching
The final tip to keep in mind while hiring and retaining Gen Z candidates is a focus on peer coaching. Gen Z would prefer being guided and mentored by their own peers than be micromanaged by superiors. It is in their fabric to resist authority, and would much likely learn better if helped by a co-worker.

So, keep these 8 tips in mind when you start your hiring process for Gen Z candidates, and not only will you be successful in hiring them, you will also be efficient in keeping them around.