Have No Fear, Gen Z is here!

Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z—where do we go next? Maybe start back at the beginning, with Gen A? This whole generation-naming thing has gotten downright silly.

Quite often trends that we identify as generational are simply lifecycle-based. Generation Y is more likely to quit their job! Yeah, well, just wait until they have a mortgage, kids, and looming college tuition. Suddenly we are talking about an “Oregon Trail” subset of Gen Y, because older Gen Y’ers are behaving differently than younger ones. Sure, we could blame technology. But maybe they are just growing older.

Today, Gen Z is just beginning its assault on our language and the workforce. Last year the first cohort of Gen Z-ers graduated from college. And, we are told, they are more tech-savvy than ever before. And, they are confident as hell. In a recent survey Nexxt conducted of almost 4,000 job seekers, 71% of Gen Z said that their presence will make the workforce better.

Now, I’m pretty sure that any generation in its youth thinks they are the best thing to ever come along. The interesting thing with Gen Z is that their parents aren’t necessarily buying that their kids are the greatest. Only a third of parents of Gen Z-ers agreed their kids would make the workforce better. And, 40% warned that their kids are even lazier than Millennials!

Full disclosure, I’m Gen X. So yes, my generation was better. And Millennials are lazy. And, as the father of two Gen Z kids. . . they are even lazier! And it’s all our fault. Parents love to bitch about helicopter parenting, and playdates, and chaperoning our kids 24/7, but we don’t actually do anything to change any of it except share articles on Facebook about how things used to be different and better. “When I was a child. . .” yeah, we just went out and played on the train tracks all day long and no one worried about whether we were hydrating properly, or playing nice, or even crossing a bridge while a train was coming (yes, that scene in Stand By Me brings back very real memories for me). Our parents had lives of their own, or at least lives that weren’t ours. But today, Gen X and Millennial parents are professional managers of our children from birth until. . . well, I’m not sure if we’ve figured out the end date yet.

Is it any wonder that our kids have gotten used to stuff being done for them? What does this mean for the workplace? How do we adapt to a horde of workers who may still prefer to order from the children’s menu?

Here are a few ways to prepare:

Structure: Gen Z Thrives on Structure

Gen Z is used to structure, from structured playdates to travel sports. They really do work hard when they understand what they need to do. Gen X—hell, we didn’t want anyone to tell us what to do. We’d work hard to get work done before someone told us what to do, and then probably just stop when they tried to tell us what to do.

To get more out of Gen Z, you’ll need to be an overtly directing manager, clearly explaining what needs to get done and why. Paint a picture, and they’ll try their best to work to bring it alive.

Tip: Have a clear job description, and review expectations and performance regularly.

Meaning: Gen Z Wants to Know What’s in It for Them

We’ve all read articles about Gen Y’s deep desire to join and support companies that make the world a better place. Well, Gen Z has their own twist on this—they want to know why they should do anything, and expect a good answer. Call them the ultimate results-oriented generation. They don’t necessarily need to hear that they should file that TPS report so that they can save starving kids on another continent. But there had better be some reason. And, if my son is any indication, an incentive or bonus is a GREAT reason.

Tip: Build a strong brand, so that ALL generations know why they should get out of bed in the morning. You may still need to break it down for Gen Z to make sure that you always provide a context for the work they’re doing.

Flexibility: Gen Z Expects Work to Fit Into Their Life

Every generation wants work life balance. But Gen Z doesn’t just want it. They expect it. They grew up with family life structured around them. Why should they expect this to change? While my generation still thinks that we should ask the boss before we leave early on Friday for a weekend at the Shore, Gen Z is more likely to honestly believe that it was pretty thoughtful of them to text “HAGW” from the road.  

Tip: Introduce the concept of work-life harmony, instead of balance. They might want to hit the to road early, but if you text back a request to complete a project over the weekend, they might not mind.

Come to think of it, the above recommendations would probably work pretty well with any generation. So, perhaps the lesson from Gen Z is to remember what it’s like to be young and full of confidence, with your entire life ahead of you. What if we were to build our businesses to attract and motivate people, regardless of generation? Maybe we could bridge the generational—and life stage—divide, and focus on goals that are important to us all. Just some thoughts from a Gen-Xer, raising Gen Z-ers.