Kids These Days

If we were meeting in an auditorium and I asked for a show of hands of those who have heard someone say, “Kids these days, . . .” in reference to any generation younger than themselves, I’m guessing every hand would be in the air. I, for example, have heard the following in reference to Gen Z: “Kids these days . . .

  • “. . .  are lazy. They don’t want to work.”
  • “. . . are entitled.”
  • “. . . need to be coddled.”
  • “. . . are self-obsessed and addicted to tech.”
  • “. . . Why can’t they just look a person in the eye and talk?”

To be sure, these statements are a reflection of frustration and unmet expectations. Employers are frustrated that previously successful communication and engagement methods no longer work with this generation. By all means, I get it. I’ve raised four Gen Zers under my roof and volunteered with hundreds. Despite being on the front lines of communication and engagement with this generation, it’s been challenging to understand the world as they see it. Equally challenging is how to bridge that communication and encourage their participation. Indeed, sometimes it’s like communicating in a foreign language, IMHO (as the kids say).

In this post, I hope the reader comes to a deeper understanding of what they need from their employers, how to engage with them, and what they have to offer their employers once they’re all in.

Part II – Engaging Gen Z

Earn their respect.

My grandparents’ generation taught my parents’ generation to respect their elders unconditionally. I, however, grew up with kids’ faces on milk cartons and a dad as a law enforcement officer. Admittedly, I’ve raised my own Gen Z children not to talk to or trust strangers and to tell us if a family member makes them uncomfortable. It isn’t surprising then to learn that their respect for us in the workplace isn’t automatic simply because we’re older, wiser, and more experienced. They need to feel safe and valued.

“Respect, defined by Merriam-Webster as ‘a feeling or understanding that someone or something is important, serious, etc., and should be treated in an appropriate way,’ . . . Candidly, respect must be earned in both directions and can no longer be assumed.”[1]

Gen Z needs to understand why.

Previous generations may have been comfortable with “because I said so” responses when they asked “Why?”, but not this generation. Gen X and Millennial parents were encouraged to provide this generation with reasoned answers. This likely explains part of the motivation this generation has for understanding the guiding purpose everything in their lives will serve. Additionally, if the current process isn’t serving the purpose effectively or efficiently, this generation will innovate improvements.

Think of them as contributors.

Give them the why and ask them to figure out how. Compensation then becomes an exchange for their contributions to the organization with their talents, ideas, insights, and skills. “They thrive in a brainstorming and idea-sharing environment where they can contribute to the direction and outcomes of the group. This gives them an excellent opportunity to place their unique, special, and important seal on the team and the success of the project. They take great pride in being part of a winning team and contributing their individuality to that team.”[2]

For example, a local brewery hired a young man for seasonal work. He was to stand on the line to knock off boxes the bottling system erroneously skipped. They used box fans for climate control. When the supervisor went to check on the young man, he wasn’t at his station. He found him helping with some other manual tasks and asked him why he wasn’t monitoring the boxes. He explained that he aligned the fan such that it would knock the boxes off so that he could be more productive elsewhere. The supervisor was impressed! He understood why it was important and took the initiative to improve the process!

Gen Z needs regular and frequent feedback.

We have to provide the opportunity to experience the purpose (and pride) in their work and then choose to experience it again and again. Experience leads to competence. Competence leads to confidence. However, feeling incompetent leads to anxiety. Gen Z is being raised by involved Gen X and Millennial parents. We have attended every middle school orchestra concert (oi!), volleyball tournament, and traveled with the hockey team. For better or worse, we have looked for opportunities to encourage the behavior we want to see more of in our children rather than disciplining the negative behavior. For this reason, negative feedback may be crushing, simply because they are not accustomed to hearing it.

Gen Z needs the flexibility to blend rewarding, purposeful work into their lives.

“… many young people don’t want the same kinds of jobs their parents or grandparents had. They aren’t as motivated by the safety and security of a good job. Rather, they want a job that has purpose — that means something. They want a job that rewards them with experiences rather than just money, . . .”[3] The quality of the experience to be gained and having flexibility are key considerations to entertaining the idea of coming to work for you.

“It’s no longer about a work-life balance, but a work-life blend. Experience is everything, flexibility is paramount, and lifestyle is the most important consideration in any career decision or direction. . . When they find meaningful experiences, adventure, and a mission in the work they do, then it transcends ‘work’ and becomes a fun, motivational, and worthwhile pursuit.” “The rise of the work-life blend versus the work-life balance is a trend that companies will do well to embrace by giving their people as much autonomy as possible over work schedules and tasks. The light here for many younger workers is freedom from the traditional, rigid nine-to-five schedule and flexibility to perform their work at their pace and on their time. They’ll get it done—because they believe in it.”[4]

Market the organizations’ social impact in job postings.

The Millennial generation and Gen Z are looking for opportunities to improve social conditions and address needs in their communities, their regions, and around the world. “We don’t pursue the paycheck, we pursue the passion.”[5] Even if the organization does not necessarily have a direct marketable social impact, demonstrate the indirect impact the organization has on improving the quality of life for its employees, community residents, interest groups, etc. For example, a construction company may donate materials or labor to a local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, sponsor a Special Olympics athlete or team, donate food, host a blood drive, etc. “It’s all about giving back, and making this a core value will attract like-minded young people who admire that vision and want to take part in it.”[6]

Planning for Tomorrow

While planning for tomorrow we hope we will see the next day and that all will go as planned. Planning for tomorrow also means that we are being intentional about our aspirations. There are things we want to accomplish, and we are creating a plan to get it done, with contingencies.  Cultivating a workplace culture that nurtures mutual respect, initiative, curiosity, creativity, flexibility, and provides pathways for Gen Zers can contribute to creating a social impact is like planning for tomorrow – every day.

Questions to Consider

  1. How does your company or organization demonstrate the following values? How can these values be reinforced or more clearly emphasized?
  • Respect
  • Initiative
  • Curiosity
  • Creativity
  • Flexibility
  • Contribution
  • Impact
  1. How can managers be rewarded for encouraging and/or steering the creativity of those they manage?
  2. Are the right people in the right seats to cultivate this type of culture?

Additional Resources

  1. Engaging Gen Z: A How-to Guide for Employers Part 1
  2. Winning the War for Talent: Recruit, Retain, and Develop The Talent Your Business Needs to Survive and Thrive by Chris Czarnik

[1] Perna, Mark C. (2018). Answering Why: Unleashing Passion, Purpose, and Performance in Younger Generations (p. 149). Greenleaf Book Group Press. Kindle Edition.

[2] Ibid. (p. 47).

[3] Ibid. (p. 11).

[4] Ibid. (pgs.36, 38, 155).

[5] Martin, L. (2014). 50 Things About Millennials That Make Corporate America Sh*t Its Pants. Elite Daily. Retrieved from: http://elitedaily.com/life/50-things-millennials-make-corporate-america-uncomfortable/758330/.

[6] Perna, Mark C. (2018). Answering Why: Unleashing Passion, Purpose, and Performance in Younger Generations (p. 155). Greenleaf Book Group Press. Kindle Edition.