Generation Z have now started entering the employment market and competition for these keen young minds is heating up. The global skills shortage is tightening its grip and the UAE’s economic expansion demands a new injection of talent.
It’s estimated that by 2020, Generation Z will make up 20% of the workforce. This means that businesses will need to start assessing their approach to marketing, hiring, retaining and attracting talent from the next generation successfully if they’re going to prevent the impact of the talent shortage from impeding business initiatives.
Who are Generation Z?
Generation Z (individuals born between 1990 and 1999) are unlike any other generation before them. They are digital natives and have the innate skills that businesses require to meet the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution. They are also far more keen to enter the workforce than the generations before them and often forgo higher education in favour of an internship or graduate role.
Generation Z facts
Before you decide how to market to Generation Z, here are some basic facts on this age group, according to a Robert Half report:
1. Over three quarters (77%) of Generation Z are expecting to work harder than their older professional counterparts.
2. Just under a third (32%) said they’d hope to be leading a team or managing other employees within 5 years of graduating.
3. Their main job search priority is the opportunity for growth.
4. Professionals within the Generation Z age group say honesty is their most valued quality in a manager.
5. Over half of Generation Z employees (52%) say they would find it easiest to work with Generation X.
How to market to Generation Z
There’s a specific approach you’ll need to take when deciding how to market to Generation Z with a view to attracting talent from this specific age group.
• Emphasise ethics & inclusion
Gen Z care about ethics and would rather work for a worthy cause than for a large salary. As per the Generation Z facts gathered by Robert Half, 30% of Generation Z professionals would be happy to take a pay cut if it meant they could work for a company with a mission which represented an issue they care about.
Inclusion is also important to this age group — 63% said they would prefer to work within a diverse group of people and 77% said that the level of diversity within a workforce would affect how attractive the company appeared to them.
Attracting talent from within the Generation Z age group requires robust employer branding that makes use of the company mission statement, beliefs and additional information regarding sustainability commitments and environmental impacts.
• Offer work-life balance
Although Generation Z are ambitious regarding starting salaries, they also hold a high value on work-life balance. According to research for the 2020 Salary Guide, the offer of flexible working is attractive to employees from almost all generations and is frequently being requested even by junior talent.
When planning how to market to Generation Z, try to factor in the benefits being offered as part of the remuneration package. Flexible working, remote working or condensed working hours could be very advantageous in attracting talent from this generation.
• Offer growth and development
Training is a popular benefit for many generations of employee, but for those in the Generation Z age group, it is highly attractive. According to research by LinkedIn, 62% of Gen Z want to undertake learning so they can become better at their jobs. Alongside this, 60% of Generation Z professionals want regular weekly check-ins from a manager as part of their growth process.
Our research into hiring trends for the coming months has shown that 41% of business leaders plan to use training and development as part of an attractive remuneration package, so adding this could give you an edge when hiring talent.
Would you like more advice on how to market to Generation Z? Contact our team today or submit a graduate vacancy or internship opportunity to the Robert Half site.
