How to Make Your Gen Z Employees Stay

Generation Z is the most recent generation to enter the workforce, bringing new values, attitudes, and career aspirations.

The tendency of Gen Z members to switch jobs frequently and not stay in one place for very long is one of their defining traits. In fact, according to recent data from LinkedIn, Gen Z workers are changing jobs at a rate that is 134% higher than in 2019. Additionally, 25% say they intend to leave their current employers in six months.

Thus, Gen Z will likely account for 27% of the workforce by 2025, but HR teams will face challenges in keeping them on board. Therefore, interacting with this mysterious generation will be essential if you want to win the war for talent and avoid a hiring cycle.

HR can try the following important things:

Hone your approach to onboarding

Even though it is not always given the attention it needs, the onboarding process has the power to make or break a worker's opinion of a company. This is especially true for people who are just starting out in the workforce.

Your onboarding programme must assist your company in making the best possible first impression on new hires if you want to develop long-lasting engagement with Gen Zs. 

Making onboarding fun and inspiring experience is the first step to keeping Gen Z employees engaged over the long term. Examples include maintaining lines of communication open before their start date or simply ensuring that all paperwork is organised and signed before they arrive.

Spend money on training and development

It makes sense that Gen Zers focus on financial stability in the modern world. Therefore, your business will probably benefit from investing in career development and upskilling if you want to retain younger employees.

Does your company provide a budget for learning? If so, putting training and development first, especially for in-demand skill sets, may satisfy the need for job security among your younger employees and foster a talent pipeline that will help your company in the long run.

If official development opportunities are not on the horizon, all hope is not lost. When weighing their future options, Gen Z employees may view your company more favourably if you provide on-the-job training and informal mentoring.

Present opportunities for feedback

While helpful for engaging workers of any age, feedback opportunities are especially significant for Gen Zers. They value seeing their influence on a company's culture and practices.

It is important to note that this situation can benefit from verbal and written feedback opportunities. Regular one-on-one check-ins with line managers can provide a "safe" forum for feedback on the particular role and any issues that may crop up. 

More comprehensive staff questionnaires and pulse surveys can also be an excellent opportunity to explore opinions on more critical business issues, even if they are conducted anonymously.

Offering a place for employees to contribute in either situation, whether they are voicing concerns about a specific role or the overall workplace, will undoubtedly serve you well in terms of ensuring long-term employee happiness.

But keep in mind that it is crucial to act on feedback. If you simply listen to complaints without working on them, you risk doing more harm than good to employee motivation.

Focus on new priorities

Last but not least, Gen Z job seekers prioritise maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Therefore, exploring compatible working arrangements could significantly impact your Gen Z retention rates because this group highly values remote and hybrid working arrangements.

It is crucial to keep in mind that the quest for work-life balance extends beyond the "where." Think about it:

• Is downtime for employees actively encouraged at your company?

• Are all employees treated fairly during business hours?

• Is it forbidden for managers to get in touch with staff members after hours?

• Does your company have a broad strategy for staff wellbeing that includes the value of a healthy work-life balance?

You might find that your Gen Zs will not stick around for long if you answer "no" to any of those questions.

Though not exclusive to Gen Zs, a healthy work-life balance is vital for everyone. Regardless of their generation, well-rested employees will be more creative and better engaged in their jobs. 

So it makes sense that HR would try to assist all employees in keeping their personal and professional lives separate.