What do they demand at a workplace?

Generation Z employees have made a sound announcement that they define job satisfaction quite differently to what millennials do. The behavioural, mental and social differences that were highlighted on the previous article opened the topic that Gen Z has their own set of factors they consider as important for career satisfaction. 

As per multiple studies conducted, following are few of the key factors that Gen Z places priority on when seeking satisfaction in the workplace. 

Big Figures or Financial Stability? 

Statistics show that 70% of Gen Zs have recorded salary as the most important factor that is considered when seeking a career. but can we actually influence them with a good pay? Watching how millennials struggled to pay student debts, mortgages and other personal loans throughout their life has caused Gen Z to look out for financial stability starting from their early ages. Is it money that they value or survival? 

Millennials in their young age worked for 40 hours and made a sufficient salary to buy their own property and live a luxury life while a Gen Z working 60 hours a week is still unable to make a fair living which is the current economic crisis that Gen Z is living through (Carnegie, 2023). This financial uncertainty has caused Gen Z employees to demand higher salaries which has been stigmatised as a ‘money grab’ by  many companies. 

Work Life Balance

It is evident that Millennials threw in many hours on developing careers which lessened the time they spent with family or engaging in hobbies. Gen Z on the other hand wants careers that allow them to be more inclined towards flexibility (Dixon, 2023).  Therefore they admire location, flexible job opportunities and flexible working hours that will enhance their quality of life. Due to the same reason Gen Z seems to be increasingly engaging in freelance and contract based jobs. In the near future, the recruitment structure of all organisations could have an impact with this difference in needs. 

  

Attention to Mental Health

Emotional and psychosocial health is of utmost importance to Gen Z employees. With the increase in mental health challenges they face, Gen Z seeks equivalent support from workplaces to carry out their daily routines while managing their difficulties (Dixon, 2023). According to an Ogilvy study conducted in 2022, 70% Gen Z have claimed that support on mental health is a top priority to move forward in both life and career aspects (Brown, 2023). Therefore the requirement of breaking down the stigma of mental disorders, conducting open discussions and providing avenues to access relevant support systems keeps rising on a daily basis. 

Have you ever heard of Spillover Theory?

Spillover theory tries explains how the state of well being of an individual can transmit among different domains (Hsieh et al., 2005). For example, a person leaving workplace with a negative mental state will carry that forward to their home environment or any other life domains he may live in and vice versa. The impact can be both positive or negative depending on how satisfied and relaxed he feels when moving from one role to another. This is a theory that existed since 1890 where Marshall Arrow Romer Spillover brought in knowledge spillover theory which was then extended into business aspects. Sadly, taking the theory into consideration even now, the corporate world has not implemented sufficient effective practices to maintain a positive mental wellbeing among employees. Therefore I believe Gen Z is raising a valid argument by seeking better support on mental health from organizations.  

Figure 1 : PwC Mental Health in the workplace (PricewaterhouseCoopers, n.d.)

Equal opportunity

Gen Z being the most diversified generation of all time, they expect the current workforce to provide them equal opportunities at career growth despite the differences in age, gender and ethnicity (Ghosal, 2023). With the growth of the LGBTQ community, they highly demand the recruitment teams to solely consider their skills and knowledge in the recruitment process and to create a more inclusive culture within organisations where everybody is accepted equally not just from the management perspective but also within colleagues. 

It is a norm to consider the seniority of employees when granting promotions in many organisations as it denotes the level of experience they possess. However, when Gen Z demands equal opportunity, they also have a hankering to be eligible for promotions disregarding the seniority level/age. 

Above mentioned are key demands of Gen Z employees that will soon change the theories and models of HR that are currently in practice. 

References

• Brown, C, (2023). The Rise Of Mental Health Awareness Among Gen-Z: What This Means For Brand Marketing. Forbes. [online] 10 Mar. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/03/10/the-rise-of-mental-health-awareness-among-gen-z-what-this-means-for-brand-marketing/ [Accessed 25 Nov. 2023].
• Carnegie, M. (2023). Why Gen Z are so motivated by pay. [online] www.bbc.com. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230530-why-gen-z-are-so-motivated-by-pay [Accessed 21 Nov. 2023].
• Dixon, E. (2023). How ‘Gen Z’ is Redefining Work-Life Balance in the Workplace. [online] Verge Magazine. Available at: https://vergemagazine.co.uk/how-gen-z-is-redefining-work-life-balance-in-the-workplace/ [Accessed 21 Nov. 2023].
• Ghosal, P. (2023). Understanding Gen Z in the Workplace. [online] FDM Group. Available at: https://www.fdmgroup.com/blog/understanding-gen-z-in-the-workplace/#:~:text=Gen%20Z%20is%20the%20most [Accessed 25 Nov. 2023].
• Hsieh, Y.-C. (Jerrie), Pearson, T., Chang, H.-C. and Uen, J.F. (2005). Spillover Between Work and Personal Life for Lodging Managers. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism, 3(2), pp.61–83. doi:https://doi.org/10.1300/j171v03n02_03.
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (n.d.). PwC Mental Health in the workplace. [online] PwC. Available at: https://www.pwc.com/us/en/about-us/purpose-and-values/be-well-work-well/mental-health-in-the-workplace.html [Accessed 28 Nov. 2023].