Many soon-to-be college graduates are spending their spring days preparing for commencement. For current Gen Z college seniors, the end of May marks the beginning of more than just the summer season. It’s the start of a new phase of life.
Gen Z jobseekers aren’t the only ones who should approach this season optimistically. Companies facing a shrinking workforce and a seemingly never-ending talent shortage should also be getting ready to compete in the race for Gen Z talent.
However, hiring professionals must know that this generation differs from the others. Remember – Gen Z brought on the phenomena of quiet quitting and The Great Resignation. Their unwillingness to tolerate jobs they don’t want is so pronounced that some executives have gone as far as to label them “Generation Quit.” They’re looking for something unique as they enter the workforce.
Statistically speaking, companies are having a more challenging time than ever retaining young workers:
Perhaps part of the issue lies in using dated recruiting practices that don’t work on younger generations or even turn them away. With Gen Z expected to make up more than 25% of the workforce by 2025, it is more critical than ever for companies to learn to tailor recruitment practices to a new audience.
Gen Z has different workplace expectations than the generations before them. Employers must understand their needs and desires to attract and retain them. Here are three expectations emerging from an increasingly Gen Z workforce and what employers can do to meet them.
While salaries and benefits are important, research shows that building relevant skills for their desired job is a large part of Gen Z’s definition of success. In fact, 63% of Gen Z undergrads say developing advanced skills in their field is what they need to feel successful.
The implications for employers are twofold. First, employers should know that having strict candidate selection criteria based on GPAs and degree requirements can deter qualified applicants, as can fixed application windows similar to government jobs. There’s a reason why 45% of companies will likely get rid of bachelor’s degree requirements soon.
College grads fresh off coursework and thesis papers may have little experience in the workplace. Consequently, a skills-based hiring approach that recognizes this will widen and diversify the talent pool.
Additionally, an employer brand should showcase the company as friendly to motivated talent to attract and retain the right candidates. It should promote its robust mentorship and training opportunities. This requires creating a workplace culture of constant learning and development.
Pairing new graduates with more experienced employees can help with employee retention, as 65% of new hires are frustrated when they don’t have a clear point of contact. Additionally, 86% of new employees appreciate having an onboarding buddy to show them the ropes at work, and 93% want to shadow a colleague.
Skill enhancement initiatives are another route employers can take. This can mean providing ongoing professional development opportunities, such as seminar series and lunch-and-learns. It can also mean using technology and digital platforms to deliver personalized skill-building experiences based on an employee’s skill gaps, interests, or specified career path.
It is critical for companies to dive deep into their strategic plans to understand what skills they need in the workforce, both now and in the future. This will allow those companies to work on hiring graduates for their skills instead of focusing so much on extremely rigid requirements that new grads may need help to meet.
Hiring professionals who want to attract Gen Z graduates need to offer more flexibility regarding work location and scheduling. Statistics show that 82% of Gen Z graduates believe they should have the option to work remotely, and 70% would be more likely to apply for a job with a flexible schedule.
In alignment with findings from research and consulting firms, studies have shown that over 40% of current college seniors will remain independent workers, expecting to pursue gig or freelance work. 44% are doing this to secure their financial future and plan to do this on top of their full-time, non-contracted job. 70% of students say that the flexibility to pursue independent work is important to them.
This data should prompt employers to truly examine their priorities and ensure they align with what this new crop of employees is looking for when they decide whether to apply or accept an offer. This means recognizing Gen Z's value in having a work/life balance. Instead of working long hours, they want to maintain the flexibility needed to pursue personal projects and their professional commitments.
To adapt to Gen Z's evolving expectations around flexibility, employers must integrate flexible policies into their official guidelines and embed them within their employer branding. While remote work options and flexible scheduling are initial steps, implementing them can be problematic without altering the fundamental nature of employees' tasks.
One effective approach is to provide project-based assignments, enabling employees to work autonomously at their preferred pace while still meeting deadlines. Furthermore, leveraging cloud-based technologies like video conferencing and document-sharing platforms can guarantee seamless communication and collaboration for a generation increasingly inclined towards flexible work arrangements.
Gen Z job seekers want to work for companies that align with their values. In fact, 65% of college grads will forgo applying to work with employers that don’t. 43% expect employers to make their position on critical issues public so candidates can evaluate whether they’d like to work there.
According to Gallup, caring about employee well-being is Gen Z's number one concern when it comes to values alignment. Upwards of 15% of the job descriptions on Handshake.com mention mental health, employee well-being, and work/life balance – a number that has more than doubled since 2019.
Promoting mental health can be as simple as offering free access to meditation apps, stipends for self-care activities, or healthy snacks in the office. If hiring professionals want to go further, they can consider tweaking benefits packages to offer health insurance options that cover counseling and therapy, or they can provide breaks and PTO for self-care and mental well-being.
The same Gallup study found that Gen Z is the only generation that ranks a diverse and inclusive workplace as one of the top three things they look for in an employer. 77% are more likely to accept a job at workplaces with diverse leadership teams.
Companies that wish to attract younger workers must be more transparent about their DEIB efforts and implement accountability measures to make public information about the success of these efforts. In the absence of legislation requiring these changes, improving transparency is a critical move that helps companies demonstrate commitment to shared values.
Once employers implement these changes, they must ensure that new grads know about them. Recruitment marketing professionals need to keep their marketing materials up-to-date.
If a company created a new employer value proposition due to a shifting workplace culture, it should showcase it. When hiring professionals attend college job fairs and other professional events, they should ensure proper branding is present to take advantage of omnichannel recognition. Everything from flyers to landing pages should consistently communicate the business’s value to Gen Z graduates.
Employers should also be aware of where Gen Z graduates hang out online. To reach Gen Z seniors, get on job sites like College Recruiter, Uloop, and WayUp, and build a presence on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. These are great places to start.
In today's fast-paced digital landscape, capturing Generation Z's attention requires a strategic approach that integrates captivating video content and clear messaging. With platforms like TikTok and Instagram dominating their daily consumption, companies must leverage the power of video to stand out from competitors.
Also, simplifying the application process is key. Lengthy and complex applications can deter potential candidates, leading to missed opportunities. By streamlining the application process, companies can ensure they don't lose out on top talent. Additionally, maintaining consistent communication with applicants is essential. Gen Z values transparency and responsiveness, so staying engaged throughout the application process can prevent candidates from being lured away by competitors.
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While recruiting this digital generation can seem elusive in such a competitive landscape, employers must be committed to change. Be where the target audience is, find the right media mix to reach them, and make the necessary adjustments to attract them. These efforts will pay off for employers who take such changes seriously.
Ready to revitalize your college grad recruitment strategies? Let the team at Recruitics help! The work landscape is changing rapidly, with shifting candidate priorities. Our goal is to assist your brand in thriving in this new reality.
