Find out how to recruit, motivate and retain Gen Z employees, straight from our Gen Z co-op students themselves
There's a "values gap" between Gen Z employees, their future employers and the organizations they'll work for. Our survey results shone a light on the surprising reason why young people might not be applying to, or accepting, your jobs.
Almost 50% of Gen Z student respondents said they'd be unlikely to accept a full-time job that matches their skills, but not their values. Values matter to Gen Z,especially in the workplace.
Yet employers in our survey struggled to identify the most important values of Gen Z - and it looks like many organizational values don't align with them either. The challenge is clear: these gaps in understanding contribute to employee churn. For example, if a young employee doesn't see their values reflected in their workplace, they're likely to leave. And when they leave, employers are left frustrated and confused by what happened.
Our research showed that understanding the values of next generation talent might be the most important thing you can learn to recruit, motivate and retain them effectively. Find out what these values are, and more, in our management guide.
Wondering how Gen Z is different from millennials?
Gen Z is the generation after millennials and many of them are just starting to enter the workforce! Here are some key differences between these two generations.
Millennials
(born between 1981 - 1996)
- Lived during the 2008 recession, 9/11, Iraq wars
- Huge technological advances in their lifetime
- Raised by parents who wanted to provide more time and attention
- Experienced economic wealth followed by an economic downturn
- Some saw their parents work one job for their entire career and then lose their jobs
- Many had a hard time getting jobs themselves
Generation Z
(born between 1996 - 2014)
- Lived during fallout of the 2008 recession, global conflict, school violence
- Immersed in technology since birth
- Grew up in an economic downturn
- Used to an interconnected world and getting information fast
- Fully aware that the world isn't perfect
- Understand how volatile finances and jobs can be
- Expect technology will continue to take over human jobs
Here's a sneak peek at our survey research
Almost 50% of students said they'd be unlikely to accept a job that matches their skills, but not their values.
Employers perceived workplace flexibility as the most important motivator for Gen Z.
In our survey, employers perceived "job stability" as the least important motivator for Gen Z.
Only 13% of our employers said they could expect this. Many employers don’t know salary expectations of their future workforce.
Top three values of Gen Z employees, employers and organizations
What students say: Gen Z
- Benevolence (helping friends and family)
- Self-direction (independent thought and management)
- Hedonism (having fun)
What employers say: my organization values
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Self-direction (independent thought and management)
- Security (being safe and in harmony with others)
- Universalism (tolerance for differences in the world)
What employers perceive: Gen Z values
- Hedonism (having fun)
- Universalism (tolerance for differences in the world)
- Self-direction (independent thought and management)
Want all the facts? Download our full guide!
Our guide, Are you ready to manage the workforce of the future covers, in detail:
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The top 10 values of next generation talent (some of these might surprise you...)
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Their top 13 motivators at work (find out what you’re getting right – and wrong)
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When they expect a promotion (it might be earlier than you think)
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What their salary expectations are (and how you can manage these expectations)
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Helpful charts and visuals to make our research clear and easily digestible
