Generation Z in the Workplace: How to Train Your ‘iGen’ Employees
originally published on Capterra’s training technology blog
In the next year, companies will begin to focus their attention on recruiting the next generation after Millennials: Generation Z.
Generation Z, sometimes referred to as the “iGeneration” or “iGen” because of its familiarity with devices like iPads, is typically pegged as having been born between 1996 and 2016.
There are over 20 million Gen Zers in the United States. Recent research byMillennial Branding and Randstad compared Generation Z in the workplace to Gen Y (Millennials) and found some substantial differences between the two.
Below we’ll look at the numbers from that and other studies and use them to inform key actions you can take to be better prepared when it comes time to start training the “iGen” at your organization.
What is the General Opinion of Gen Z When it Comes to Work?
Gen Z is more likely to want their managers to listen to them and value their ideas than even Millennials were, and they strongly believe the places they work should emphasize the merits of ideas rather than the tenure of contributors. As an eLearning professional, this should be right up your alley.
Additionally, according to another recent study, this time by Northeastern University, Gen Z highly values face to face communication over any social interaction that takes place over tech like social media. This somewhat counterintuitive result also holds for Millennials, and shows that, despite the constant connectedness of the iGen digital natives, soft skills and interpersonal relationships are still crucial to getting good training outcomes.
63% of Generation Z say they want entrepreneurship courses in college, and fully 42% want to start a business sometime in their lifetimes. These are people you will need on your team, so you need to be thinking about how you might integrate that attitude into your process.
