But in a changing job market, where Gen Z is set to make up 34% of the workforce by 2030, how can you attract Gen Z applicants and benefit from their unique skill-sets?
Technology
According to research conducted by Dell, an enormous 91% of the Gen Z population say that technology would influence job choice among similar employment offers.
In other words, Gen Z employees expect their workplaces to make use of technology in their day to day operations, and adopt a “technology first” approach.
When it comes to recruitment, the days of handing out paper CVs and mailing out job applications are in the past. Most Gen Z jobhunters expect to be able to complete a multitude of tasks online, including apply for jobs. To attract Gen Z applicants, an online application process is a great place to start.
Additionally, other parts of the recruitment process can be digitised, too. For instance, offering video interviews, and online screening services such as right to work checks allow Gen Z applicants to manage their own candidacy online, providing a better candidate experience.
Digitalisation of the process is also beneficial for your business, too, as it can help to streamline the recruitment journey, as well as provide valuable insights into how applicants interact with you as an employer.
Flexibility and workplace wellbeing
For Generation Z, the pandemic happened at a formative time in their lives. The importance of work/life balance, mental and physical wellbeing, and flexibility within the workplace are therefore of high importance. According to a survey carried out by The Workforce Institute, 1 in 4 Gen Z participants stated they would work harder and stay longer at a company with flexible schedules, while a third of respondents said they would never tolerate being forced to work when they didn’t want to, not being able to use vacation days when they want to, and having no say over their work schedule.
Therefore, flexibility and autonomy are important factors when working with Gen Z employees. To appeal to this generation, it’s a good idea to highlight the flexible benefits your company offers, as well as any workplace wellbeing initiatives that your company benefits from.
Inclusivity and diversity
According to Yello, 88% of Gen Z employees see diversity as a major factor in a job.
Gen Z are pioneering identity politics, and taking control of and celebrating their own identities. This means that your recruitment process needs to be mindful of this and be open, accessible, and inclusive to all.
Being mindful of things like preferred pronouns for candidates, ensuring a company culture of acceptance and inclusivity, and doing everything you can to avoid unconscious bias throughout the recruitment process is vital.
Using AI programmes to sort through applications can help to eliminate unconscious bias, as well as removing names or other potential indicators of protected characteristics from applications when decision making.
Going a step further, being proactively inclusive is also a great way to ensure a fair job market, as well as highlight your company’s ethos and reach a wider talent pool. For instance, as Gen Z is a more globally aware and well-travelled cohort, including alternative and non UK education and qualification criteria in job descriptions can help to make applicants from diverse backgrounds more comfortable in applying.
Ethics
Gen Z is well informed – using social media to share and consume news and opinions has many young people in the know about the major issues affecting the world; such as climate change, racism, sexism and homophobia. Research shows that ethics play an important role in Gen Z’s choice of work, with a recent Bupa study revealing that 54% of Gen Z employees stating that “if they were in a role for an employer that did not take action on ESG issues, they would take a pay cut to join a business in keeping with their ethics – should the opportunity arise.”
Therefore, to recruit Gen Z employees, it’s important to be open and honest about the company’s approach to green work practices, inclusivity and diversity, and the social impact of the work the company does.
In conclusion, recruiting Gen Z employees in a job market suffering from a squeeze on skills, it’s important to adapt your work practices towards a more open, flexible, tech driven, and ethically mindful, and ensure that those values are highlighted throughout the recruitment process.
At Reed Screening, we can help you to digitise and streamline your recruitment journey with online screening services, and digital checks. Get in touch today to find out how we can help you drive technology and appeal to the Gen Z workforce.