Be A Great Leader For Generation Z

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While Generation Z have just begun entering the workforce, it is important to pay attention to them because they will soon be the second largest population at work.

Generation Z expect their career journey to be unique. This isn’t an ego thing; it is an experience thing. Gen Z grew up being in the middle of constant social and technology change with unlimited access to information. They have witnessed and fought against racism, sexual harassment, gun violence and income disparity while they have supported diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and climate change solutions. Many are well-travelled and have had local and global influences from travel and/or from their multicultural family influences. Add all of this together and it often means that Gen Z are socially liberal and financially conservative.

On the skills side, if you are looking for an employee who is tech-savvy especially when it comes to digital platforms and is used to disruption, then a Gen Z employee is likely to have these skills. Fast-paced technology advances have shaped their social experiences. They are also adaptable – a trait that can be a great asset for an employer especially when Gen Z employees can flex their creativity and innovation skills. Many Gen Z have parents who have gone to college and/or university and have grown up with a focus on higher education. As such, Gen Z are likely to go to college and/or university as well. Generation Z are often entrepreneurial and like to build / create things. Don’t be surprised if they have a side hustle or are part of the gig economy.

And yes, while embracing a multi-generational and a multi-cultural workforce takes effort, you also get to enjoy all the benefits from proactively integrating a talented, diverse population into your inclusive workplace culture. Alternatively, not paying attention will also take a lot of a different type of effort that will be less positive and it is unlikely you will experience many of the benefits.

Your New Generation Z Employee

If you just hired a Gen Z, this may be their first serious experience working and interacting in a professional work environment. It is reasonable to anticipate they will have little insight into what you expect. Everything from working in person, professional etiquette, building professional relationships professional deadlines, managing difficult conversations, emotional triggers, and receiving constructive feedback may be new frontiers.

Let’s recognize that due to Covid-19 restrictions, the last few years of a Gen Zers education and/or the first few years of their professional careers have likely been 100% remote and 100% online (isolating). This means they have experienced all the convenience of not having to travel to school or work. And when it comes to working in the office, they may also be feeling a bit restricted with less freedom and autonomy over where and when to work. Unfortunately, while they are right that they may be able to get specific tasks completed more quickly at home, they may not be aware of the many learning / growth, career and social benefits that come from being social and working in-person with their co-workers and you… their leader. These experiences will impact their communication and work styles, expectations and ability to build relationships.

And while Generation Z are used to working remote and when working in a hybrid environment they may need help / patience with their communication style, getting used to receiving constructive feedback, and seeing the benefits of working in-office/in-person. It is also unlikely you are giving them too much detailed instruction or feedback. This is certainly a place (and generation) where ‘more is better’ is appreciated.

Have I made you want to run in the other direction yet? I’ve got more because Gen Z want the whole package.

Generation Z employees like fast-paced work, learning, and experiences where they have impact. Gen Z want their employers to be their partners and respond well to leaders who are experts. They want to learn so are looking for leaders and companies that will mentor them and give them opportunities to grow and gain experience which is far more likely when working in person. Gen Z want to understand why something is done. They are used to asking questions and getting (or looking up) the answers. This may be because they grew up with unparalleled and immediate access to information that fed their curiosity.

Can all of this be done within a 100% remote culture? Yes, but it takes a lot of hard work and commitment by everyone to create and sustain a highly effective, highly communicative, highly collaborative (and trusting), remote corporate culture.

And of course, like all of us Gen Z want to be able to trust and be trusted. To earn their trust an employer must recognize how important Gen Z social and global values are. Generation Z employees want to see their values reflected in the company. They value transparency of strategy, clarity of purpose for the company and their team, and to be able to see the impact of their collective contribution. Gen Z also want to have clarity of purpose for their position including what is expected of them, why it’s expected, and to be able to point to the impact of their individual contribution. And of course, they want equality, respect, to feel safe. And as mentioned earlier they want the opportunity to grow / learn, access to decision makers, to make a difference, and honest recognition.

But as you can imagine Gen Z have many stresses. For example, their first-hand experience of continuous change, ultra-connectivity and global unrest has impacted their mental wellbeing. They have also grown up with a greater emphasis on personal wellbeing and less negative stigma associated to mental illness. This means they may be more attuned to their own mental wellbeing and health than other generations. As an often more outspoken generation, Gen Z are more likely to speak up and care for their work-life balance and their mental and physical health.

How We Can Make The Experience Great

With hybrid work being the norm in most cases, it is important for employers to have clear expectations and consistently champion them whether people are working remote or not. Accountability to these expectations as well as to their work / teams is a must. With a multigenerational and multicultural workforce that means looking at every aspect of our workspace from someone else point of view / perspective.

Whether it is day-to-day communication or workplace expectations, we cannot take anything for granted or assume the other person knows what we mean or even uses the tools/software we share in the same way. What is ‘normal’ for you with 20-years of work experience will not be ‘normal’ for someone with 2-years of work experience that began during the Covid pandemic. And as I’ve suggested earlier, it is not only different generations that have different expectations. Different cultures have different needs, values, communication styles and different problem-solving abilities. And because values, trust and managing expectations are so important, successful leaders are now including discussions about expectations during the interview process.

While offering flexible work arrangements is more important now than ever, we must make sure we don’t lose sight of a feeling of team. Bring your team together whenever possible. One common practice is to make one day a week mandatory for everyone on your team and then allow employees to choose one or two other days. On your shared days in office, have a formal team meeting / team update. Also schedule events that are best done in-person like project brainstorming and social team-lunches. The goal for leaders is to make in-office days learning experiences that help teams bond… and get their work done.

Another way to engage younger employees is to let them know you notice their contribution. Boost this by offering them (and any member of your team), an opportunity to share their experience during a project meeting or even by giving the team a short group training event. When they feel safe and respected, the opportunity to teach (help) others can be a strong draw. At the same time, this may give older, more experienced employees the opportunity to partner and build stronger relationships with their younger co-workers. All training you offer will lead to personal and professional growth for your team members and will help your team build trust and community with each other and break down intergenerational biases and stigma.

Conclusion

To summarize, Generation Z like fast-paced environments that stay relevant with technology and social values. They want their work and their team/company to make a difference and align with their personal values. Learning and new experiences are important, but they sometimes struggle with constructive feedback. Transparency is also important. Gen Z will ask “why” a task is relevant… and their leaders should expect suggestions.

When you create a work culture that respects everyone for their individuality and is clear and consistent about company vision, values, expectations and accountability from day one, then I do believe you can create a culture where everyone is celebrated for their uniqueness while also find a path to support each other.

Multigenerational workspaces that boast diverse skills, experiences and cultures lead to greater creativity and problem solving. They also lead to more impactful peer mentoring and peer learning experiences that benefit each other, likely create greater loyalty and help make your business a great place to work that is also… highly productive.

Hiring the right person is far more complicated now so managing expectations must start during the job interview. You want to get the right skills – but you also want to get the right culture fit. Doing this will help you create a highly engaged, dependable employee / partnership. Workplaces cannot be all things to all people. Workplaces must have a dependable culture – noting that dependable does not mean stagnant.

While Gen Zers may prefer to work remotely or even non-traditional work hours, it does not mean they are naturally less engaged. It also does not mean you have to bend to their every whim. Remember, Generation Z want transparency and to collaborate. They are flexible, especially when there is purpose, and they feel respected. Providing opportunities for workplace flexibility, personal and professional growth are elements that lead to a highly motivated, trusted, productive and loyal team that brings creativity and innovation to every opportunity.

Thank you for spending time with me today and reading ‘Be A Great Leader For Generation Z.’

Bruce


Learn More About Bruce Mayhew

Toronto corporate trainer and executive coach Bruce Mayhew Consulting is in the people business… it just so happens that training and/or executive coaching is involved. Let us help you improve your productivity and employee engagement.

To learn more about how leadership training can to improve your skills call us at 416.617.0462.

Bruce Mayhew Consulting's most popular programs are Email Etiquette Training, Difficult Conversations, Generational Differences, Leadership Skills Training and Time Management Training

Related Workshops That Drive Business Success

Toronto based corporate trainer and executive coach Bruce Mayhew Consulting proudly offers leadership training and professional development.

Millennials Are Today’s Leaders. What Is In Our Future?

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Not too long ago whenever I delivered a Generational Differences training workshop, I shared a slide that read, “Millennials Are Our Future Leaders.” But times have changed and now that slide reads “Millennials Are Today’s Leaders.”

This ongoing generational shift at our leadership levels and in the C-Suite which in large part ensures the company stays focused on its vision, mission, values, and policies is what I want to talk with you about. I’d also like to discuss what Millennials  (and some Gen Z’s) are doing differently as leaders and how we can all support – and benefit from this important – monumental change.

Times Have Changed / Are Changing

Throughout my career I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with Millennials and now Gen Z’s. I’ve found their positive attitude, creativity, willingness to pitch in and desire to share unique ideas and perspectives refreshing. Additionally, I’ve also felt many of them were getting a bad rap by their Boomer and Gen X bosses who thought they were entitled and lazy. And sure, some Millennials are entitled and lazy, but I know some Boomers and Gen Xers who also fit that bill.

There are a few other things I’ve found is often true about Millennials. They don’t want to be bored and they want to have an opportunity to share their opinion – to contribute. They are often uncomfortable / unwilling to sit around for two years doing the same routine work to “pay their dues.” What is the source of all this impatience? For most Millennials, their Boomer parents (isn’t that ironic), taught them as children to ask “Why?” if they were curious. This is also true for the Gen Z employees that are following in the Millennials footsteps. Boomer parents also often encouraged their children to go after their dreams if they wanted something and to not listen to people who might tell them they don’t deserve it.

But all that is history, right? What is the impact Millennials are having now that they are moving into leadership roles? This is a great question.

Because Millennials are today’s leaders, they are having an important influence on corporate cultures. Millennials often bring a fresh, more casual perspective to our workspaces. And perhaps more lately than I’ve ever seen, Millennials feel comfortable with flat organizational structures. But don’t let their casual exterior fool you – they are very focused on being productive, successful, and proud of their work. A Deloitte study found that 62 percent of Millennials say work is part of their identity. And because Millennials are community driven, most of them (there are always exceptions) are very comfortable sharing that pride and success with their team.

If Millennials have shortcomings (don’t we all), one of their big ones is that they often need to unlearn many of the leadership skills they saw (and learned by accident), as they were growing up. Yes, even though they resist that style of leadership, there are learned biases they must unlearn like hierarchy, silos, the need to try to control, and the need to try to know everything. But with the support of mentors, coaches, and teachers / trainers, they are learning how to be leaders who are focused on traditional leadership qualities like results and accountability while also learning it’s OK to embrace softer-skills and encourage people… including themselves… to be their whole, unique, vulnerable, compassionate, forgiving, learning, evolving selves at work.  Hurray!

Let’s get back to how Millennials (and Gen Z) are changing leadership. To do that lets look at some of the baseline / general profile characteristics that have always been part of the Millennial profile and are still there. For example, they want to:

  1. Feel their unique experience and abilities have value – are respected.

  2. Feel their unique experience and abilities have impact – make a difference.

  3. Contribute to a conversation.

  4. Feel safe – respect each other’s individuality.

  5. Collaborate, be mentored, mentor others, and still have opportunities for autonomy.

  6. Be recognized for their contribution.

  7. Learn new skills – embrace continuous learning (a Growth Mindset).

  8. Enjoy work-life balance… which now includes some work-remote opportunities.

  9. Be friends / friendly with the people they work with (enjoy approachability).

I really respect this list. These characteristics all lead to a wonderful mix I’ve seen in action. I’ve noticed first-hand that in team meetings decisions are more thoughtful and impactful and buy-in / follow-through is so much better when everyone has an opportunity to share their ideas and perspectives. And this also has a big impact on building long-term trust for both the individuals and team.

What Is In Our Future?

Workplace evolution (change) is only going to speed up and this includes options on how we all work and communicate. Workplace acceleration is going to continue to shine a very bright spotlight on the importance of excellent communication… for everyone. As work continues to speed up, timing and accuracy will become even more critical, especially as more and more of us work in a remote or hybrid environment (and hybrid is not going away). We are going to have to intentionally, mindfully take some opportunities to slow down. And when we slow down we are going to have to be thinking about:

  1. Why we communicate. Pausing for a moment to fully grasp what our goal is and what needs to happen to move our goal forward should be an easy first step. But, it’s amazing how many times we write an email (for example) and as soon as we hit send we notice we have something more to say or something else we need.

  2. How and when we communicate. We now have many options on how we communicate – everything from the old-fashioned ways of being in-person or using the telephone, to using countless software apps to message, video call, email or update a shared file. These choices are a challenge because not only are there many ways to share information or get updates… even in the same company, but ideally, we should all be using these ever-changing tools in the same way, store information in the same way and adopt the seemingly never-ending upgrades and new functions in the same way.

Getting back to something I mentioned early in this article, Millennials (and Gen Z) want to feel like they are being heard, having input, making a difference, and being recognized. In short, they want to be acknowledged. And really, don’t we all? I have yet to meet a Boomer or Gen Xer who doesn’t want the opportunity to share a good idea they have or be recognized for a job well-done.

I know successful Millennial leaders who’ve figured this team culture thing out for themselves. They know their actions are more important than what they say. So, not only do they share the importance of community, responsibility, and values (for example), they demonstrate these qualities every chance they have. They talk about community, responsibility, and values when they are sending group communication to their team, they share community, responsibility, and values in meetings, and they demonstrate them when one employee is going through a difficult personal time and may need a few days off. But these Millennials also demonstrate hard work, taking charge and being responsible. They encourage everyone to do their best, give their teams opportunities to shine, and give them recognition when they do great work and work as a team – especially when they work to break down silos.

The successful Millennial leaders have also figured out that when there is a quiet person in the meeting, that this is their time to shine as a leader and to gently engage the quiet person by perhaps going around the table (or screen) and asking everyone a final open-ended question. For example, ask:

  • What do they see as the greatest opportunity?

  • What they see is the most important milestone / requirement for the project or the team to succeed?

  • What are they most excited about in relation to the overall project, or perhaps how the team is working together?

  • How do they see the project – or a decision that was made – meet the strategic goals or the values of the team / company?

The difference for Millennials and Gen Z from many of their Gen X senior coworkers and any Boomers is that if Millennials and Gen Z’s don’t feel they are part of a shared, supportive corporate culture – or able to build one – they are likely already looking for that culture somewhere else.

In closing, let’s not forget that we humble humans are social animals… well most of us are. If your work requires any sort of teamwork / collaboration, creativity, problem (or opportunity) solving, learning or development, take every opportunity to be face-to-face with the people you work with. If you are not in the same city and/or your hybrid workspace means frequent video calls, turn your camera on – let people see you. Seeing someone nod their head in agreement with you even when you are sharing an idea in a virtual meeting can do wonders to building trust.

If you are a leader – or hope to be a leader in the future, my recommendation is to start right now to find ways to build trustworthy relationships with the people around you – from family to friends to co-workers.

Conclusion

As I end this article, I want to give a shout-out to our wonderful Gen X leaders and coworkers. I will gladly say Gen Xers have been among the heroes in our workspaces for the last 20-years. They’ve had to put up with a lot. First, they were promised that when Boomers retired at 55-years old (does anyone remember the commercials for Freedom 55?) and that they would have their pick of exceptional opportunities. Then, a few recessions, market downturns and global instability arrived and Boomers kept working longer than anticipated.

I believe that Generation Xers have quietly been holding things together. Sandwiched between Boomers and Millennials, Generation Xers are able to bridge the gap. And Generation Xers whole existence as adults in the workforce has been one of constant change.

Thank you for spending time with me today and reading ‘Millennials Are Today’s Leaders. What Is In Our Future?’.

Bruce


Learn More About Bruce Mayhew

Toronto corporate trainer and executive coach Bruce Mayhew Consulting is in the people business… it just so happens that training and/or executive coaching is involved. Let us help you improve your productivity and employee engagement.

To learn more about how leadership training can to improve your skills call us at 416.617.0462.

Bruce Mayhew Consulting's most popular programs are Email Etiquette Training, Difficult Conversations, Generational Differences, Leadership Skills Training and Time Management Training

Related Workshops That Drive Business Success

Toronto based corporate trainer and executive coach Bruce Mayhew Consulting proudly offers leadership training and professional development.