Millennials are driven by the desire to get personalized experiences . They are willing to pay a premium for great experiences . To deliver hyper-personalized customer experiences , work on the customer journey map and identify key customer touchpoints .
collaboration tools , employees can be just as productive working from home as they can be in the office .” It dawned on me that I needed to be open to new ways of working that are more in line with the times .
To eclipse my ignorance , I asked : “ But what about the importance of face-toface interactions ?” I argued that working relationships cannot be built with clients and other employees over Zoom .
Angela explained that employees can still have face-to-face interactions when necessary . They are also open to other forms of communication that are more efficient and effective .
Back to Gen Z , Daudi said : “ On zooming , let us not forget that Gen Zers are often more tech-savvy than we are .” It crossed my mind that Gen Zers can find and use new tools like ChatGPT and user-friendly platforms that can make them more productive and efficient . Despite that I still worried about their work ethic . I cast my doubts : “ They do not seem to have the same drive and ambition that we had when we were their age .”
Angela was quick to respond : “ I think you have a misconception . Gen Zers are just as ambitious as we were , but they have a different approach to achieving success . They are more interested in work that is fulfilling and meaningful than being “ seen ” working for extended hours without breaks .”
There is more to life than just work . Bill Gates recently regretted : “ I did not believe in vacations . I did not believe in weekends ” during the early days of Microsoft . Organizations can create a workplace culture that values work-life balance and personal fulfillment . Such organizations will not only be more attractive to Gen Zers but will also be able to retain them .
On some tension between different generations in the workplace , Daudi said : “ Let us recognize the value that each generation brings to the table .” By being open to new outlooks and ideas employers can create a workplace culture that is inclusive , productive and satisfying for all employees , regardless of their age or background .
Back on my doubtful Thomas game , I zeroed in on Gen Zers ’ lack of loyalty to organizations . They seem to be more likely to job-hop than previous generations . And
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Millennials are driven by the desire to get personalized experiences . They are willing to pay a premium for great experiences . To deliver hyper-personalized customer experiences , work on the customer journey map and identify key customer touchpoints .
that kind of working with employeesuncertainties can hurt organizations in the long run .
Understanding my concern , Angela shot back : “ We need to remember that loyalty is a two-way street . If organizations want employees to be loyal to them , they need to create a workplace culture that values and supports them .” I appreciated that Gen Zers will not be willing to stay in a job just for the sake of loyalty if they were not happy or fulfilled .
David countered : “ Job-hopping can actually be beneficial for organizations .” Jobhoppers bring and share their experiences and knowledge from different companies . They can be a source of innovation and fresh ideas that fish out novel ways of doing things .
I still worried about the turnover rate if massive job hopping occurred in organizations . It can be costly and disruptive for employers when employees leave after just a short time . I did not want to delve into recent mass resignations which were experienced in countries like the US .
To mitigate the risk of high turnover of younger employees , organizations need to redesign their cultures . Employers need to focus on enhancing employee engagement and well-being .
Also , provide Gen Zers with growth and development opportunities . This new crop of employees are very interested in continuous learning and development . Organizations that offer opportunities for career progression are more likely to keep Gen Zers in their stable in the long haul .
Although I agreed that professional development was important , I stressed the need to make sure that employees were meeting their performance goals . I retorted : “ Workers cannot just give a free pass to learn without making sure they are delivering results .”
Adjusting her glasses , Angela added : “ We can provide opportunities for professional development while also setting clear expectations for performance . And if employees are engaged and motivated , they are more likely to meet and exceed those expectations .”
I remembered to inform my friends not to forget that Gen Zers are very entrepreneurial . Some may not be just looking for a job , they are looking for an opportunity to make an impact and create something meaningful .
Organizations that provide an intrapreneurial environment , will more likely attract and retain Gen Zers .
As we headed to the parking lot , I recapped : “ I now understand that while there may be some challenges and differences between different generations in the workplace , each generation has strengths which can be leveraged for organizational sustainability .” Corporate leaders need to open doors for Gen Zers while creating workplace culture that promote employee engagement and well-being .
In today ’ s rapidly changing business environment , employers can attract and retain the best talent , irrespective of their age . One panacea is to nurture a diverse and inclusive workforce .
Samson Osero is an Independent Human Resource Development Consultant and Author of the book ‘ Transition Into Retirement ’. You can commune with him on this or related matters via email at : Samsonosero @ gmail . com .