6 tips to help you manage Gen Z in the workplace

Leaders and managers in today’s world are aware of the importance of bridging generational gaps in the workplace as they are expected to manage team members that comprise of traditionalists, baby boomers, Gen X, millennials, and more recently, Gen Z.

Gen Z population is expected to make up over 20% of the world’s workforce by the end of 2020 and is on track to be the most diverse, best-educated, and most-entrepreneurial generation so far, according to the Pew Research Center.

This generation is significantly different than its predecessors and as is also the first generation born into a digital world, managers have less insight into what they can expect from this unique group of workers.

There are many online courses that can help managers develop unique professional skills for coaching, mentoring, and leading these digital natives.

Managers should first develop an understanding of the characteristics that set these digital natives apart from the rest of their team.

6 tips to manage Gen Z in the workplace

Additionally, understanding what makes them different will help you choose the right management style to apply when working with this cohort.

It is important to set clear expectations for this group, and that can be carried out by first identifying the expectations digital natives have coming into the workforce.

Just like any other cohort, Gen Z or digital natives require sufficient motivation to carry out their roles effectively.

Learning how you as a manager, can connect the work they carry out to the overarching impact of the organisation can not only motivate them to get the job done but will also give them a sense of belonging and achievement.

This generation thrives on building relationships and collaborating with their employers, and therefore, managers should provide mentoring opportunities for their teams.

Giving feedback is also an important aspect to consider when managing Gen Z as digital natives have never known a world without the availability of instant and consistent information.

So naturally, they have an expectation of ongoing, consistent communication and feedback from their managers.

Managers can therefore no longer rely on annual reviews and yearly appraisals to deliver feedback. Some upskilling may be necessary for this area and can help managers deliver timely and helpful feedback.

Gen Z also places strong importance on their personal career development. These digital natives have strong expectations of their managers to help them develop their own careers.

The benefit of doing this is that the more importance you place on providing career and personal development opportunities for this generation, the stronger their trust and commitment would be to you and the organisation.

According to a study published by Deloitte, managers must be ready to adapt to changes in the external environment to attract and retain talent from Gen Z.

This means managers need to focus on developing robust training and leadership programmes, with a real and tangible focus on diversity which has now become more important than ever.