What to Do (and Avoid) when Recruiting Gen Z

As companies hire and grow their workforces, a large share of employees going forward will be members of Gen Z. Younger workers (those born after 1996) are projected to make up over 25% of the global workforce by 2025.

Companies need to rethink their talent acquisition strategies to appeal to Gen Z. These younger workers have unique experiences and perspectives that alter the way that they think about their careers. Leading organizations are taking the time to understand what appeals to Gen Z and what might be a negative when searching for top talent in the workforce’s youngest generation.

Values and Expectations

To help companies better understand how to appeal to Gen Z, the talent acquisition experts at Radancy amassed several data-backed insights that can bolster recruitment success.

Studies have shown that Gen Z is values-driven – nearly two-thirds of prospective applicants in this generation reported that they would not even apply to a company that did not share their values. Further, 90% of Gen Z said that companies should “make efforts to address both environmental and social problems.”

Organizations looking to reach younger applicants should emphasize their values and demonstrate how they work towards making the world a better place. Companies can develop personalized branding that shows that they not only offer a positive and collaborative workplace, but an opportunity to impact the community.

Gen Z’s commitment to positive impacts also extends to including diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) in the workplace. These candidates prefer organizations that have demonstrable DE&I initiatives, so talent acquisition teams should amplify how they aim to be inclusive in their hiring practices.

Organizations cannot afford to pay lip service to Gen Z, as nearly one-third of these employees are willing to exit the hiring process or leave a job within their first six months at work if the organizations do not live up to the commitment it made during the hiring process or does not meet their expectations.

Companies must ensure that any commitments made during the recruitment or hiring process are honored consistently to keep Gen Z employees engaged and productive.

Career Advancement

While values are important to Gen Z, they are also driven and committed to career advancement. The vast majority of younger workers know that professional development and upskilling is critical to long-term career advancement.

Organizations catering to younger applicants should promote any programs they have that provide employees with new knowledge and skills. This not only entices prospective applicants but helps with retention and job satisfaction in the long-term.

Leveraging Tech to Reach Gen Z

As the first generation to have access to the internet for their entire lives, Gen Z expects the hiring process to be seamless and streamlined. Employers need to communicate with younger applicants quickly and transparently to keep them engaged throughout the hiring process.

Gen Z can and will ignore organizations that do not communicate with them efficiently. Companies must find end-to-end engagement solutions like those offered by Radancy to ensure every touchpoint throughout the hiring cycle is streamlined and convenient.

What This Means to SAPinsiders

With thousands of Baby Boomers exiting the workforce each day, companies must ensure that their talent acquisition and workplaces are ready for an influx of Gen Z applicants and workers. Aligning corporate values to those of the incoming generation is a top tactic to ensure a steady influx of dedicated and passionate workers.

Companies can no longer afford to rely on outdated talent acquisition strategies. Gen Z moves quickly, so many leading organizations are relying on technological solutions, like those provided by Radancy, to keep top applicants engaged and enthusiastic throughout the hiring cycle and ensuring they become productive and engaged workers.