Why Gen Z are the ultimate empowered generation

From Gen Z to Millennials to Baby boomers, having an awareness of generational shifts and overall trends can benefit you when recruiting new talent.

Millennials:

Often villainised by main stream media and the tabloids, millennials have long been in the firing line and at the end of a punch line. 

According to Google, Millennials are interested in the problems of the world, like climate change, animal extinction, and GMOs. They want to get involved and find their purpose by being inspired by the change they want to make.

Millennials aren't satisfied with tangible products themselves.

So, if you're looking to attract someone between the ages of 25 and 40 years old to your role, consider using language this type of generation will react to. For example, highlighting the crucial impact their role will have on the overall workings of the company.

Generation Z:

Generation Z share many traits with Millennials. 

They have a set of common priorities that seem alien to other generations: they're more motivated by social conscience, they’re more au fait with technology and they're generally seen as a generation who expect more from life. Where they arguably differ is that they are driven by default; a far higher percentage of Gen Z have major ambitions to be successful. Our Gen Z whitepaper surveyed hundreds of Gen Z and their future employers and these are some of our favourite findings.

‘20% more of Gen Z completely skip adverts’

‘80% of Gen Z spend more than an hour on their phone a day compared to 60% of millennials’

‘26% of Gen Z have volunteered some of their time for charitable causes’

‘61% of Gen Z want to be a successful entrepreneur’

Being raised in the extra-digital age on television such as Dragons Den and The Apprentice and a media obsessed with social action and the power of the individual has produced a generation of driven, ambitious, idealistic, hardworking, social activists. Surely nobody could argue that these are negative traits to possess.

The Millennial generation of MTV-watching, Facebook-inhabiting, relentlessly stereotyped people who are now around 25-40 have put in the hard work to bring about a more flexible, free-thinking workplace where things like flexi-time, corporate social responsibility and casual office wear are becoming more accepted.

Gen Z will be the next to pick up the baton and it seems to us that employers have been primed and are more ready for this hungry new generation to join their workforce.

Four trends are likely to characterize Generation Z: 1) A focus on innovation, 2) An insistence on convenience, 3) An underlying desire for security, and 4) A tendency toward escapism.

Therefore, if you're looking to hire a candidate between the ages of 16-24 years of age, you may want to consider highlighting the benefits of your role such as, flexible working hours or the ability to develop their skillset or, for the technically curious, the opportunity to develop and implement new technologies.

What are your thoughts? Do you require assistance hiring or upskilling candidates for a new vacancy? As the UK's largest sales assessment and placement provider, we can help. Speak to a member of our expert team today to see how you can utilise government funding for the future of your business. 

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