Generation Z does not adapt its life to work

Every two years, the Fisk Student School Co-operative carries out a survey on young people, this year 1500 Generation Z young people were interviewed. A new addition was a survey of businesses. In the company survey, 174 companies shared their views on how they manage intergenerational partnerships and the difficulties they face in recruiting and retaining young people.

In her presentation, Zsuzsanna Ecsedi, head of marketing at the Fürge Diák School Co-operative, said that 77% of companies currently have no strategy for managing generational cooperation and generational change, and only one in two companies are addressing organisational ageing. Most conflicts are between the Z-baby boomer and Z-X generations.

Ecsedi Zsuzsanna said that when it comes to appealing to Generation Z, salary is important, but flexibility and the opportunity to grow and develop and value-based company operations are just as important. If these are missing from our offer, young people will not choose us. But retention is a bigger challenge than recruitment. More than half of companies think that Generation Z is not loyal. But loyalty is not a generational characteristic, it is a question of company attitude. Where cross-generational mentoring is in place, attrition has been significantly reduced.

Where multiple generations worked on a project, innovation was 40% stronger. Only 36% of firms think that intergenerational collaboration is needed for long-term sustainability. The company that adapts the fastest to the needs of young people will have a competitive advantage.

60% of firms report that communication differences are a source of conflict. Young people prefer informal, brief communication on a digital platform, while older people prefer formal, verbal forms. There is a difference in the speed of learning digital tools. For seniors, stability and a predictable environment are important in the workplace, for young people, learning and development opportunities and flexibility are important. There are also differences in motivation: young people need quick, continuous feedback, while for older people recognition is key.

And the 'These are today's young people' research reveals what young people are looking for in a job? The top 5 factors, according to the survey, are flexibility, opportunity to develop, fair treatment, meaningful work and a good community.

Why do young people change jobs?

In the first place, respondents cited employees' spiteful, contemptuous behaviour, with the second most cited being disrespectful attitudes from managers. Another common reason for dismissal is that the young person did not get what they were promised. Another reason for leaving is if the employee feels exploited, if he or she has to work without recognition or if the work is incompatible with studies. Generation Z does not change jobs out of laziness, but knows that they have a choice.

What does all this mean for HR?

When a workplace understands the mindset of young people, it gets more productive, loyal and motivated employees. It's not enough to offer a good job, you need a good workplace climate, and the key to that is company culture and leadership.

Ecsedi Zsuzsanna also offered some tips for employers: flexibility is a basic requirement, young people do not adapt their lives to work. Loyalty depends on experience, and knowledge and experience gained in the company are the basis for this. Generation Z wants fast, quality and regular feedback. Community is a crucial factor in retention.

they are not looking for.

Do the generations speak the same language in the organisation?

HR leaders roundtable

Multigenerational organizational functioning was also discussed at the HR Leaders Roundtable. Magda Bába-Szabó, HR Director at Generali, said that 4-5 generations are slowly working together at Generali, as the active period is being extended in parallel with the ageing of society. Thus, when it comes to improving the age diversity of an organisation, it is not only about rejuvenation, but also about a broader involvement. He said it is important that generations within a company speak the same language, mix and match. Zsuzsa Tóth, Chief People Officer of Magyar Telekom, also indicated that they also perceive this challenge, which is why reverse mentoring is part of leadership development, where not only older more experienced colleagues mentor younger ones, but it is also done in reverse. As he said, the current challenge in the company is that many people from the technology area are close to retirement, so they have to be replaced by, among other things, the apprenticeship programme and participation in dual training.

Training by rotation

In a later presentation, Patrícia Makay-Rupp, Employer Branding Specialist at Generali Insurance, spoke about attracting young talent and the insurance company's GeNext rotational talent programme. As she said, with an average age of 45 in an organisation of 1,300 people, there is a need for conscious building and leadership development in the company. The fresh graduate programme is designed to introduce the insurance sector to new entrants, and the rotation method is designed to expose young people to as many specialisms as possible. So when they apply to the programme, they decide which area they want to go into, depending on their studies, any work experience and individual preference. And for those who may be unable to decide, the recruiter and HR Business Partner can help them based on their skills.

Makay-Rupp Patrícia

Throughout the year-long programme, trainees will be exposed to 3 areas, while receiving training and building relationships within the organisation from the start of their career. During this period, they will also find out if they are a good fit for the team and if they want to stay. If everything is right, the insurer can offer a junior position after the rotation is over, which is good for everyone, as the newcomer will already know the company, will fit in immediately and will have a more efficient start to their career.

6 new colleagues a week - how to attract young talent

About 300 new colleagues join PwC Hungary every year, 240 of them juniors, says Anikó Hinterstein, HR director at the consultancy. Experienced professionals are very hard to find on the market, so the future management supply has to be trained from within. However, to make the company attractive to young people, many recruitment processes had to be rethought and innovated, says the HR manager. One of these was the application interface, to make it more user-friendly and faster. And instead of a long, multi-stage selection process, to introduce a "hiring day", i.e. a selection day/half day where the candidate can attend an assessment centre, talk to managers and tour the office.

Hinterstein Anikó

With tight deadlines and overtime, being a consultant is no longer as attractive to young people as it used to be. Therefore, emphasis needs to be placed on organisational culture and its communication, conveying a more relaxed image.

In addition, the employee referral programme has been updated, through which all stakeholders, both the referrer and the candidate, can follow where the process is at the moment. Special emphasis is also being placed on training hiring managers. In other words, overall, he said the how of the recruitment strategy has changed, the what they are looking for has not.

Photo by Zsuzsanna Ecsedi Photos by recruiTECH