Chances are, you’ve spent the last decade trying to get to know and understand millennials. This generation is unlike any other, and it took them much longer to orientate themselves in their priorities and professional needs. This has probably forced you to rethink your employer brand in recent years and present it in a way that appeals to younger talents.
And now that you’re all warmed up, it’s time for more adjustments to your employer brand, as Generation Z is about to take over.
In fact, according to research from Bloomberg, generation Z will become the largest living generation in 2019. People born after 1995 will make up 32 percent of the population, and most of them enter the workforce.
The problem is that many employers mistakenly assume that there are enough similarities between millennials and the Zers generation and therefore do not need to update their employer brand. Do not risk repeating the same mistakes you made with the Millennium Generation. By understanding the specific characteristics of Gen Z, you can redesign your employer brand to speak to this generation while being true to the company’s identity and attracting top talent faster.
1. Demonstration of activism
When it comes to social issues, Gen Zers stands up for what they believe in. This group of young people has already shown that they have put in the hard work to make a difference. When looking for employers, they want to join organizations that are equally dedicated to positive changes.
In fact, a 2017 study from Bridgeworks asked Generation Z how they define professional success. While millennials preferred factors related to autonomy and stability over them, Gen Z respondents appreciate that they can have a social impact.
Show that your company cares about its community and gives it back. Share photos of your team at special events on social media. Also, don’t forget to actively monitor and engage with charities and causes that are important to your organization. In this way, when Gen Zers explores your employer brand, they will discover how much you engage in meaningful social issues.
2. Embrace the differences
One of the biggest issues that arose when millennials entered the workplace was creating a generational gap. Millennials had new ideas and different expectations that created tensions with older generations. It’s not that anyone was wrong, companies were simply not prepared for differences.
As a result, many current employees are worried about what will happen when Gen Z joins the ranks full-time. In fact, a 2018 Jobvite study found that 27 percent of respondents feel threatened by Generation Z and how it will affect their professional lives.
Since the employer brand must speak to all potential employees, it is essential that you show both the Zer generation and previous generations that they are valued equally by your organization. Instead of including employee testimonials that contain only one person, pair team members.
Sit down with employees of different ages and ask them what they like about the company. Then use their answers in the employer’s brand material.
Listening to different employees on different topics, especially those on which they agree, will provide job seekers with something to connect with and show that all generational perspectives are accepted and supported. This will ease the tensions of Generation Z and ensure a smoother transition for everyone as your team grows.
3. Use casual videos
Generation Z grew up with video calling and YouTube. They are used to watching vloggers talk to them through videos recorded from their hands. These young people do not expect over-edited or formal employer videos.
However, it is different than many organizations have been doing for years. If the company invested money in the video of the employer’s brand, it wanted it to look as professional as possible. However, they seem stuffy to Generation Z.
Zamerajte sa na správy, aby ste oslovili týchto potenciálnych zamestnancov. Nájdite spôsob, ako s nimi hovoriť priamo, aby mali pocit, že sú súčasťou rozhovoru, nielen pozerania videa. Jednou z dobrých možností je nechať lídrov začať vlog o tom, čo sa momentálne deje s organizáciou.
These videos don’t have to be long and can feature leads from different parts of the company. Every month, simply record the story of another manager or executive about something that happened recently. This will show job seekers Gen Z personality in the company. It also conveys what the team actually does, in a format familiar to them.
