Tag Archive for: Employee Wellbeing

How to Prepare Your Company for Gen Z

/in

Two of the most preeminent qualities a company can have are adaptability and the willingness to evolve. As convenient as it is to stay the same, especially if certain systems and protocols have a proven track record of working well; for the continued success and expansion of your enterprise, it’s important to make adjustments with the times.

Just when you thought you had millennials and their approach to the workplace figured out, a new wave of individuals has entered the picture: Gen Z. If you have yet to experience them at your company, they will be arriving to the workplace before you know it. Born between the years of 1997 and 2012, and known as the most diverse generation in history so far, they are beginning to revolutionize the workforce by being the first true digital natives and bringing back the lost concept of in-person interaction.

Despite any preconceived notions of them being a generation that is glued to their phone or has a short attention span; studies and surveys say otherwise. Research has repeatedly shown that they are actually a group that values good, old fashioned hard work and longs to have a secure job that can offer long-term stability. Truthfully, having a few Gen Z ers on you team can be an asset to the mission of your organization. However, there are certain non-traditional values that they hold that need to be considered, if you want to attract them to your association. Here are some ways you can prepare to welcome Gen Z into your company.

1. Be Transparent/Tell Them What to Expect

Believe it or not, they actually want to be deeply invested in their company and the work that they do. They are truly willing to rise to any challenge. As a group that watched their parents struggle during the Great Recession, they value security. This is why it is important to tell them what they can expect when they come to work. It is important that they choose the right place. Be very specific about all of the assignments the job will entail, what the dress code, time-off, and attendance policies are, and what a typical day will look like. As a generation that was exposed to plenty of negativity with social media and quick access to news outlets, they are more skeptical by nature. The way to make them feel more comfortable with applying and accepting a position in your company is with transparency.

2. Offer Quick Responses

While this may seem a bit unreasonable to those of prior generations, are they really wrong for wanting quick access and on-the-spot responses? In the digital age we live in, we all literally have a phone and internet connection at our fingertips 100% of the time. (Adjusting with the times, remember?) Current technology gives us the ability to offer instantaneous responses, be it via social media, through email, or through text. If you want to attract the Gen Z generation to your company, this begins before they even apply. Have someone on your team who checks and responds to social media messages daily. If they submit an application/résumé, respond within a day or two. Getting them in the door begins with making a good first impression. 

3. Emphasize Wellbeing and Work-Life Balance

Although they want to be immersed in their jobs, they are not a group that will prioritize work over their personal wellbeing. In fact, 40 % of Gen Z ranks work-life balance as their number one factor when choosing a place to work. This means offering mental health days, being flexible with hours, and being sure they know they are not obligated to answer phone calls or respond to emails during their time off. This will benefit both them as employees as well as you as an employer, because allowing employees to take care of themselves outside of work will lead to more focus, drive, and greater productivity while at work. If you’re looking to attract high-quality employees from this generation, be sure to discuss this on your company’s social media pages.

4. Offer above Average Pay

Unlike their millennial counterparts, pay is at the top of their mind when choosing a place to work. While millennials value freedom and creativity, Gen Zers value security. The majority of this generation, although young, has already started a savings account and has been known to do whatever it takes to get ahead as early as possible. Similar to millennials, many of them have left or will leave college with a significant amount of debt that could take decades to pay off. They are also reaching adulthood in a time where cost of living is high no matter where you live. As a group that strives to be financially savvy, you will have much more luck attracting this generation with good pay verses good benefits or any other perks. They will even be willing to work longer hours as long as they are rewarded for it.

5. Offer Social Experiences and Face-to-Face Interaction

Does this one surprise you? The truth is, that while millennials are technology pioneers, Gen Z never experienced a point in time when they didn’t have some type of technology at their disposal. While they do tend to spend entire days on and off social media apps like Instagram and TikTok, only interacting with others through a screen has left them with high social anxiety and feeling isolated at times. Even if your company offers the option to work from home part of the time, team building and camaraderie are crucial for keeping Gen Zers happy. Be sure to host regular team meetings and make some of them in person. Also, offer after work outings, company get-togethers, and plenty of opportunities to collaborate via team projects, volunteering, event planning, etc.

Overall, Gen Z is a generation that will go the extra mile as long as they feel appreciated, listened to and feel that they are working for the right company. They know they are responsible for driving their own careers and want to be judged by their merit and contributions.

If your company is looking for new employees, we at Award Staffing are here to help. Contact us with your staffing needs, here.

 

 

 

 

 

Top 6 Things Employees Look for in a Job

/in

In the current workforce, there is so much more that an employee looks for in a job outside of a livable wage. While many companies believe that the best thing you can do to attract employees is offer competitive pay, getting people to apply and onboarding them is only half the battle. Pay is important of course, but in order to maintain employee morale and a healthy work culture, as well as retain high-quality employees, there are other factors that need to be taken into consideration.

Here are the top six things employees look for in a workplace:

1. Mission

Contrary to popular belief, growth or the vision of your company are not missions. These days, people want to feel like they are a part of something bigger. A company that gives back and has a deep sense of social responsibility is something employees will wear with pride. There are many ways you can implement this into your company model, some examples include:

  • • Having employee volunteer outings and/or opportunities
  • • Giving a percentage of your profits to a good cause
  • • Host office donation drives (such as collecting clothing, pet food, or canned goods for underprivileged families)

2. Flexibility

Nowadays, it is more crucial than ever to address employee flexibility needs. If a workplace isn’t flexible, people are unlikely to stay. This can look like, ability to work remotely, flexible hours or arrival and departure times, having more than average paid time off, etc.

Remember, you do not have to accommodate every option, but having a wide range of options that appeal to employees across the board will benefit not only them, but also you as company by keeping your top talent and saving money on turnover.

3. Inclusivity

In the past, employers have placed  major emphasis on being a diverse workplace. And while diversity is still something organizations should include in their recruiting and hiring processes, inclusivity has become just as, if not more important. While diversity tends to focus on lifestyle as well as the physical, and social attributes of a person, inclusivity is the behaviors, procedures, and social norms a company puts into place to ensure that all employees feel comfortable, welcomed, and included.

Some ways to be inclusive are:

  • • Encouraging employees to include their preferred pronouns on email signatures
  • • Providing a place for people whose native language is not English to take calls in privacy
  • • Offering options that accommodate a variety of dietary needs during staff breakfasts or lunches

Things like this will help employees stay motivated, continue to be engaged, and want to stay with the company for longer.

4. Wellbeing

No matter what industry they’re in, employees spend the majority of their time at work.

For this reason, it is essential that employees know their well-being is being is looked after by the company they work for. Studies show that companies that have implemented employee wellbeing into their model has resulted in both increased productivity and boosted employee morale. Some ways companies have done this are, gifting their employees company branded wellness gifts, renovating the office to bring in more natural light, and giving them the permission to disengage from work once they leave the site or office.

5. Fulfillment

More than ever before, especially with millennials making up such a huge percentage of the job market, people are craving purpose and progress in the workplace.

Helping your employees feel like they have a reason to come to work every day beyond a paycheck and a fancy work title is a sure-fire way to ensure quality work and employee retention. A few ways you can do this are by sitting down individually with each of your employees to discuss a goal and a path to achieving it and inviting them to give suggestions on how to increase revenue, improve company culture, and make the workday more pleasurable or productive.

6. Communication

This goes for both communication between employees and senior leaders as well as between employees and their direct supervisors.

Communication comes in many forms: schedule, training, weekly feedback, recognition, etc. We have found that 69 % of employees say they would work harder if they felt recognized yet of the current workforce, only 30% state that they have received valuable feedback from their organization.

There are many ways to improve communication in your company, some of them to consider are:

  • • Expressing an “open-door” policy with office hours
  • • Facilitating regular check-ins where you and your employees can exchange feedback
  • • Putting out the schedule two weeks in advance
  • • Ensuring that employees feel properly trained and equipped to do their jobs

Overall, employees want to feel like they are seen and heard for the contributing individuals that they are, not just a number or a cog in the machine. If your company regularly demonstrates that you actively care about your employees, in return, they will respond with a strong work ethic and company loyalty.