Just as the work world is starting to understand Millennials, a new generation raised on technology and social media is heading to work
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— While there has been an enormous amount of media coverage on Millennials in the workplace over the last several years, society appears to be losing sight of the 23 million Generation Z (Gen Z) workers who have just entered the job force for the very first time. From corporate America to small business, this new generation of workers is poised to make a significant impact.
According to the newly released book, Generation Z in the Workplace by Dr. Candace Steele Flippin, the newest generation of workers are entrepreneurial, eager to learn, crave honesty and they join companies with a plan to stay.
“In my study, Gen X, Gen Y and Baby Boomers described Gen Z as confident with technology, open-minded, enthusiastic, hardworking, innovative, and smart,” stated Dr. Steele Flippin. “These positive attributes have the potential to change how we all function in the workplace for the better.”
Over the past several years, there has been a great deal of discussion about generation gaps and how they are creating challenges in the workplace. Whether it’s the age differences or misconceptions about values, generation-related clashes can lead to a less than ideal work environment, according to Dr. Steele Flippin. Finding common ground and setting the record straight are the main reasons she decided to write her book.
“I was concerned that by only focusing on the negative aspects of generational differences, we were missing out on important opportunities to learn and grow from each other,” Dr. Steele Flippin stated. “Everyone has something to offer.”
In Generation Z in the Workplace, Dr. Steele Flippin, a multigenerational workplace scholar, offers research-based insights and easy to follow suggestions aimed at helping young workers and their supervisors build working relationships and productive work environments.
“My goal is to offer research-based findings in an easy to understand and practical way to help people enhance their careers and work environments,” stated Dr. Steele Flippin. “Generation Z in the Workplace provides easy to follow career development exercises and tips for both Gen Z and managers of Gen Z workers to help them build productive and successful working relationships.”
According to the research that Generation Z in the Workplace is based, Gen Z has an optimistic outlook on the future with 95% of Gen Z workers reporting belief in the American Dream and 66% of the Gen Z participants (69% of males and 61% of females) rated their career opportunities as good or excellent.
When it comes to dealing with managers, more than half Gen Zers expect more management support and feedback as well as growth opportunities in the form of training and mentorship from their supervisors. Only 6% were seeking more pay. Most of the Gen Z respondents (63%) plan to remain at their current employer for 1‒5 years, 32% plan to stay for 1‒2 years, and 31% plan to stay for 3‒5 years. Eight percent indicated intentions of staying at their current place of employment for 6‒10 years and about 14% intend to stay 10 or more years.
“My study shows that investing in the development of Gen Z is a smart move because members of Generation Z tend to show up with a plan to stay,” stated Dr. Steele Flippin.
Generation Z in the Workplace is written to also teach this young, up-and-coming workforce how to communicate and work with others generations, make the most of less-than-ideal first jobs, create a career development plan and more.
Generation Z in the Workplace, the first in a four-part series, is currently available for purchase on Amazon. The author’s next book, Millennials in the Workplace is due out in June 2017. The Generation Z in the Workplace book trailer can be found on YouTube.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dr. Candace Steele Flippin is an award-winning public affairs executive and Research Fellow at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, where she researches the multigenerational workplace. For more than 20 years, Dr. Steele Flippin has worked with Fortune 500 companies and national non-profit organizations exploring the perspectives and motivators of key audiences and activating stakeholders accordingly to make a meaningful impact. She embodies the philosophy that bringing multiple perspectives to the table results in better outcomes.