Written by David Pereira- HR Manager, Liz Lyn Careers
I work with a very young team and the other day it struck me that most of them are
born after Y2K. Crazy right! I already feel like a dinosaur and I'm not even thirty. So
what is it like working with them? There are many negative stereotypes about these
“Gen Z employees”- job hopping and not staying in one role for long, having a short
attention span and they're always on their phones, many claim that they simply
cannot professionally interact face to face and don’t get me started on the memes…
they share so many memes.
IMO, (Wow, I'm starting to sound like them) it’s great having them at work, because
of what they can bring to the table. Here are a few reasons why you should really
consider hiring them.
Highly Resourceful- Lets face it, these kids grew up around technology.
They won't have all the answers, but they certainly know how to find them.
The internet is their place and if you give them a chance you will be pleasantly
surprised.
Quick Learners- An extension to the previous point, it's needless to say that
they pick up things quite fast. You don’t need to have traditional training and
schooling sessions. In fact the sooner they learn the ropes the faster they will
be able to start performing.
Business Acumen- I have spoken to quite a few younger candidates and it’s
so nice to see that many of them have an ongoing side hustle (Photography,
youtube channels, insta stores, influencer marketing on social media etc.)
While this may not be a billion dollar idea, the fact that someone that young
has the motivation, discipline and ability to monetize something they are good
at, is proof that they are business oriented and with a little bit of guidance can
be great assets to your team.
Innovation- The newbies are out there trying different things, hopping on the
latest trends and what have you. They are constantly looking for the next best
thing. To many this may seem silly, pointless and a waste of time. It’s true that
most of these “trends” have very little use and just end up fading away, but
there are some that stick and impact lifestyle. For example: Tik tok- many,
myself included, thought these short videos were a waste of time, however
the popularity has got other social media platforms to create their own version
of short curated content. Let’s be honest, who doesn't want a trendsetter in
their team.
Competitive- Studies show that the younger generation are a very
competitive bunch. They are out to prove themselves at work and have been
competing for the most part of their life. Having healthy competition at work
will certainly increase productivity.
Call 'em what you want, GenZ or Zoomers and sure they come with their quirks, their
iykyk lingo and their rather odd sense of humour. Employers need to realise that
soon the Zoomers will represent a large portion of the workforce. Understanding this
new generation's traits and preferences will help you to create a culture that plays to
their strengths and makes your company an attractive option for job seekers.