8 practical insights to inspire and energize Gen Zs for peak performance – Part 1

The generation born between 1997 and 2012 has fully come into adulthood with a lot of potential in the workplace. They are poised to become the most educated cohort ever in history.

These young adults are tech-savvy and prefer virtual collaboration over face-to-face meetings. Studies have shown that Generation Z makes up about 30 percent of the world’s population and will constitute 27% of the workforce by 2025.

As we prepare to engage some highly inspiring young people to commemorate the 2024 International Youth Day in collaboration with the US Consulate and American Corner, I thought it is important to acquaint leaders with some 8 strategies for inspiring Gen Zs for peak performance.

Here are eight ways to inspire Gen Zs at work.

1. Recruit differently for Gen Z employees
When recruiting Gen Z employees, managers may want to do things differently than they do for other generations. For example, managers may want to place less emphasis on face-to-face interviews. Instead, they may want to rely heavily on online assessments and video interviews.

This can help recruiters reduce the time they spend on each hire and make the process more accessible to Gen Z candidates who may not have the same flexibility to travel for interviews that older generations have.

Managers may also want to consider using different types of rewards and incentives to attract Gen Z employees.For example, Gen Zers are drawn to work that offers the chance to solve real problems, make an impact, and be creative.

Managers can meet these needs by adjusting their job descriptions and recruitment materials to highlight these opportunities.

2. Take a more risk-aware approach to business
As with their communication preferences, the desire of Gen Zs to take a more risk-aware approach to business can be seen in the way they shop.
Compared to preceding generations, they are much more likely to search online for information and to read reviews before making a purchase.

This desire to make informed decisions is likely to translate into their approach to business. Gen Zers may also be more likely to invest in companies that support social causes, either through philanthropy or through programs that offer lower carbon emissions or more sustainable materials, for example.

In a survey of Gen Zers, 69% reported that they are likely to purchase from a company that supports a cause they care about.You can therefore inspire Gen Zs and keep them engaged by highlighting the importance of social issues, for example through advocacy and community service.

3. Don’t underestimate the influence of collaboration tools
Designing your workspace to encourage collaboration is another way to inspire Gen Z employees.Contrary to the general assumption that Gen Zers don’t want to be in the same room with their colleagues,

Gen Zers actually crave communication. In fact, many Gen Zers prefer to work in teams than alone, although they may prefer to do it via technology like video conferences.

When managers choose communication tools, they need to be aware that Gen Zers may have different communication preferences than other generations. For example, while millennials may prefer to communicate via email, Gen Zers may prefer Google Meet or Zoom. They also have very different technology needs from other generations.

You may want to invest in virtual reality, artificial intelligence, interactive robots, and other technologies that meet the needs of this generation.
While some of these insights may seem like common sense, many companies are struggling to meet the needs of Gen Zers. You may also wonder why there’s so much hype over inspiring this generation at work. Consider the fact that they make up 40% of global consumers with about $140 billion in buying power.
On the next episode, we will share the remaining 5 insights in the series.

Growth Opportunities
On 12th August, 2024, we are hosting young people to a Career & Enterprise Growth Workshop in collbaoration with the US Consulate and American Corner. Attendance is free but registration is required on www.bit.ly/TPPEmerge2024 You can also download a free copy of the latest edition of The Peak Performer Magazine You can also enrol your Mid-level Leadership Team for the Made4More Accelerator Program and your Senior Leadership Team for the Dr. Abiola Salami International Leadership Bootcamp 2024 We also have an upcoming training for leaders in public service

About Dr. Abiola Salami
Dr. Abiola Salami is the Convener of Dr Abiola Salami International Leadership Bootcamp and The Peak PerformerTM. He is the Principal Performance Strategist at CHAMP – a full scale professional services firm trusted by high performing business leaders for providing Executive Coaching, Workforce Development & Advisory Services to improve performance. You can reach his team on [email protected] and connect with him @abiolachamp on all social media platforms.