Despite Gen Z having grown up with technology, since this group joined the workforce it’s become increasingly more apparent that younger employees actually favour in-person communication over tools such as texting and video calls; especially when it comes to gaining feedback from their managers and when learning.
Whilst the economy is gradually getting back to some kind of normal, the remote revolution is likely here to stay for many industries, where office working may either be reduced significantly or in rarer cases, completely abolished.
If remote working is destined to become more commonplace in your organisation post-pandemic, here are some simple steps HR and team leaders can take to ensure your younger workers aren’t negatively impacted during what are arguably the most formative years of their careers.
Step 1: Create more virtual networking opportunities
Our first foray into the working world can often set the stage for our long-term career paths. For new graduates, it’s a time to learn and hone new skills, begin to solidify their work ethic and values and start forming relationships with their peers. Granted this is more easily achieved in a face-to-face environment, yet there are plenty of ways to forge networking opportunities remotely to keep work performance and job satisfaction levels high.
Consider breaking up business as usual calls with virtual social events, such as online quizzes or ‘after-work drinks’, as well as informal one-to-one’s with line managers to help your young employees build a solid circle of connections. It may also help them to boost their visibility in the organisation and get a greater feel for the company values by having the opportunity to interact with a broader cross-section of senior leaders and stakeholders too.
Step 2: Promote a culture of inclusiveness
For many employees, a strong office culture is almost akin to having a membership at a club, where workers have a real sense of community. But how does this translate for a remote workforce and especially for your newer, younger employees who are still finding their feet?
Increased working from home has certainly enabled organisations to stress-test their company culture and where it’s no longer as simple to build this through in-person interactions, leaders should make every effort to emphasise inclusion and belonging for everyone in their organisation. Ideas for bringing teams together and ensuring Gen Z truly feel part of the tribe include encouraging public peer-to-peer recognition, facilitating virtual team-building exercises or even sending a handwritten note to show them that they are a valued member of the company. HR can also help to improve connectivity on a bigger scale using remote working software to check-in on staff wellbeing and availability, and provide a platform for employees to share feedback or concerns with their managers and the wider business.
Step 3: Turn up the engagement factor when it comes to training
The youngest generation is full of active learners who thrive with collaborative strategies and tools that are on-demand. In this day and age, there are a multitude of ways in which to deliver captivating employee training when working remotely, to enable your younger workers to continually develop their skillset.
Whilst many employees in this age group prefer face-to-face classroom learning, there are still ways to simulate a team-centric training approach to a dispersed workforce. Both eLearning and gamification can be designed for group participation, where staff can learn whilst collaborating with their colleagues. This can not only enhance team spirit but when the training is immersive, tailored and appeals to this generation’s preferred way of learning, there’s a far higher chance that it will stick.
Step 4: Encourage managers to make mentoring and support a priority
In the past few years, we’ve already had a glimpse of some of the majority preferences from Generation Z, and the desire for mentoring has been highlighted as one of them. This poses an opportunity for managers to take on more of a coaching role to give younger workers a sense of independence and responsibility; particularly without having the ‘lifeline’ of easily accessible colleagues beside them in the office.
Mentoring, which can coincide with performance management, should exist to not only build employees’ confidence through positive feedback but also provide a supportive outlet for young staff to talk about their challenges and explore ways in which to overcome these. Whilst working remotely, managers should be encouraged to put dedicated time aside regularly to have these conversations through video calls or over the phone, and to ensure young employees know that help always on hand.
Now is an ideal opportunity for organisations to help their younger workers become the next generation of leaders, even though many of their workplace experiences may take place virtually in future. This needn’t be a daunting task; it simply requires enabling Gen Z to connect digitally with their colleagues on a personal level whilst giving them the tools they need to excel in their careers.
Download our new free guide to discover the simple steps to rebuilding a positive employee experience for all generations in your organisation.