The influx of millennials into the workforce over the last decade has challenged conventional thinking on the most effective ways for organizations to onboard, inspire, and equip new employees. In contrast to previous generations, this emerging generation thinks differently and has different expectations which has actioned a paradigm shift. As a result, organizations had to re-evaluate their strategies for attracting new talent.
The Next Generation: Who Are They and What Do They Want?
Generation Z (born between 1995 and 2012) is considered to be “digital native” because they have never known a world without the internet and social media. They want to have the flexibility to work anywhere, including at home or in the conventional office setting.
As COVID-19 made it possible for people to work remotely and flexibly from their homes, a wider range of the workforce begun to adopt this trend towards a mixed mode of working. The majority of Generation Z (Gen Z) workers started their careers during this time, which is where the difference lies. This indicates that they anticipate the technology at work to be just as advanced and efficient as their personal devices.
The Gen Z workforce were swiftly ushered into an era of video-first strategy. Due to their strong visual sensory experiences, this worked in favor of employers. As a result, companies will now need to figure out how to implement a digital workplace for the upcoming generation, while juggling the needs and preferences of the current workforce.
What should companies do?
Organizations will need to think about using platform-agnostic technology that enables work to become a secure, but free-flowing activity. This means empowering employees with home devices, workplace computers, phones, and meeting room video conferencing technology that are flexible and decentralized. Gen Z has grown up with personal video-telephony programs, which have democratized the once-exclusive idea of international corporate video conferencing and turned it into a valuable resource for the workplace.
Well-being
Companies will need to take the well-being of their employees into consideration when competing for the best future talent. The future generation will not base job decisions on factors like highest salary or best-looking company car.
Benefits that promote employees’ health and wellbeing will be considerably more valuable in contrast. These include programs for workplace inclusivity and flexible working arrangements. But in order to succeed at this, companies must demonstrate that taking care of their employees is an integral component of how they operate, not just a tactical addition to company culture. They will need to demonstrate this in all that they offer employees and in how they conduct themselves.
Sustainability
Organizations must take into account more advanced digital tools to accommodate the changing nature of the workforce and the rising environmental pressures associated with climate change. The COVID-19 crisis caused the momentum surrounding climate change to slow down, but it never completely vanished. In fact, the crisis-induced shifts in commuter and business travel patterns have demonstrated what a more sustainable future might entail. Compared to previous generations, Gen Z is more likely to take action to support environmental movements. This contrasts with the older generations’ tendency to adopt a more passive attitude. They must work hard to lessen their carbon footprint and act as responsible stewards of the environment.
Innovation
There are other aspects of work that will likely change from being text-only to including video. Companies need to prepare for the influx of today’s youth coming into the workplace by equipping their offices with some of the latest techs including conference cameras, such as one of the best sellers on the market, the Rally series, which is a premier modular video conferencing system.
Additional tools and tech need to be in place such as room solutions, webcams, headsets, collaboration tools, and accessories. As the Digitally Savvy workers will expect to be able to work both inside and outside the company, using technology at work that mirrors their technology at home. This fusion of personal and business technology transforms the workplace into a new hybrid environment.
In conclusion, there are a variety of ways that the entry of Gen Z into the workforce is likely to alter it. The top of the list is undoubtedly video infrastructure.
To attract today’s youth to work for your business, it will be crucial to comprehend and adjust to their needs. Organizations that make sure they have the proper technologies, tools, and working conditions have the best chance of succeeding. There are many things at risk as the older generation, with their more conventional workplace communication methods, start to make way for the “Gen Z”.
Author: Loubna Imenchal, Head of Video Collaboration for the MENA and Central Asia region at Logitech
