Industries have done a lot work in the last decade to try and show the younger generations that their spaces are exciting industries to work in. Construction are no exception to this - many groups have marketed the vast number of roles available and the tangible outputs and job satisfaction associated with a life in the building industry. Now, the world is post Covid and Generation Z are reviewing their futures, with many fearing a particularly bleak outlook for the class of 2023 (and 2022 and 2021 and 2020...) many of whom are still attempting to get into the world of work.
With the skills gap still seemingly growing, the median age of works in the industry rising, how can we lure the new generation, nicknamed Generation Z, into our world?
Some quick facts on Gen Z:
They are those born between 1995-2010, meaning many of them are streaming into our workforces right now.
They have never not seen a world without technology – its always been at their fingertips and over 95% of them own a smartphone.
48% are non-Caucasian, making them the most diverse generation to date
Gen Zs will outnumber their millennial predecessors, making up 40% of the population by 2020.
It all starts by understanding what these ‘youngsters’ want out of their jobs, how they work and what they respond to is key. Through understanding these, you will be able to adjust your employer brand to become an Employer of Choice for Gen Zs and successfully bring them into your companies. Below, we list key traits of this new generation and methods you can adopt.
Communication and Culture: Despite their connection to technology, Gen Z crave relationships and offline connections. This stems into the workplace with research by CGK in 2019 showing that over 65% of Gen Z desire frequent feedback on their performance from their manager, usually every few weeks, which is even more often than Millennials want. Would the ‘norm’ culture of an hour’s appraisal, once a year, cut it with a Gen Z? Probably not. When you have workers out on site or working from home in new hybrid models, this can become an even greater issue, with line managers often based elsewhere. To counteract this, utilising technology is key, take regular video chats or phone calls with your Gen Z site-based employees to keep them engaged.
Gen Z also want their managers to be actively involved in the progression of their careers, with coaching, guidance and leadership key, rather than micro-management and ‘boss’ attitudes. Achieving this can be tricky in any business, however, mentoring style management could be the answer, Gen Z want coaches who can help them unlock their potential. Where this is not possible, providing the Gen Zs with a mentor separate to their manager, even if it is not face-to-face and via WhatsApp or Slack (23% of Gen Z survey respondents expect texting to be essential to workplace communication), can help them feel like they are making progress in the right direction.
It is also important to note here that Gen Z would prefer a Millennial manager, rather than a Baby Boomer or Gen X. Does your company have a generational management structure in place to help with this? A generational gap in the workplace can lead to poor communication, collaboration and engagement.
Gen Z are also used to accessing information and answers quicker than ever due to the 24/7 world we live in. This needs to be considered within your businesses, as asking them to wait several days for an email response or following a paper snail trail is something likely to frustrate them.
Diversity and Social Mission: Gen Z have a desire to make the world a better place and this starts with their workplace. 63% of Gen Zs want to work for a company that offers diverse education and skill levels. Further to this, 66% of Gen Z stating that a company’s level of diversity affects their decision to work there. We have seen major players like Wates and Willmott Dixon issue plans to tackle diversity and equality in their workforces recently – are they reacting to pressures like the #MeToo movement or thinking about their future workforce? We would suggest it’s both, playing the short- and long-term game to become a Gen Z employer of choice.
Gen Z will soon see through a company though if what you allude to is just for show, they want companies who can show they are making meaningful change to the world and have a reputable mission. In construction, this can be achieved through commitment to social value, environmental improvements and waste reduction and technological improvements to the industry that can help others. Accreditations like Investors in People or B-Corp can help you attract young candidates and prove that you provide an ethical and strong working environment.
Boredom, Engagement and Independence: Gen Z want to be judged by their merit, they value skill development, self-improvement, are problem solvers and faster learners than their predecessors. According to a Universum Global survey, over 50% of Gen Z want to start their own company someday and 76% feel it’s their responsibility to drive their own career.
If not given an engaging, interesting role with meaningful work, they are more likely to fall foul of boredom in the workplace.
Consequently, they’ll seek to move onto another employer if boredom ensues for longer than 3 months. It is important to note this is often not due to their attitude, but often because they are more efficient and/or tech savvy than their peers, they are working smarter and have a strong positive go-getting attitude.
So how do we counteract this? One option would be to offer Gen Zs the opportunity to pursue a side project on something that interests them. This could be research into new technologies or even taking up learning opportunities such as training courses in leadership or people management which can help hone their skills. This has the potential for a win-win situation for all parties. Keeping Gen Zs engaged will be key to retention and developing loyalty that is often lacking in this generation.
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