Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) is reshaping the workforce. They account for nearly a third of employees, bringing both fresh energy and unique demands to workplaces worldwide.
While they’ve been criticized for resisting traditional corporate norms, their tech-savviness and push for work-life balance present an opportunity to transform workplaces for the better.
Here are 4 key insights to help you attract, hire, and retain Gen Z talent.
1. Gen Z & Gen AI: The End of Resumes
Gen Z’s fluency with generative AI (Gen AI) tools like ChatGPT is transforming hiring processes. According to a recent Salesforce survey, 70% of Gen Z actively use Gen AI, making traditional hiring tools like resumes increasingly unreliable.
While resumes have long been a limited predictor of success, the rise of Gen AI underscores the need for science-backed alternatives. Hiring teams need to ensure candidates have the right skills to succeed in a particular role.
Predictive assessments offer a more reliable alternative. These data-driven tools focus on evaluating cognitive abilities, behavioral traits, and role-specific skills to determine a candidate’s true fit. Backed by over 100 years of proven industrial-organizational (I-O) science, Harver’s validated pre-hire assessments provide a clear, objective analysis of a candidate’s capabilities.
Beyond streamlining the hiring process, predictive assessments enhance the experience for both employers and candidates, helping to identify top talent and improve the probability of long-term success.
Learn more: Beyond Resumes: The Impact of Assessments on Hiring Success.
2. Elevated Expectations for Candidate Experience
Gen Z’s expectations are shaped by their digital-first upbringing. They’re looking for intuitive and engaging hiring processes.
To meet these expectations, organizations must focus on creating seamless candidate journeys. Every interaction shapes their perception of your brand, so from application to onboarding, each touchpoint should be efficient and engaging.
To win over Gen Z candidates, prioritize:
- Streamlined Processes: Simplify application steps to avoid drop-off (60% of Gen Z applicants report walking away from overly complex hiring experiences.)
- Engaging Content: Use videos, infographics, and branded elements to make the process dynamic and memorable.
- Transparency: Introduce team members early, share realistic job previews, and answer questions honestly to foster trust.
- Flexibility: Accommodate schedules and show respect for candidates’ time.
Learn more: 18 Actionable Tips to Improve Your Candidate Experience.
3. Onboarding: The Key to Retention
Gen Z is known for job-hopping, with 83% identifying as likely to make a switch, according to ResumeLab. Retaining this dynamic workforce hinges on tailored onboarding, making Gen Z employees feel supported and valued.
Employers can lower attrition with the following tactics:
- Gamification: Make onboarding engaging with activities like scavenger hunts, team competitions, or gamified training.
- Reinforce Role Impact: Regularly communicate how integral they are to organizational success. Disengagement often stems from an employee believing that their contributions don’t matter.
- Accessible Q&A: New employees will always have questions, but Gen Z is more likely to be overwhelmed. Use Slack channels or similar tools to encourage questions and ease transitions.
- Preparation: Above all, don’t make your Gen Z employees feel like their onboarding is cobbled together at the last second. Have detailed agendas and resources ready before their first day, signaling your team values their arrival.
Learn more: Onboarding Best Practices to Drive Culture and Increase Performance of New Hires.
4. DE&I Is a Must-Have
For Gen Z, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) are non-negotiable. A Monster survey reveals that 83% of Gen Z candidates prioritize a company’s commitment to DE&I when choosing an employer.
Companies the embrace DE&I not only attract top talent but also foster a culture that drives growth and innovation.
Using tools like Harver’s platform, organizations can gather actionable data to address biases and improve hiring outcomes.
Metrics that matter:
- Sourcing: Compares applicants from diverse groups to the available pool, identifying barriers and biased recruitment practices.
- Selection: Tracks hiring of diverse versus non-diverse candidates, revealing biases in assessment and selection.
- Representation: Measures the percentage of diverse employees against company and industry benchmarks to highlight underrepresentation.
- Retention: Compares tenure of diverse employees to others, identifying satisfaction gaps and groups at risk of leaving.
- Promotion: Tracks promotions among diverse employees versus others to uncover disparities in career advancement.
- Development: Measures access to training and growth opportunities by employee group to identify development-related bias.
- Pay and Benefits: Compares compensation and benefits across diverse and non-diverse employees to spot inequities.
- Employee Engagement: Assesses satisfaction scores to identify engagement disparities among diverse and non-diverse groups.
Learn more: Data-Driven Diversity and Inclusion: A Comprehensive Guide.
The Gen Z Opportunity
Gen Z may challenge traditional workplace norms, but they also offer a tremendous opportunity for organizations willing to adapt. By embracing predictive assessments, prioritizing exceptional candidate experiences, investing in onboarding, and fostering DE&I, employers can attract and retain this dynamic generation.
Ready to transform your hiring practices? Schedule a demo to see how Harver can help you attract top Gen Z talent and build a workforce that thrives in the years ahead.
