By the end of 2024, we can expect Gen Z to constitute 23% of the global workforce predominately filled with Boomers, Gen X and Millennials, making it crucial to understand the impacts it will have on hiring processes.
Gen Z, is characterized as anyone born between 1997- 2012 and it’s the generation known for breaking past generational expectations, known as “grind-culture” in the corporate world. We have seen Gen Z’s impact on trends on social media platforms, setting boundaries in their workplace, such as prioritizing work-life balance and their mental health over loyalty to a company.
So, how will Gen Z affect the way your business should hire in 2024?
Digital Processes
Gen Z values efficiency. They are generally more tech-savvy than other generations—after all, they have grown up in an unprecedented technology age. They’ll bring speed to the workforce, especially in the recruitment process. Outdated methods will be a major turn-off for Gen Z, as they will expect everything to be digital and fast-paced. Gen Z wants to be able to get information conveniently, so they expect companies to catch up to the digital era in their hiring process.
Work-life Balance
It’s no secret that more employees want to work from home. We can expect to see remote and hybrid work models become more prominent in 2024, with Gen Z being its most enthusiastic supporter of this trend. Therefore, employers need to stay open-minded when comparing the pool of candidate skill levels in their area, as they could attract better candidates by hiring remote workers.
Organizational Impact & Diversity
This generation has experienced an unrivaled political, social, and global health crisis in the last few years, so they value the way their 40-hour weeks are spent. They care about the bigger picture and positive contributions of the organizations they’ll be joining. They want to know the hours they spend working are contributing to the greater good.
We can also expect Gen Z to be the most ethnically diverse generation we’ve seen. This will bolster organizations with a fresh set of ideas, perspectives, and creativity within its workplace.
Pay Transparency & Higher Salaries
We can expect 2024 to be the year of pay transparency. Gen Z is pushing to see advertising salary information in job postings and urge the topic of salary as a forefront conversation with their potential employers. According to Robert Half’s 2024 Salary Guide, 63% of employers who include salary ranges in online job postings say it helps attract the best job candidates.
In an era facing difficult economic realities and inflation rising to unprecedented levels, Gen Z is prioritizing economic stability above all else. Gen Z can’t help but wonder if their hard work will pay off the same way as previous generations, and fear mass layoffs are the new norm. For that reason, this generation is expecting higher starting salaries.
Best practices we can expect in 2024
The job market presents many new challenges and opportunities for this generation of workers in 2024. The model that Gen Z is setting in the workforce with boundaries and knowing their worth is leaving many employers confused on how to navigate their entrance into the workforce. To attract and retain Gen Z talent in 2024, it’s important that employers welcome innovative skills Gen Z will bring around technology, remain open-minded to hiring remote employees, push for social impact and diversity within their organizations, and benchmark salaries in a primary candidate-driven market.