Diversity has always been a hot topic in the world of work culture. In the context of talent understanding, companies need to remember that diversity ratios change at the drop of a hat. Currently, many organizations have all three generations - Boomers, Millennials, and Gen Z - working under the same roof. Although we have an understanding about what older employees expect from their workplaces, there is still a lot of unfolding that needs to be done to get a clearer picture of what new-age employees want. Yep, we are talking about today’s workforce that mainly comprises generation-Z and millennials.
In this piece, we untangle what new-age employees expect from their organizations and how much of these needs are valid.
A NEW & REFINED HR STRATEGY
A new and refined workforce requires an HR team that also is on the same page as them. To put it simply, today’s workforce looks beyond recruiting and upskilling criterias. To match these expectations, new-age HR also needs to revolutionize itself. This can be done through an overall, holistic approach that includes 360-degree feedback for employees, learning through gamifications, training and development programs that upskill them for work and beyond, and much more.
INCLUSIVE CULTURE BUILDING
Most companies are so focused on building an employee-friendly culture that sometimes they forget that you cannot build anything without knowing what people truly want. In other words, building a culture that increases employee satisfaction and reduces employee turnover will only work in the long term when the organization is constantly aware of what their employees think about their current work culture and policies. This can be done through regular surveys, more inclusive employee-subordinate discussions, and reverse feedback where employees also give feedback to the organization/employer.
PREPPING FOR THE GIG ECONOMY
Here’s another new Gen-Z word to add to your vocabulary- the gig economy. Gig economy is the term used to describe short-time work contracts and more flexible work conditions. This generation is the generation of dreamers and, trust us, they have too much on their shoulders. They prefer to work for organizations that follow a more flexible work culture - such as freelancing or hybrid working - than those who are still stuck with the traditional working ways. This improves their job performance, job satisfaction and also gives them more time to look beyond work.
BUT HOW MUCH OF THESE DEMANDS ARE VALID?
One thing that we believe in is that any business is made of, for, and by people. To answer this question, the demands of the new-gen employees are indeed very valid. Companies cannot stay rigid. Those that do will be left behind. An exemplary organization is one that evolves with the expectations of its employees. The truth is that every generation is different, so the ways of working that suited the previous generation might not suit the current one. Therefore, it is better to understand and keep a track of what the new workforce demands from its firm. An unsatisfied employee will only yield poor work results, have low job performance, and the work culture will suffer overall.
THE BEST WAY TO COUNTER THIS IS TO GET TO KNOW YOUR EMPLOYEES
Don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, you have us!
Feel free to reach out to us to get a better understanding of how to build an employee-friendly work culture that is inclusive, understanding, and equal for all.
