LOWELL, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Workforce Institute at Kronos Incorporated today issued a global survey of 3,400 members of Generation Z1 across 12 countries that found contradictory revelations from the newest segment of workforce.
This survey is the first in a series of reports from The Workforce Institute at Kronos and Future Workplace that examines attitudes of Gen Z in workplaces across Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the U.K., and the U.S., including how their education has prepared them for the working world, their perceptions about the gig economy, and their views on how to be an employer of choice for the next generation. Part one, “Meet Gen Z: Hopeful, Anxious, Hardworking, and Searching for Inspiration,” explores surprising contradictions of how 16- to 25-year-olds view themselves, their expectations of work, and how employers can best prepare to manage Gen Z employees.
News Facts
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Gen Z believes it is the hardest-working generation – and have it
the hardest – yet demand schedule flexibility to deliver their best
work.
- One-third (32%) of Gen Z respondents say they are the hardest-working generation ever, with Millennials ranked as the second-hardest working generation at 25%. More than half (56%) say the Silent Generation is the least hardworking generation of all time.
- Almost two-fifths (36%) of Gen Zers believe they “had it the hardest” when entering the working world compared to all other generations before it, tied with the Silent Generation (ages 75-94), which generally began entering the workforce during or just after World War II.
- While Gen Zers believe they are hardworking, one in four (26%) admit they would work harder and stay longer at a company that supports flexible schedules, with flexibility desired most in Canada (33%), the U.K. (31%), and the U.S. (31%).
- Gen Z’s appeal for flexibility comes with a few actions they would never tolerate from their employer, including being forced to work when they don’t want to (35%); inability to use vacation days when they want to (34%); and working back-to-back shifts (30%).
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Mind the “Preparation Gap”: Gen Z outlines what school did – and
did not – prepare them for, as these digital natives crave
face-to-face interaction.
- Despite record-high enrollment, less than half of Gen Z credits their high school (39%) or college (42%) education for preparing them to enter the working world. One in four Gen Zers say they are least prepared to handle negotiating (26%); networking (24%); speaking confidently in front of crowds (24%); and resolving work conflict (23%).
- Conversely, Gen Z feels well-equipped to handle working in a team (57%); hitting project deadlines (57%); and working with customers (56%).
- Gen Z also isn’t prepared to be managed by another person (21%), although nearly one-third (32%) say they would be motivated to work harder and stay longer at a company if they have a supportive manager. The top three attributes they value in a manager are: “they trust me” (47%), “they support me” (40%), and “they care about me” (35%).
- Despite being digital natives, three out of four Gen Zers (75%) prefer to receive manager feedback in person, and 39% prefer to communicate with their team or employer in person – with Gen Zers in Mexico valuing in-person communication the most (55%).
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How do they measure success? Gen Z is optimistic, yet anxious,
about their careers.
- Across the globe, more than half (56%) of Gen Z is optimistic about their professional future, led by India where an incredible 44% of 16- to 25-year-olds are “extremely optimistic,” followed closely by U.S. Gen Zers at 31%.
- However, Gen Zers who are employed today are the least optimistic: Half (50%) of those who are currently serving in an internship and one-third (28%) of those working full-time are only “moderately” optimistic about their professional future.
- The overall optimism of Gen Z is met with many emotional barriers this generation feels it must overcome to achieve workplace success, including anxiety (34%), lack of motivation/drive (20%), and low self-esteem (17%). Anxiety, specifically, is a greater concern among female Gen Zers (39% vs. 29% for male) and most prevalent in Canada (44%), the U.K. (40%), and the U.S. (40%).
- About one-third of Gen Z measures their success based on how respected they are by their co-workers (34%) and the recognition they receive from their manager (32%). However, traditional benchmarks still matter, with salary (44%) and advancement (35%) reigning supreme.
Supporting Quotes
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Joyce Maroney, executive director, The Workforce Institute at Kronos
“Gen Z is bringing new expectations to the workplace, driven by their digital upbringing as well as their self-identified emotional barriers to success. They have strong feelings about how and when they want to work, especially compared to generations past. With Millennials moving into management roles, we’re entering an inflection point in the employee-manager relationship – and leaders will need to familiarize themselves with the priorities of this latest generation of workers in order to effectively manage and develop them.”
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Dan Schawbel, best-selling author and research director, Future
Workplace
“Despite younger generations being called lazy by older generations, Gen Zers consider themselves the hardest-working. To inspire them to do their best work, companies must meet them at the starting line – give them training, flexibility, and mentorship. This digital generation, primarily relying on technology to communicate, suffers from anxiety. Thus, Gen Zers are looking for leaders who are trusting, support their needs, and express care for them as humans – not just employees. Focusing on Gen Zers human needs will be the best way to address their workplace needs.”
Supporting Resources
- Note to editors: Please refer to this research as the “Meet Gen Z survey” commissioned by The Workforce Institute at Kronos together with Future Workplace.
- Download the associated report here.
- Subscribe to follow The Workforce Institute at Kronos for insight, research, blogs, and podcasts on how organizations can manage today’s modern workforce to drive engagement and performance.
- Putting people first isn’t just good for employees – it’s good for business. Kronos CEO Aron Ain shares why in his new book, “WorkInspired: How to Build an Organization Where Everyone Loves to Work.”
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About The Workforce Institute at Kronos
The Workforce
Institute at Kronos provides research and education on critical
workplace issues facing organizations around the globe. By bringing
together thought leaders, The Workforce Institute at Kronos is uniquely
positioned to empower organizations with the knowledge and information
they need to manage their workforce effectively and provide a voice for
employees on important workplace issues. A hallmark of The Workforce
Institute’s research is balancing the needs and desires of diverse
employee populations with the needs of organizations. For additional
information, visit www.workforceinstitute.org.
Survey Methodology
Research findings are based on a
global survey conducted on behalf of The Workforce Institute at Kronos
and Future Workplace by Savanta across Australia and New Zealand
(surveyed together), Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, India,
Mexico, Netherlands, the U.K., and the U.S. from April 9–23, 2019. For
this survey, 3,400 respondents were asked general questions to explore
thoughts on gig economy, workplace readiness and expectations, corporate
culture, and learning and development with respect to their career. The
study targeted Gen Z employees. Respondents are recruited through a
number of different mechanisms, via different sources, to join the
panels and participate in market research surveys. All panelists have
passed a double opt-in process and completed on average 300 profiling
data points prior to taking part in surveys. Respondents are invited to
take part via email and are provided with a small monetary incentive for
doing so. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The
magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number
of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results.
In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result
does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 1.7 percentage points from
the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with
all persons in the universe represented by the sample.
© 2019 Kronos Incorporated. All rights reserved. Kronos and the Kronos logo are registered trademarks and Workforce Innovation That Works is a trademark of Kronos Incorporated or a related company. See a complete list of Kronos trademarks. All other trademarks, if any, are property of their respective owners.
Footnote 1: Generations are defined as follows: Gen Z, ages 16-25; Millennials, ages 26-37; Gen X, ages 38-54; Baby Boomers, ages 55-74; and Silent Generation, ages 75-94.
