How to adapt your employer brand to attract Gen Z – the workforce of the future

By 2025, Gen Z will make up 27% of the workforce. At first glance that may not seem like that much, but this number will only continue to increase and if you want to implement new policies that will enhance your employer brand then it is important to give yourself the time to make sure they are right for your company and to put them into effect.

Here are 5 steps that we think are employer brand must dos to secure future talent -

1. BE AUTHENTIC & COMMUNICATE

The first step and arguably the most important one is to ensure that your employer brand and the way you talk about yourselves online matches your internal culture. Your employees should agree with everything that you circulate externally, and we would encourage transparency and communication with your employees so that they feel comfortable to provide feedback. If there is a disconnection between your external brand and your internal culture, then not only will your current employees feel frustrated, but your prospective Gen Z employees will most likely find out that you are being ‘fake’.

2. VISION, PURPOSE & VALUES

Make it clear to your whole team as well as to future employees what your mission and purpose are. Having a good understanding of why the company exists as well as the vision for the company is beneficial for the whole team and can help a huge amount with engagement. Almost two-thirds (63%) of Gen Z feel it is very important to work for an employer that shares their values. Gen Z want to have an impact in their careers and generally are more determined to find fulfilling jobs where they are valued vs making money. (EY Press Release)

3. TECHNOLOGY

Gen Z is the first generation to have 24/7 access to the internet and social media since birth. This means that they are ‘digital natives’ and are very comfortable with using technology in many areas of their life. Technology needs to be optimised so that employees have a smooth and enjoyable experience which will also allow them to stay connected and engaged to their colleagues. This is particularly important if some or all of your team work remotely and technology plays a significant role in remote team members feeling both engaged and connected.

4. LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT

This is another important area for Gen Z. This generation of talent want to have opportunities to learn and develop whilst also getting involved in other areas of the company whether that be charity groups or mentorship programmes. Collaboration is important and generally Gen Z want to be able to speak and act on topics that they are passionate about.

5. FLEXIBILITY & INDEPENDENCE

These two areas will vary from company to company and from industry to industry but in our opinion Gen Z will really appreciate being given as much autonomy and flexibility as possible in the way they choose to work. This could mean allowing your team to choose where and when they work or it could mean creating an open culture where employees feel empowered and encouraged to engage in open discussion and to give constructive feedback.