Egypt has a young population; half of which are under the age of 25, a post-millennial age cohort classified as Generation Z (Gen Z). Therefore, understanding how to attract and retain young talent is increasingly becoming a hot topic amongst recruitment and employment experts.
As experts predict that Gen Z will take up 75 percent of the global workforce, employers are faced with a number of opportunities and challenges in their pursuit to hire prospective young employees.
Feeling valued in the workplace goes a long way
According to the ?Workforce Institute Global Report, a third of Gen Zers measure their success based on how ?respected they are by their coworkers and the ?recognition they receive from managers, in contrast to millennials who value work meaningfulness above all else.
“This kind of validation is encouraging to Gen Zers — it lets ?them know they are on a path to success,” states the report.?
?“Feeling underappreciated or undervalued for my efforts can ?impact my well-being at the workplace. And if this continues to be the pattern, it would definitely make me unable to reach to my full potential,” public relations and community engagement officer, Radwa El Amir, 24, tells Business Forward.
Creating a future-oriented education ?
Still, the apparent disconnect between academia and the workplace is a top issue of concern for the emerging, younger workfroce.
“One in five also ?feel their education hasn’t adequately prepared them to ?resolve work conflicts or be managed by another person,” according to the report.
In addition to the lack of tech skills, education systems fail to provide ?students with the human skills necessary for them to survive and thrive ?in a rapidly changing work landscape, including essential skills such as ?negotiating, networking, confident public speaking and working long hours, the report continues.
The most tech-savvy generation is also the most anxious ?
? As Gen Z employees are reported to have higher expectations ?than prior generations, they tend to have higher levels of ?anxiety in the workplace when these expectations are not met.?
Across the globe, more than half of the Gen Z workforce ?is hopeful about the future, the workforce institute reports, ?adding that 34 percent of Gen Zers were reported to have their performance level take a serious hit due to anxiety.
Flexibility is a must-have ingredient for the future workplace ?
Creating a workplace culture that supports flexibility is one of the secret ingredients to retain young talents — millennials and Gen Z alike.
?“For me, the ideal workplace environment where flexibility and empathy are mutually ensured; it is encouraging to see employees are being treated ?as humans, not machines,” credit officer, Mira Sameh, 24, tells Business Forward.
Side-hustles as the answer to financial anxiety
While the gig economy provides promising freedom and ?flexible working nature that these generations crave, Gen Zers still do not want it at the ?expense of a safe workplace, decent pay and favorable conditions.
According to the report, more than half of Gen Zers would prefer full-time work — hesitant to join the gig economy due to lack of stability ? and unpredictable pay. ?
?“The majority of Gen Zers who work gig ?jobs today do so to ?supplement a traditional full-time job,” it adds.?
They seek experiences, not jobs
Gen Zers are not content with mundane tasks; they want to do ?something they actually care about. ?
“Gen Zers gain their motivation from doing the work ?they care about most. By encouraging Gen Z with fulfilling ?projects, more than a third say this will encourage them ?to do their best work,” the report highlights.
“I expect from my employer to support my professional growth and care about my future,” Sameh tells Business Forward. “Going to work every day ?knowing that there is ?something new to learn is a big incentive for me to ?stay.”
As per the workforce institute report, 75% of Gen Zers prefer to receive feedback from their manager in person. Only 17 percent prefer to receive feedback via email.
“Regular in-person communication is key,” public relations specialist, Ahmed Sief, 23, tells Business Forward. “I love getting real-time feedback to ensure that I am on track and moving on an upward trajectory.”
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