ESCP ALUMNI magazine - #195 - Automne 2021 - 57

Campus ❙ Brèves
The choice
#GenZ is the future workforce, but do we
really know what makes them tick?
To understand what drives this generation's
choices in the workplace, the Gen
Z Observatory, an initiative of the Cartier
ESCP Business School HEC Paris Turning
Point Research Chair, explored the topic of
the perfect future workplace.
As a workforce, individuals of Generation
Z are much more attentive to an alignment
between their personal and work spheres.
In this perspective, the Observatory identified
three motivational levers:
1.Learning outcomes and personal growth
2.Value matching
3.Autonomy
The Gen Z workforce has a very clear idea
of what is to be considered valuable in one's
life. When picking jobs, this young generation
tends to look for companies where they
see their values and future perspectives
recognised, while being on the same page
with their overall missions.
To understand what drives this generation's
choices in the workplace, the Gen Z Observatory,
an initiative of the Cartier-ESCP-HEC
Paris Turning Point Research Chair, explored
the topic of the perfect future workplace by
combining reports and generational trends,
such as the latest study from EY.
As a workforce, individuals of Generation
Z are much more attentive to an alignment
between their personal and work spheres.
In this perspective, the Observatory identified
three motivational levers:
* Learning outcomes and personal growth:
The degree of knowledge acquisition
and growth that a job position can offer
match the desire of this generation to grow
through collaboration.
* Value matching: Gen Z pays significant
attention to the values a company stands
for. These should reflect an ethical frame
where both employees' wellbeing and
operational impacts are taken into account.
* Self-space/autonomy: The concept of
success itself has evolved, and elements
such as happiness, work-life balance and
financial stability have reached top places
in Gen Z's rankings. As a consequence,
productivity is not seen as the means to
tirelessly achieve success but as the right
balance between working hours and personal
time.
Gen Z individuals are digital natives that interact
with companies in which they believe in.
While Gen Z values the rationale: there's more
to life than work, they are also increasingly
prone to have their identity aligned more
closely with their industry choices.
Confirmed in a report by Deloitte, Gen Z
shows a higher preference than other generations
when it comes to wanting to work
in industries they interact with personally.
As digital natives, tech is the most popular
sector, with other top sectors including
healthcare and education.
While salary has indeed been an important
factor for most Gen Z-ers, in general, and traditional
industries in particular, incorporating
value-adding elements into everyday work,
such as green impact investing or consulting
for a company they believe in, is becoming
increasingly necessary as aware Gen Z-ers
seek to relate their values to the firm. In creative
sectors, job security is a factor in high
demand, with its value becoming especially
evident during Covid-19 when many cultural
workers struggled. Though Gen Z seeks to
work on their terms with things close to their
passions, stability is also desired.
While Gen Z values the rationale: there's more
to life than work, they are also increasingly
prone to have their identity aligned more
closely with their industry choices.
Mental health and authentic communication
are key aspects for Gen Z-ers
Mental health is a large topic that encompasses
many subcategories. These include
work-life balance; flexibility in rigid corporate
structures, such as hours and location; the
negativity of hustle culture; digital vs tangible
interactions; lack of appreciation and
honest discussion; the need for a positive
and inclusive environment; and feelings of a
stunted career growth due to lack of agency
and autonomy.
Through interviews with Gen Zers and
Millennials starting out in the workforce,
the Observatory identified several needs
linked to mental health at work:
* Need to be seen as an individual at work,
* Necessity for a support system in the
workplace,
* Urge for agency over one's actions,
* Extreme desire for a work life balance.
This makes authentic communication
between employers and employees essential,
and it is an attribute that the initiative-led
and the go-getter Gen Z individual is seeking
for in a job. They want to be a part of the
conversation, spanning from everyday interactions
to more important responsibilities.
They want to be able to talk with their superiors
without the pressures and the feeling
of hierarchy's rigidity. They want expectations
of their work to be clearly defined and
translated in an up-front manner. They want
constructive criticism to be offered regularly
instead of yearly, and they want to be given
positive feedback when deserved. The Gen
Z employee wants to feel connected to the
people he or she works for.
Gen Z does not want to be a cog in a
machine, they want to be part of the team
while also being seen as an autonomous
individual with agency.
ESCP Alumni Magazine numéro 195 ❙ AUTOMNE 2021
❙ 57
ESCP ALUMNI magazine - #195 - Automne 2021

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