Mind the Gap: Here’s what Gen Zers look for in their first jobs

CURATED READS FOR GEN Z—AND THEIR Z-CURIOUS COLLEAGUES

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Brought to you by Liz Hilton Segel, chief client officer and managing partner, global industry practices, & Homayoun Hatami, managing partner, global client capabilities

first up

Illustration of a woman on top of a pie chart with a telescope

Even though some of the Northern Hemisphere is seeing chilly temperatures, one thing that keeps getting hotter is the talent market. The number of current job openings far exceeds the number of new hires, and talent attrition doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Organizations looking to engage Gen Z workers need to stand out—but how?

This week, Marissa Cronin and Anna Zuefle, two recent college graduates who have been working at McKinsey Global Publishing, give their take on why understanding, attracting, and investing in your newest employees is so important.

We’re six months into our roles with the publishing team and will soon be rotating to assignments with different groups across McKinsey. The program we’re participating in is meant to help us find our best fit. This setup keeps us on our toes and continually learning, which is a huge plus for our professional development—especially when you consider that 74 percent of Gen Z and millennial employees are looking to leave their jobs because of a lack of career mobility and skill development.

Talent attrition and attraction will continue to be problems for organizations that are misaligned on the real reasons why employees are leaving, write McKinsey senior partners Aaron De Smet and Bill Schaninger and associate partner Bonnie Dowling. And while we do appreciate a well-stocked snack cabinet, there are much more convincing selling points, such as what the workday looks like and opportunities for professional development.

So what else wins over Gen Z, especially in a competitive talent market? In addition to career development, flexibility is a major pull factor—after all, many younger workers entered the workforce in a hybrid-working world brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. While flexibility may mean many things and isn’t limited to hybrid work, it’s likely that coworkers no longer spend a full 40 hours a week in neighboring cubicles, naturally developing relationships in the break room and at happy hour. This shift away from constant proximity is one reason why cultivating an inclusive and supportive culture is increasingly important to this group of workers.

And make no mistake: young employees, or prospective employees, can tell when you’re just paying lip service to that kind of inclusivity—they expect the real deal from their managers. What’s also key: while many young workers care more than older cohorts about purpose-driven values, they’re still workers who have been affected by the economy (and on an entry-level salary, no less). Compensation and career prospects are just as much a part of the conversation as ever.

While applying for our first postgrad jobs, we were looking for a number of attributes in an employer. What was especially important was finding a place that was committed to not only attracting but also investing in new and diverse talent. For us, ongoing investments in diversity, equity, and inclusion research; strong global affinity groups; and recruitment efforts for those with underrepresented and nontraditional backgrounds are all part of a winning combination. Other key selling points: being supported by a dedicated personal-development manager and having access to a training program that’s designed to grow our skill tool kits.

Like the generations before ours, Gen Z will soon be leaders in the workforce. This means that investments in new employees will not only help employers navigate current attrition challenges but also set up organizations for a stronger future.

VISUALIZE IT

Workforce discontent is a global phenomenon, and a major driver is an unsustainable or toxic workplace culture. To navigate this successfully, employers must consider if they’re solving the right problems.