Although stories about millennials have dominated the news cycle in recent years, the generation behind them, Generation Z, is poised to make an even bigger splash.

This group, which roughly encompasses those born between the mid-1990s and 2010, has more than 60 million people. Such a large presence offers Generation Z potential to revolutionize workplaces in the coming years, as its oldest members are entering the workforce now.

What are Generation Z's dominant characteristics?

Generation Z’s members are "mobile and internet natives," said Emily Bauer, Vice President of Program Marketing at EAB, a best-practices firm that uses research and technology to better understand the education industry.

"They've grown up with instant technology," she said. "They’ve grown up with online shopping."

Because of this comfort with technology, Generation Z views mobile devices differently than other generations, added Ben Fauske, consulting leader for the Center for Exceptional Leadership at the Donald J. Schneider School of Business & Economics at St. Norbert College.

"They actually view their devices as a part of themselves," he said. "They were born with their phone being part of their identity."

Generation Z has different communication styles.

This close relationship to technology and the digital realm means Generation Z also defines what Fauske called "meaningful connections" quite differently.

For example, although baby boomers might consider in-person conversations the most valuable form of communication, younger people aren't as rigid.

"They would blend all sorts of communication as all being very important – so responding quickly to a post, or a text or Instagram is very, very important," Fauske said. "That's a meaningful connection in their language. They would view it all on a spectrum."

For leaders, recognizing and respecting this holistic attitude toward communication styles is vital.

Fauske once worked with a client that managed a younger employee who would constantly text about work-related matters, even though their offices were next to each other. Instead of getting angry, the manager reached out to her subordinate and set up clear guidelines around when it was appropriate to text, and when other methods of conversing were better.

Such compassion and respect paid off when the younger employee was promoted and eventually became the older worker's boss.

"She said, 'Thank you for taking the time to understand how I wanted to communicate,'" Fauske recalled. "'You really helped me understand how and why you want to communicate. And you were very consistent with me and because of that, my career accelerated.'"

Leaders should be curious about the ideas and habits of Generation Z employees.

Leaders who extend that same empathy and curiosity to employee working styles and preferences also end up benefiting from being open-minded.

"It doesn't mean you lower expectations. High expectations are non-negotiable. It is understanding how the work gets done or that how people communicate might be very different," Fauske said. "And the leaders that are open to that, and open to those conversations, in my experiences, are very pleasantly surprised at the outcomes they get. You know it is working when all generations are looking to each other for wisdom and advice."

For example, managers can connect with Generation Z workers by asking about thought leaders the latter group follows on social media. Generation Z workers can ask former generations’ advice on how to become an effective leader.

"Find out who they follow, who they're influenced by, who their heroes are," Fauske said. "Every generation has heroes. Gen Z are looking for more insight on, ‘Who are the most influential people for each generation, and what can I learn from them?'"

Generation Z workers are looking for a leadership development culture. However, they also know that includes feedback. They desire conversations with their bosses about their job performance, and gain confidence from receiving affirmations.

"The need for them to get guidance and coaching and mentoring is very, very high," Fauske said.  "They need feedback: In their experience, no news is bad news. So even though they may not be comfortable with the feedback, they need to know it. Share with them what’s going well and what needs work. This creates the necessary coaching connection. This is will help them grow in self-awareness.”

Generation Z is value- and mission-driven.

By that same token, workplace culture is also being shaped by Generation Z's sense of social responsibility.

"The mission aspect of things, that sense of purpose, is critical to the decision-making of Generation Z," Bauer said. As a result, team-building perks such as volunteer opportunities or activities that improve communities are appealing to Generation Z. So are company-supported affinity groups "about some common thread that pulls people together," Bauer added.

Most of all, however, members of Generation Z also want their bosses to see where they're coming from and adapt to those needs.

"It's not just the company supporting Generation Z to do this stuff," she said. "It is Generation Z wanting to see top leadership also reflecting the values of this group."

Interested in learning management strategies for a multi-generational workplace? Find out how the Center for Exceptional Leadership at the Donald J. Schneider School of Business & Economics at St. Norbert College prepares today's leaders to work with and cultivate tomorrow's leaders.


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