Written by Carrie Martin
10 Feb 2023
Rebranding for Gen Z: How to transform your recruitment strategy to attract Gen Z talent
Gen Z refers to anyone born between 1997 and 2012
You might have noticed recently that more brands are doing all they can to attract Gen Z consumers. Adidas launched its first new label in over 50 years, with the intention of endearing itself to Gen Z. The brand has partnered with actor Jenna Ortega, who played Wednesday Adams in Netflix’s recent Wednesday series - another Gen Z hit.
Elsewhere, Tiffany & Co. have collaborated with Nike to create Air Force 1 trainers with a powder blue swoosh in a bid to appeal to younger consumers.
It’s not just in the fashion world where companies are pivoting to attract Gen Z - it’s impacting the world of recruitment too. Gen Z will account for 20% of the workforce by 2025, according to Zurich. While likely in more junior roles right now - the oldest Gen Z-ers are 25, and the youngest are just 11 - they will soon be in positions of higher influence.
So, what can your company do to appeal to the Gen Z workforce? Let’s explore.
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Creating flexibility at work doesn’t need to be hard. Following the passing of the UK Government’s Flexible Working Bill, we have some guidance on what real flexible working arrangements look like.
The key takeaway from the guidance is to be open-minded about the accommodations you can make - avoid knee-jerk negative reactions to flexible working requirements.
Gen Z-ers want to work for companies who share their values - and pay more than just lip service to important causes. 89% of Gen Z workers are looking for a sense of higher purpose at work, while 73% would take a pay cut to work for a company whose values they share, according to Deloitte.
If your company doesn’t have a diversity and inclusion strategy in place, it’s well worth investing in one, or risk losing Gen Z employees in the future.
Check out this selection of tech to support diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Gen Z is also looking for jobs in different ways, so…
LinkedIn is a great place to start, but don’t forget about channels like Instagram and yes, TikTok, whose audience is mainly made up of Gen Z users.
Far from being a ‘needy’ trait, as some people like to characterise it, Gen Z-ers love of feedback is a proactive approach that allows them to regularly review their performance and routinely make adjustments.
It’s easy to get bogged down in the negatives, but during challenging times that include a post-pandemic recovery, a near recession, a war and a cost of living crisis, celebrating wins - even little ones - becomes even more important.
Why would you want to stay at a company that focuses only on the negatives?
Remember, this is the generation that has always had access to a wealth of information at their fingertips - they’re following career advice TikTok channels giving them advice on negotiating salaries and shopping around for better opportunities.
So, keep your employee packages competitive, and ensure you’re monitoring competitors’ approaches to recruitment.
Find out what it’s like to hire with us, or contact us for immediate support.
You might have noticed recently that more brands are doing all they can to attract Gen Z consumers. Adidas launched its first new label in over 50 years, with the intention of endearing itself to Gen Z. The brand has partnered with actor Jenna Ortega, who played Wednesday Adams in Netflix’s recent Wednesday series - another Gen Z hit.
Elsewhere, Tiffany & Co. have collaborated with Nike to create Air Force 1 trainers with a powder blue swoosh in a bid to appeal to younger consumers.
It’s not just in the fashion world where companies are pivoting to attract Gen Z - it’s impacting the world of recruitment too. Gen Z will account for 20% of the workforce by 2025, according to Zurich. While likely in more junior roles right now - the oldest Gen Z-ers are 25, and the youngest are just 11 - they will soon be in positions of higher influence.
So, what can your company do to appeal to the Gen Z workforce? Let’s explore.
Be flexible
Gen Z workers love flexibility - in fact, around half are willing to take pay cuts if it means having more flexible work arrangements.Creating flexibility at work doesn’t need to be hard. Following the passing of the UK Government’s Flexible Working Bill, we have some guidance on what real flexible working arrangements look like.
The key takeaway from the guidance is to be open-minded about the accommodations you can make - avoid knee-jerk negative reactions to flexible working requirements.
Do good
Gen Z are amongst the most conscientious members of the workforce. They’re truly worried about the climate crisis - some 40% of them say that they’re so concerned about the state of the planet that they would be reluctant to have children.Gen Z-ers want to work for companies who share their values - and pay more than just lip service to important causes. 89% of Gen Z workers are looking for a sense of higher purpose at work, while 73% would take a pay cut to work for a company whose values they share, according to Deloitte.
Be inclusive
A massive 93% of Gen Z-ers want to work at companies that value diversity and inclusion, with a significant proportion placing better diversity and inclusion initiatives amongst their highest priorities when searching for a job.If your company doesn’t have a diversity and inclusion strategy in place, it’s well worth investing in one, or risk losing Gen Z employees in the future.
Check out this selection of tech to support diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Gen Z is also looking for jobs in different ways, so…
Use social media
Gen Z are much more likely to see your job adverts on social media than other generations. If your recruitment strategy doesn’t include a social component, you’re probably missing out on a large section of the workforce.LinkedIn is a great place to start, but don’t forget about channels like Instagram and yes, TikTok, whose audience is mainly made up of Gen Z users.
How can you retain Gen Z workers?
If you don’t want the Gen Z component of your workforce to jump ship, there are a few things you can do to retain them. These include…Be transparent & offer feedback
According to Human Resource Management, Gen Z-ers view transparency and open communication at work as highly important. They expect frequent dialogue with managers and fellow employees, and value regular feedback.Far from being a ‘needy’ trait, as some people like to characterise it, Gen Z-ers love of feedback is a proactive approach that allows them to regularly review their performance and routinely make adjustments.
Be positive
This applies to the rest of your workforce as much as it does to Gen Z, but it’s important to remember to celebrate your team’s successes.It’s easy to get bogged down in the negatives, but during challenging times that include a post-pandemic recovery, a near recession, a war and a cost of living crisis, celebrating wins - even little ones - becomes even more important.
Why would you want to stay at a company that focuses only on the negatives?
Remain competitive
Just because they’re younger members of the workforce, it doesn’t mean that Gen Z-ers are any less savvy than other generations within your team.Remember, this is the generation that has always had access to a wealth of information at their fingertips - they’re following career advice TikTok channels giving them advice on negotiating salaries and shopping around for better opportunities.
So, keep your employee packages competitive, and ensure you’re monitoring competitors’ approaches to recruitment.
Final thoughts
Gen Z is about to become one of the most influential generations in your workforce. So make sure your company is ready to welcome them. Act now to avoid being left behind.Next steps
Want support attracting the right candidates to your company? For over 20 years, Eden Scott has provided companies with the specialist insight they need to form the ideal team.Find out what it’s like to hire with us, or contact us for immediate support.
