According to figures Generation Z, or in short Gen Z, are currently making up 30 percent of the world’s population. And It is expected that Gen Z will greatly affect the workplace. They will transform and disrupt it more than any previous generation. So in what way will Gen Z change the labour-market? What will their actual impact be? And is there something that we as trade unions can do for this generation entering the labour-market?
During a two-seminar in the city of Copenhagen more than 50 trade union leaders and experts from the EU and outside discussed the challenges when it comes to Gen Z. The seminar, organized by Krifa and WOW-Europe in cooperation with the European Centre for Workers’ Questions (EZA) and funded by the European Union, started with a few opening-remarks by Kim Valentin, Vice-Chairman of the Employment Committee and Spokesman on cultural affairs and employment for the Liberal Party Venstre (Denmark). ‘Gen Z is Denmark’s most divers generation. It is a generation with a very different and specific view on life and work. They value flexibility and self-determination. And critical thinking is considered key’, Valentin said.
Jane Heitman, President Krifa, confirmed the challenges of the new generation. ‘Within Krifa there are initiatives to approach these young people in ways that are adapted to their needs and expectations. Communication is different for a generation that has only known a life with digital means’ Heitman added.
Much is expected from Gen Z. It is expected that they will disrupt the existing balance and relationships. ‘Gen Z is considered the generation of hope’, Mikael Arendt Laursen, Vice-president Krifa and WOW-Europe, stated. ‘They are the ones who will shake up things and make things better. Quite the responsibility’ he concluded.
‘There is much prejudice when it comes to Gen Z’, Helle Stenbro, Knowledge Program Manager of the Job Satisfaction Knowledge Centre in Denmark stated. ‘There is generally a negative feeling about this generation.’ The outcome of the poll that was conducted among the participants of the seminar showed exactly this. ‘They are spoilt, impatient, lack humanity, have difficulty accepting criticism, want flexibility etc.’. But this is far from the truth. ‘What we see is that young people prioritize the meaning of work highly and that they really want to make a difference in society and at the workplace.’ Stenbro stated. Older workers really appreciate the input of young workers. So perception and reality are clearly not the same. ‘They say the things that all of us think and put the finger on the sore spot’, Stenbro concluded.
Eileen Droß, Head of Marketing Interim Profis GmbH (Germany) focused on Gen Z’s Influence on the future of work. So what makes Gen Z so special? A very important question when trying to attract young people to your company or business. For this it is important to investigate what young people find important and how they can be reached and recruited best. Dross said that what is important for Gen Z is ‘Purpose, Sustainability and Transparency, Personal Development and Flexible Work-models’. So it is important for employers and companies to put more focus on this. Companies can do so by so-called preboarding methods (before starting a position) and onboarding methods (regularly checking in after starting a position).
During the political debate, moderated by Jane Heitmann, President Krifa (Denmark), Stine Bosse, Member of the European Parliament for the Modernate Party Moderaterne (Denmark) and Jens Paaske Klausen, National Chairman Venstres Ungdom (Denmark) discussed the current position of young workers and what Europe can do to improve this. Issues such as influence of migration on the position of young workers; youth unemployment; education; and how to organize young workers and address their concerns were all discussed. Bosse stated that ‘it is important to find answers on European level and that only by exchange of information on European level and by safeguarding the existing networks that changes will take place.’ Paaske Klausen added that ‘it is still the reality that young people are spoken about instead of spoken to.’
Tamara Bresler, Social Media Marketeer and Co-Founder What a View Studios (Germany) started by asking the question: “Why focus on Gen Z?”. It is estimated that by 2025, so now, 30% of the world population belongs to Gen Z. And technology and values change the world of work. The key questions now are: How does Gen Z change the world of work – What role do Social Media and Podcast play? – How can companies and trade unions respond? Gen Z will change the world of work because their perspective on work and the way they communicate is completely different than the previous generations. ’For Gen Z the key to the labour market is Social Media. 85% uses Social Media when looking for a job. And the trust they have in Social Media is higher than that of information from official sources’ Bresler said. Digital tools and technology shape the future of work. It allows for flexibility to become the standard and it allows for direct and speedy communication. Those who want to follow and be a part need to adapt. ‘Companies and trade unions need to rethink their strategies to attract and retain Gen Z’, Bresler said.
But does Gen Z really exist? And what about all the previous generations? Are the generations so very different from each other? According to Wouter Vandenabeele, Associate Professor of Human Resources Management at the Utrecht University (Netherlands), generational thinking ‘stems from sociology, whereby it is generally believed that shared experiences determine the identity and personality of a person, creating generations’. This in turn explains social change. Provocatively, Vandenabeele delared that ‘Dear Gen Z, you do not exist! Dear non Gen Z, please stop calling them Gen Z!…Generational thinking makes sense … yet is wrong’. Based on research, ‘generational differences’ on the work floor are hugely overstated, if existing at all. ‘Life stage is a better approach to address age differences in the organization (less permanent). Be aware of your own biases and stereotypes,’ Vandenabeele stated.
Perhaps more important than the use of the denomination Gen Z is the question how we can achieve meaningful youth participation in trade unions. ‘Union density has been declining at least since 1990. When workers do not join the union before the age of 30 or 65 than most probably they will never join’ Ms. Dana Huisman, Trade Union Counsellor CNV (Netherlands) stated. There are number of reasons why young workers do not join. They have either not been asked or they do not believe they need the union. Besides that the feeling is there that the union does not work for them. In order to attract young workers it will be important to use other tactics such as one-issue campaigns (and thus flexible commitments), discuss Gen-Z topics and values, and choose youth-led initiatives. Gen Z constantly asks themselves the question: “What’s in it for me!”. And they do not ask the question out of selfishness, but because they want to make a difference and it should be worth the effort. If Gen Z has the feeling that this is not the case they loose interest. Additionally Gen Z ‘demands’ equal terms in decision-making. ‘Gen Z just wants to be taken seriously’ Huisman concluded.
The last part of the seminar was a reserved for a panel-debate. Mr. Denis Strieder, Press Officer FCG (Austria), Ms. Melissa van Doorn, Trade Union Counsellor CNV (Netherlands), Ms. Stine Gregersen Søndergaard, Marketing Consultant Krifa and Mr. Søren Trangbæk, Project Manager Krifa (both Denmark) presented how their unions are trying to attract young employees. All three unions do so by trying to connect to the style and matters Gen Z understand and find important. Issues such as values, digital presence, flexibility and well-being, meaning, sustainability etc. By offering products of their interest and be where the young people are and on their terms. Through interesting campaigns presented in a ludic way young people achieve attention for their issues.
Every generation (if we continue calling it this way) faces its own challenges. The challenges seem greater now because of the rapid changes in modern society and the desires that are very different amongst young people in comparison with older people. Our task as trade unions is, like always, to find the right approach and the right answers.
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