When you manage a dynamic, innovative business, you want to attract a young, dynamic workforce, right?

We’re guessing you know plenty about Millennials by now—in fact, you’re probably one yourself.

But what about Generation Z, the younger cohort entering the workforce? This youngest wave of graduates is now out there, looking for work. So, does your business have the right culture, work ethic and workplace practices in place to attract their attention? These practices might not always be what you think, either.

For example, in a study on Gen Z behaviour, 60% reported that they wanted multiple check-ins from their managers during the week.

Yes, really.

So, if you’re struggling to recruit younger Millennials or Gen Z workers, here are 6 things you could be doing wrong:


1. Not promoting diversity and inclusion

Did you know that our youngest members of the workforce rank equality as the most important cause for employers to support?

They expect equality and diversity in their personal and professional lives, and this generation says that a company’s level of diversity affects their decision to work there. So, whilst you might know internally that you’re a diverse and inclusive organisation, have you made the message clear to the wider world?

Better still, according to Forbes, organisations with inclusive cultures are twice as likely to meet or exceed financial targets, and are three times as likely to be high-performing. So, if broadening your diversity isn’t on your ‘to do’ list for the coming year, it’s certainly time it was.

2. Not enough (or the right) activity on social

How is your brand’s social presence?

You may devote your time to being social on the channels where your customers are most active, but have you considered your potential employees too?

Major businesses have already begun using Snapchat, one of Generation Z’s preferred social media platforms, to up their recruitment game. It’s a move that has helped major brands get ahead in recruiting future leaders.

But remember, social media usage is incredibly fluid, Just four years ago, Facebook was winning the popularity contest, with 94% of teenagers maintaining a profile. One year later, Instagram became the favorite platform and Facebook’s popularity began declining. By 2017, Snapchat had become the clear leader. So, be prepared to be agile in your social strategy.

3. Forgetting to manage Glassdoor

Are you actively managing your employer brand on Glassdoor?

With over a third of the 32 million unique monthly users on Glassdoor being Millennials and Gen Z-ers, it’s essential that companies keep an eye on this anonymous reviews site.

According to the site, 70% of candidates consider these reviews before they make a career decision and 69% are likely to apply to a job if the employer actively manages its employer brand. Some businesses even employ a full time person to monitor and maintain this platform, scanning and responding to reviews, and acting upon the feedback.

Not on your radar? Time it was, don’t you think?

4. Neglecting learning and career development

Don’t forget, Gen Z came of age witnessing a young Zuckerberg and the like make billions from one simple idea. So, if these workers are considering taking a career path in your business, they want to know they can experiment and be creative within their roles, and can see a clear progression path.

Thanks to their upbringing, Gen Z often questions what it is to be an employee and how they can grow professionally. They often seek out development opportunities early in their career — to them, an ideal employer would use rotational programs, job shadowing, lunch and learn sessions, and provide plenty of ongoing learning and development opportunities.

5. Providing too much information

Millenials were considered to be the digital natives, but that’s nothing compared to Gen Z with zero recollection of life before high-speed WiFi—this generation was born roughly between the invention of the smartphone and the launch of the iPad. Ouch.

Generation Z possesses excellent online research skills. As such, they are intense multi-taskers, and have a more limited attention span than older generations. So, when you’re recruiting for these workers, tailor the information about your company and the vacancies to something that can be consumed in small doses, like a snap or an Insta story. Sounds daft, but it works.

6. Not facilitating enough face-to-face interaction

Generation Z thrives on feedback; they want regular interaction between themselves and their managers. This is because workers from this generation want to be developed into leaders, and quickly.

At the same time, they want to know that a company’s culture is lively and fun, and extends beyond ‘doing business’. So, do you and your staff make the most of away days, instil a lively work culture and put on ‘extra-curricular’ activities?

If not, consider ways to bring your teams together for more than just work chat. Is there scope for regular drinks to celebrate new business and/or new staff members? What about taking time out in the afternoon or after work to attend talks or events that are interesting to your staff? Or to enjoy unusual activities that get everyone talking. Escape Hunt is a great place to start, with unique escape room experiences in major cities across the world.

Finally, if your workplace is already doing all these six things, but you’re still struggling to recruit Gen Z-ers, make sure you’re actively promoting them. Remember, your existing staff are your best advocates for working at your business. You want to present all aspects of your company—your personality, your ethics, and your fun culture—to appeal to new staff members. Time to get cracking!