What Gen Z Wants: Flexibility
Generation Z makes up 1/4 of the global workforce, so understanding their goals and priorities is critical.
This is a generation that has grown up with information at their fingertips. If they have a problem, they can hop onto YouTube and watch a video of someone showing them how to solve it. They can find the answer to any question on Google. They have the tools to start and run a business from their phone.
So, why would they spend 40+ hours a week sitting in an office when they could be doing the same work at home? Or at a coffee shop? Or wherever they want to be?
One of the top things that Generation Z is looking for in their workplace is flexibility. In fact, in the “2021 Deloitte Global Resilience Report,” interviewing over 8K Gen Zs, most respondents selected flexibility/adaptability as one of the three most critical workforce traits.
Many of them grew up with parents who were workaholics. They want something different. They want to be able to put their family first while focusing on their career. Flexibility will help them achieve that work-life balance.
Just to be clear, flexibility doesn’t necessarily mean free rein to set your schedule and work location. But it does require you to look at how you can provide the best space that will support the best work for your team.
This looks different depending on your context. You may be in a business where things happen on a set schedule that cannot change. Events happen in a format that is not very yielding. So, how do you provide flexibility?
Here are some ideas:
Flextime & Condensed Schedules
Flextime is a method of scheduling that allows team members to stagger their arrival and departure times as necessary. This is appealing to anyone who, like me, has a busy life. Team members with children or other caregiving responsibilities are no longer forced to choose between their personal obligations and their professional responsibilities when considering a job.
A flextime policy also places the emphasis more on the work completed than the amount of time spent in the office. It communicates a level of trust in the ability of your team members to manage their own productivity.
Condensed schedules allow workers to fit the same amount of work over a shorter number of days, giving an additional day or two off during the week. This appeals to many team members with long commutes and typically results in less time off for personal errands.
Telecommuting
Not every team member needs to work in an office. The rise of productivity tech tools has made staying connected and productive outside the office a viable option. Many companies allow for completely remote workers. Others prefer a hybrid approach with some days spent in the office and other days with the flexibility to work from anywhere. Either way, allowing some amount of flexibility is beneficial for both the employee and the company.
A study from Pr Newswire shows that 80% of U.S. workers would turn down a job that didn't offer flexible or remote work, exposing just how big of a deal flexibility is for this generation.
Flexible PTO Policies
There are a few different approaches to PTO policies. Some companies prefer to keep the traditional set up of separating sick and vacation days, others offer a set number of days to use on any type of time off.
While traditional PTO plans still work for many companies, policies of unlimited paid time off are also becoming increasingly popular. It provides the employee with peace of mind knowing they can take a day off when they are sick without worrying about whether they will have enough time for a family vacation later in the year. Unlimited PTO is something to consider if your organization is ready for the change.
As Generation Z continues to enter the workforce, employers are going to need to examine how they can be flexible. Flexibility helps to improve the work-life balance and autonomy of the employee while businesses will see improved motivation, productivity, creativity, and loyalty.
What are some ways that you have built flexibility into your business?