What kind of leaders does Generation Z need?

Who is Generation Z, actually?

The youngest generation in the job market, encompassing individuals born between 1997 and 2012, is currently between 11 and 26 years old. They represent the entirety from the “First-year secondary school” to “Mid-Twenties.” This generation is characterized by the term Digital Natives, being the first to grow up in a time when technology is omnipresent. Access to the internet and digital media is natural to them, leading them to quickly adapt to new technologies and digital applications and embrace them. This results in a high level of independence and creativity in terms of digital media literacy; from a young age, they are accustomed to communicating via the World Wide Web. Professionally, it’s crucial for this generation to engage in what they perceive as meaningful work. The keyword for this is “Impact.” They seek jobs where they can make a difference and have a positive impact on society. Topics like sustainability, social justice, and responsibility play a significant role.

Expectations of Gen Z from Their Leaders

After clarifying what and who exactly Generation Z, or Gen Z, is, we should now turn our attention to the core question of this article: What do they actually want?
Every individual, shaped by the unique characteristics of the environment they’ve grown up in, has distinct notions of how someone in a leadership role should be.

• Clear Communication:
  In this generation, clear communication in the form of direct feedback is desired, along with concise instructions and minimal packaging around the core message. The goal is to avoid misunderstandings.

• Freedom and Flexibility:
  Being constantly connected and able to be online from anywhere, a traditional office and its associated routine is no longer appealing to most of Generation Z. They prefer working on the go or from home, ideally when they feel most productive.

• Company Culture:
  Generation Z desires to work in an environment where they feel comfortable. Interactions among colleagues must be positive, and there must be a strong alignment with the company’s culture – how it presents itself externally should definitely be in place.

• Social Justice and Sustainability:
  Perhaps a subpoint of company culture, but actually more than that.
  We currently live in a world that doesn’t match how things should ideally be to maintain balance with the future. The wealth gap is widening, and the Earth is undeniably getting warmer. Generation Z feels strongly connected to this issue, and a clear stance as well as proactive measures from companies are highly desired.

What to Do?

Now that we know what Gen Z is really looking for, it seems everything is clear. But where do we start? What can we do?

• Be Flexible:
  A solid remote work culture should now be possible and, above all, implemented for everyone, of course, only where it makes sense. Freedom and flexibility are real assets, and since it’s not yet a true standard, but should actually be, it’s a Gen Z magnet.

• Work on Your Image:
  How you present yourselves as leaders is crucial, whether it’s as a whole company or just as direct supervisors. Support and appreciation are definite pluses and should definitely be part of the leadership repertoire. No one wants an indifferent leader who only provides feedback when something goes wrong, and even then, without any context or commentary.

• Corporate Social Responsibility:
  Leaders who take responsibility not only for their own employees but also for broader societal issues are seen as admirable. They demonstrate how true leadership operates. It’s expected that leaders engage with social issues and ideally contribute to their resolution.

The future won’t wait.