A Look Ahead: 3 Tips for Managing Generation Z

Meet Generation Z, the newest workers in the hospital. Find out what makes them tick and learn a few tricks for managing them.

There's a new generation entering the workforce this year: Generation Z. Three million members of the Baby Boom generation plan to leave the workforce in 2016, and Gen Z is poised to replace them—but are they ready for the professional world?

While some sources put Generation Z's first birth year as late as 1996, Bruce Tulgan, president and CEO of Rainmaker Thinking and author of Bridging the Soft Skills Gap: How to Teach the Missing Basics to Today's Young Talent defines Generation Z as born between 1990 and 1999. These workers are different from their Generation Y counterparts, says Tulgan.

Generation Y grew up during the peaceful and prosperous 1990s, says Tulgan. In contrast, most of Generation Z cannot remember a time before the September 11 terrorist attacks of 2001, and have had life expectations shaped by events like the 2008 stock market crash and the Great Recession that followed.

Each generation is also shaped by the generation that raised them, he says. While Generation Y was predominantly raised by Boomers who had delayed parenthood, Generation Z was reared by stereotypically cynical Gen Xers.

With little faith in the system and having experienced layoffs and other corporate tragedies firsthand, it wasn't enough for Gen X to allow their children to feel like winners—Generation X wants their children to have every advantage so they can actually be winners, says Tulgan.

Cue the onslaught of BPA-free sippy cups; certified organic wheat-free macaroni and cheese; and children on leashes that have become the hallmarks of Gen X parenting.

 As a result, while Gen Z is usually book-smart and well- educated, many of its cohorts are lacking soft skills such as communication and problem solving abilities, or knowing who at work to go to for advice when sticky situations arise..

However, Generation Z is diverse. "It's important not to overgeneralize," says Tulgan. There are Gen Zers who have taken advantage of real world experience from a young age or are already assuming business leadership positions. So, don't assume a young worker lacks these skills until you have a reason to. But every generation has its pitfalls, and this one is no different.

"I think there are different skill gaps," says Christine Pirri, vice president of human resources, education, and volunteer services at Cobleskill Regional Hospital in New York. "Each generation works a different way and gravitates differently. For example, Gen X works very independently. Their skill gap was that they weren't initially very good collaborators."

Three issues that leaders often run into with Generation Z include confusion regarding scheduling, their love of both technology and collaboration, and their strong youthful energy and potential that needs to be managed correctly.

The Flex Generation
Pirri recalls an awkward situation she recently faced with a young new hire.

"Every Friday at around 2:30, she'd suddenly get up and announce she was heading out for the weekend." Pirri quickly figured out why the employee believed she could do this; she worked through her lunches every day and assumed that made up for two and a half hours on Fridays. But it didn't—Pirri's department hired this worker expecting coverage on Friday afternoons.

"This generation has higher expectations of control over their hours, environment, and working conditions," Tulgan says.

Having come of age in an era when breakfast can be ordered at McDonald's at dinnertime and a favorite Christmas movie can be queued up on Netflix in July, this generation doesn't automatically expect a predefined 9-to-5 schedule.

And for some jobs, this might not be a problem. Flexible hours are something people of any age can take advantage of, Pirri says. "I think other generations will see the value in [expanded paid time off and flexible schedules]. Boomers … who want to phase into retirement, especially if they have aging or ailing parents, will see the benefits of this as well."

But not every job can be flexible. In the case of Pirri's new hire, a quick conversation about scheduling was all it took to get back on track. " 'Now that I know those are your expectations, that works,' " Pirri recalls the employee saying to her.

Technology and Collaboration
Generation Z is very tech savvy, which can be both a blessing and a curse for those who manage them. True digital natives, most Gen Zers never knew a time without the Internet or a robust search engine. "This makes them very valuable … they can find information in a fraction of the time it takes members of other generations," says Pirri.

But some managers report difficulty getting young workers to think critically or work through complex problems, says Tulgan. "They've kept [smartphones] in their pockets all the time and could look up the information they needed, so they never really developed the habit of puzzling over problems."

Many managers also report difficulty communicating effectively, especially in face-to-face interactions. It can take time to develop these skills. Asking a worker to sit down and think about the big picture before taking the next step is usually helpful.

But Mark Dunn, talent strategy officer at University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville says there's an often overlooked quality that many Gen Zers possess.

"They are collaborative and have a strong desire for transparency. I'd say that they're perfectly positioned to take advantage of a sharing culture in business." While earlier generations felt more possessive of projects or data, sharing comes naturally to many Gen Zers, says Dunn.

Wanted: Leadership and Mentors
Having been hyperaware of the competitiveness of a post-recession, post-9/11, post-globalized world since childhood, Gen Z worries about their chances for success. They're eager to establish themselves and create strong relationships with their coworkers and managers, but they need rules, guidance, and boundaries as they navigate these new challenges.

Dunn has been mentoring a Gen Z colleague he sees potential in. He gives his mentee frequent feedback in a highly structured way. "I've told him, 'When I coach you or ask you to see things differently, I'll give you context …. Let me explain what happened, and how I intend for you to use this to develop as a professional.' "

Dunn says his protégé has developed strong critical thinking skills and professionalism under his guidance and will be ready for a leadership role when he gets the chance. "We've set this person up for success."

Before being too critical of these workplace "newbies," it's important to remember that they are still young and adjusting to professional life, says Tulgan. "I'd say their challenges are about 50/50. Half of [their blind spots] are just that they're young."

Dunn, who can remember reading articles critical of Generation X in the 1990s, says, "I think some of these criticisms are less about the new people coming in, and more about the people currently on the job.

Over time, each generation grows and develops professionally. Like the Boomer, Gen X, and Gen Y employees before them, Gen Z has the potential to overcome any gaps in their soft skills as they grow into professionals. It's just a matter of giving them the right leadership and feedback.