By Bridget Weingart

For Generation Z, it’s all about connection.

Whether it’s instantly devouring the latest headlines online or receiving a Reel from a friend on Instagram, connection is at the heart of how Gen Z operates–and it’s crucial to understanding how they’ll fit into the workforce.

Born from 1996 to 2012, Gen Zers had an upbringing that was vastly different from previous generations: they grew up in a world where advanced technology was commonplace. With the internet lying right at their fingertips, Gen Z integrated technology into nearly every aspect of their everyday lives, gleaning ways to navigate and leverage digital landscapes. As a result of this unique technological upbringing, Gen Z is known as the first generation of digital natives, and they’re characterized as highly social, distinctly connected, and digitally fluent.

Gen Z is already changing the status quo in the office. With a propensity for questioning traditional hierarchies and maintaining more flexible work schedules, Gen Z employees are primed to disrupt business norms and encourage unconventional approaches in the workplace. By 2025, they’re predicted to comprise a staggering 27% of the global workforce. And although these tech-savvy workers might shake things up, they might shake things up for the better.

As a result of their upbringing, Gen Z employees possess a unique set of values and perspectives that will define their ensuing transition into the workforce. Accustomed to instantly accessing answers with a quick Google search, they’re inherently curious and social. Gen Z is also skeptical of authority and tradition, often unafraid to ask why things are done the way they are – and if there are better alternatives. They’re additionally outspoken on social justice issues and passionate about mental health, climate change, and racial equity.

Due to their pragmatic mindset, social upbringing, and digital fluency, Gen Z workers value work environments that offer collaboration, flexibility, feedback, mentorship, diversity, technology, and investment.

Collaboration

Regardless of the Airpods plugged into their ears, Gen Z employees relish collaboration and teamwork. They want to be actively involved in their companies, and that means forming connections with coworkers. Gen Z workers dislike traditional work hierarchies, preferring to engage in team group discussions and bounce ideas off each other. In fact, they have the highest number of informal relationships in the workplace.

Gen Zers can better form workplace connections with collaborative project management tools such as BasicOps, which allows users to seamlessly transition from direct or group messages to face-to-face virtual meetings.

Flexibility

Mental well-being is a priority for Gen Z employees. Only 45% of the generation describes their mental health as “excellent” or “very good,” compared to 56% of Millenials (Exploding Habits). Surveys from Deloitte found that 46% of Gen Zers feel stressed or anxious most of the time.

Consequently, Gen Z employees value workspaces that promote work-life balance and offer flexible work alternatives, like the BasicOps mobile app, which enables employees to work on the go. Gen Zers may elect to work at hybrid and remote companies that give them more freedom and flexibility in choosing their hours. A four-day workweek is not out of the picture for this cohort, which wants to maintain healthy social lives and avoid career-related burnout.

Mentorship

When Gen Z employees join a new organization, they want mentorship–and they want a specific form of it. Gen Z workers aim to build personal relationships and participate in meaningful two-way dialogues about their career trajectories. Rather than merely engaging in weekly or monthly formal meetings with a boss, they prefer regular face-to-face check-ins with involved mentors, so they can form fulfilling connections, engage in back-and-forth conversations about their progress, and delineate how their work fits into the big picture.

It’s important to note that the increasingly rigorous college application process coupled with the global pandemic severely limited Gen Z’s exposure to real-world work experience. Consequently, as Gen Z employees enter the workforce, they tend to require more in-depth and hands-on guidance from their higher-ups, including clearly outlined responsibilities and detailed project breakdowns like BasicOps tasks and subtasks.

All that being said, Gen Z employees are eager to make an impact—they just need the right support to succeed. Work management systems that offer visual diagrams and comprehensive project timelines, such as BasicOps, can help Gen Z employees better understand how they contribute to company success.

Feedback

Remember how Gen Zers are the first generation of digital natives? As they enter the workforce, they’ll need to adapt to environments where answers aren’t always instantly accessible.

Gen Z wants assurance that their work contributes to overarching organizational goals, and they prefer feedback that’s instantaneous, frequent, and empathetic. While these Gen Zers don’t shy away from constructive criticism, they also appreciate hearing that you value their efforts and input. Active guidance, clear explanations, and thoughtful conversations–as opposed to one-sided analytical feedback–will help Gen Z employees integrate into their positions. With features that allow workers to seamlessly hop onto video calls and request reviews on specific tasks, BasicOps helps facilitate the feedback process for companies with Gen Z employees onboard.

Diversity

Gen Z employees find it particularly important to work at organizations that align with their values. Whereas previous generations classified jobs as discrete components of their daily lives, Gen Zers view their careers as fundamental aspects of their identities. Moreso than any other generation, their workplace cultures must reflect their values–particularly diversity, equity, and inclusion.

When deciding where to apply, 75% of Gen Z reported that they gauge a company’s dedication to DEI (Forbes). They look for workplaces that integrate DEI into their core values rather than regard it as a performative measure. These companies hire from diverse backgrounds, offer equal opportunities to all employees, and foster inclusive environments where everyone feels valued.

Technology

Digital technology plays a key role in Gen Z’s personal lives. It makes sense that they’d want it to play a role in their work lives too. Gen Z employees expect their workspaces to leverage the latest digital tools to simplify unnecessarily complex tasks and increase collaboration opportunities. By taking advantage of AI and cutting-edge developments, organizations can simultaneously enhance employee productivity and provide opportunities for Gen Z to harness their technological prowess.

Technologies that streamline communication will further appeal to Gen Z workers, who are particularly reluctant to use email and prefer methods of instant messaging like Slack. For instance, BasicOps blends direct messaging systems and AI-powered features with straightforward navigation and a nifty Slack integration to increase collaboration between employees of all generations.

Investment

As we previously mentioned, Gen Z values strong relationships with their managers. But they also want a deep, impactful, personal connection to the company: they need to know you’re invested in their growth and open to their ideas.

When asked how likely they would be to leave if their employer did not offer a flexible work policy, 72% of Gen Z reported that they would be likely to leave (LinkedIn). Gen Z is unafraid of asking for change, and they’re unafraid of migrating toward the organizations that are more receptive to it. They appreciate employers who are willing to thoughtfully consider feedback, provide opportunities for career development, and implement tangible changes, such as adopting new technologies and shifting to more flexible work schedules.

Gen Z in the Workforce

As Generation Z enters the workforce, they’ll certainly push for change. This cohort envisions a work environment with flexible schedules, advanced technology, and ample collaboration opportunities. They want to deeply resonate with their company’s core values and form authentic connections with their colleagues. And they’re willing to leave jobs to make this happen.

With its advanced yet intuitive interface, BasicOps is a collaborative project management system that caters to the needs of Gen Z and beyond. By allowing users to communicate directly within the platform, seamlessly conduct virtual meetings, and integrate with existing platforms like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 (Office), BasicOps makes collaboration and teamwork effortless. It’s the perfect tool for aligning the diverse work styles of all employees and driving collective success.

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How Gen Z Fits Into the Workforce