I am an Xer who manages a small but crucial team at my workplace (in an EU country). I had a lady resign last week, and I have another who may be about to resign or I may have to let go due to low engagement. They are both Gen Z. Today it hit me: the five years I’ve been managing this department, the only people I’ve lost have been from Gen Z. Clearly I do not know how to manage Gen Z so that they are happy working here. What can I do? I want them to be as happy as my Millennial team members. One detail that might matter is that my team is spread over three European cities.
Happy to provide any clarification if anyone wants it.
Edit. Thanks for all the answers even if a few of them are difficult to hear (and a few were oddly angry?) This has been very helpful for me, much more so than it probably would have been at the Old Place.
Also the second lady I mentioned who might quit or I might have to let go? She quit the day after I posted this giving a week’s notice yesterday. My team is fully supportive, but it’s going to be a rough couple of months.
I’m on that brink between the two. My experience is that people are less likely to deal with inconveniences, especially during the ramp up period. There is a sense of immediacy that has been growing in recent years on all sides of work. Some people will feel as though demand on them increases disproportionately to the time and training provided them.
My parents always advised me to “Wait it out” if I didn’t feel comfortable or prepared to do the tasks a job required of me. However, while most places are slow to fire someone for not being up to task, there will be a good amount of pressure and expectations to succeed. Every job I’ve had, I could do the work, but didn’t know their proprietary systems or unique business processes in use. So while I interviewed well, I struggled to demonstrate my skills because of a ticketing system or set of forms required. Nobody was too friendly to someone who said they were good, but can’t hit the ground running.
Keep in mind, as others have said, that most younger people are only just now entering the workforce. They don’t know how to work, they don’t know what’s normal, they don’t know what to do or what to expect. They’re seeking a place where they can get guidance on how to be productive. Not in terms of micromanagement, but in terms of adequate instruction, offering of support if needed, and empowering them and providing them resources needed to succeed. If they aren’t comfortable, don’t feel the right vibe from the workplace culture, can’t figure something out… the patience for such things is very very thin. Not to say you should walk on eggshells, but as also said: they don’t have loyalty yet. Most young people see it as a necessary evil to work, and most companies something to tolerate, not embrace. They will bounce at a moments notice because they aren’t married to the concept of being a “company person”.
It’s a difference in how their work ethic is applied. They need that immediate return for their input. There is no safety in working towards something several years in the future if the future doesn’t exist, or won’t be kind to them. So they seek more benefits that are applicable to their daily/weekly life. I know you mentioned Europe, so they don’t face the American problem of being fired at will or layed off with no notice. But it is something to consider that there is seemingly no perceived value to staying at one place until you retire like was had in the past.
~ Just some thoughts.