As Gen Z begins to enter the workforce, organizations are scrambling to understand how to attract and retain them.
Many organizations focus on the common facts that , such as how Gen Z is the first digitally native generation, that they value diversity and inclusion more than ever, and aim to work for companies that share their beliefs.
While those aspects are important, an even bigger issue is not getting enough attention: How the pandemic has impacted their skills development.
In this week鈥檚 edition of The Science of Leadership, we look at how COVID-19 has impacted Gen Z鈥檚 development and what organizations can do to make sure they succeed.
Editor鈥檚 Note: It鈥檚 important to note that even great studies into generations can lump a large group of individuals together and paint them in the same light. While this is okay for identifying broad trends, remember that not everyone in a given generation is the same.
Before we jump into development, we must first look into Gen Z and education.
The pandemic has loomed over the heads of Gen Z as they go through some of the most transformational times in their lives. One of the largest areas impacted is education (high school and higher ed). Specifically, the shift from in-person to virtual learning.
Even though Gen Z is known for their technological prowess, remote learning hasn鈥檛 been kind. According to by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research (AP-NORC), 65 percent of Gen Z participants said that education was extremely important to their identities.
鈥淭he pandemic is taking a toll on their education and career goals. 46 percent feel that the pandemic has made pursuing their educational or career goals more difficult. Fewer Millennials (36 percent) or Gen X (31 percent) share that concern.鈥�
The study also found that 55 percent said having fun is difficult, 46 percent said being happy is difficult, and 45 percent said maintaining relationships is difficult.
This paints a picture of an extremely stressed-out generation struggling to achieve educational goals, which are highly valuable to them.
These findings were also backed up by a study, , from Mt. San Jacinto College. They found that:
In short, education is a pain point for this generation. Adapting to fully remote learning has distanced them from the things they enjoy about school while also making it harder for them to actually learn.
Gen Z has been short-changed when it comes to developing the skills necessary to land a job and thrive in a role or career. According to a study by , Gen Z is well aware of this, finding that 51 percent of participants believe that education systems haven鈥檛 helped them prepare for work.
The study entitled, , surveyed over 3,000 across 11 countries to better understand their skill competencies.
The team separated the data they collected into two groups. The first is what Gen Z feels prepared to do in the workplace and the other is what they feel they aren鈥檛 prepared to do.
In the first group, the results suggest that Gen Z is ready to complete basic workplace tasks. They discovered that:
The team reports that these skills are developed mainly from prior work experience, which makes a lot of sense given that Gen Z is just now just entering the workforce. After all, these skills are the basic requirements for many entry-level roles.
The list of skills Gen Z feels unprepared for is larger. According to the team, :
鈥淥ne in five also feel their education hasn鈥檛 adequately prepared them to resolve work conflicts or be managed by another person,鈥� reports The Workforce Institute.
鈥淓ntering the workforce directly out of high school or college, a third of Gen Z is concerned that lack of professional connections or experience may negatively impact performance or success at work.鈥�
These results suggest one thing: Due to the pandemic, Gen Z鈥檚 may lack the soft skills required for the modern workforce.
The semi-good news is that Gen Z is aware of this.
鈥淎 recent of over 2,400 Gen Z students, 92 percent reported that they are able to confidently identify which soft skills they have. What鈥檚 more, they know that soft skills are critical to their success in the workplace,鈥� .
With the knowledge that they have a skills gap, they can start developing their soft skills to set themselves up for success.
This sentiment is backed up by more data from the Tallo survey, which found that, 鈥淎 willingness to try new things also appears to be one of Gen Z鈥檚 strengths, as 鈥榮tepping outside of your comfort zone鈥� was selected as the best way to develop soft skills. That response was followed by being open to feedback and communicating often.鈥�
So, how can organizations create environments where Gen Z can thrive despite potentially having underdeveloped soft skills?
The fact that this generation has the self-awareness to understand they have a soft-skills gap, plus the fact they also have the willingness to address them, makes leadership more crucial than ever.
Leading Gen Z will require care and attention from managers who will play a prominent role in aiding the generation鈥檚 development. Gen Z knows this as well, listing management as a top concern when looking for work in many studies.
For example, The Workforce Institute survey found that, 鈥淣early a third of Gen Z is motivated to work harder and stay longer at a company if they have a supportive manager, and 29 percent believe having a poor manager would get in the way of their performance. In fact, 37 percent would never tolerate an unsupportive manager.鈥�
At The National Society of Leadership and Success (黑料不打烊), we firmly believe that leadership makes all the difference for all generations; however, it鈥檚 particularly important for Gen Z as they progress into the start of their careers.
鈥淕en Z values ethical servant leadership that supports them and helps them develop their skills,鈥� said 黑料不打烊 President and CEO Neil Khaund, . 鈥淟eading through empowerment allows Gen Z to develop their skill sets while building trust along the way. By doing so, organizations prepare Gen Z for success and they also create a culture of learning that can benefit the overall company.鈥�
The pandemic has made a significant impact on Gen Z in a multitude of ways, specifically when it comes to soft-skill development. This doesn鈥檛 mean that Gen Z has no options. They鈥檙e ready and willing to learn and work hard to develop their skills as long as leaders are there to help guide them. The organizations that will win over Gen Z talent will lead with care and dignity, putting development and support at the forefront.
Ready to dig deeper? Read The Workforce Institute's full report , and Tallo鈥檚 survey .
Want to brush up on your servant leadership skills to better lead Gen Z? Check out our full guide.
Have a burning question about any of the topics we鈥檝e covered? Email us at blog@nsls.org. We鈥檇 love to hear from you.