Young workers bring new priorities to the workplace, creating challenges for employers and prompting educators to focus on skills that will help young employees thrive.

Employers have always faced the task of adapting to the expectations and work styles of younger generations. But Gen Z brings a notable shift in values, and employers are finding that younger workers are motivated by different priorities than previous generations. Here’s a look at where those values diverge and what’s being done to better prepare young workers for career success.

How Gen Z and employer values misalign

Researchers have found that young workers’ values differ from their bosses’. Gen Z’s top three values are self-care that supports personal flourishing, recreation and leisure, authentic self-expression and a desire to be themselves all the time and helping others, said NYU Professor Suzy Welch, in a USA Today interview. Her findings on Gen Z values come from a survey of 200,000 people.

Welch also surveyed 25,000 hiring managers and found their top three values are markedly different. The number one thing they’re looking for in a new hire is the desire for achievement and to win. Number two is what Welch calls work centrism, or the desire to work. The third thing employers value in employees is a desire for learning, activity and adventure.

How the misalignment plays out in the employment

There’s clearly a misalignment. Only 2% of Gen Z has the values employers seek, Welch says. This is playing out in the market, which currently favors employers, with many Gen Z workers getting fired because they don’t meet employer expectations.

These firings are not uncommon. Six in ten companies fired a recent college graduate within the year, a survey by Intelligent shows. Hiring managers have concluded that college grads are unprepared for the world of work and say 20% can’t handle the workload, according to Fortune.

The lack of workplace preparedness isn’t limited to college graduates. Eighty-four percent of hiring managers surveyed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce agree that most high school students are not prepared to enter the workforce.

Efforts to better prepare young workers

Education in two areas—soft skills and personal finance—is seen by many employers as a way to better prepare young workers for the workplace.

Don’t let the term “soft” trick you into thinking these skills aren’t important. Communication, collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving and emotional awareness are core skills people need to thrive and succeed in the workplace.

Educators recognize the need to foster soft skills, starting in K-12. In fact, a new AP Business with Personal Finance course rolls out in some high schools this year. In higher education, schools are helping students strengthen soft skills through experiential activities, embedding soft skills in coursework and facilitating real-world interactions with employers.

Financial literacy related to taxes, net income and budgeting is seen as a high-value skill by many employers. “The earlier they learn to save and be responsible for the money they make, the more ready and stress-free they are to stay motivated at work,” said one HR manager interviewed for the U.S. Chamber survey.

Helping employees develop financial literacy

Consumers knows the value of financial literacy and how it helps improve people’s lives. That’s why we offer West Michigan employers our free Consumers @Work program. It helps people learn the ins and outs of budgeting, credit scores, debt reduction, home ownership, digital banking and more. To learn more about the program, contact one of our @Work representatives.

 

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