Gen Z grew up with technology in hand, and as they begin their careers, they aspire to do meaningful work
The newest generation to enter the workforce – Gen Z - is already having an impact on employers’ technology problem-solving and purchasing decisions, according to new research from Nintex.
The findings are contained in a series of reports titled “The Gen Z Effect” that examine the career drivers and values of Gen Z employees in four geographic regions including: Australia, New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom.
A key finding is that Gen Z, also known as Zoomers, are the first digitally-native generation in the workforce and frequently considered the office’s resident tech expert.
In fact, 70% of Gen Z employees report they have been approached by a senior team member to fix a technology problem.
Nintex CEO Eric Johnson, said Gen Z grew up with technology in hand, and as they begin their careers, they aspire to do meaningful work.
“It’s becoming increasingly important for organisations to leverage technologies that help all employees to perform at their best,” said Johnson.
“One of the best ways to do that is with a process management and automation platform like Nintex, which makes it fast and easy to manage, automate and optimise any business process, simple or sophisticated, across the entire enterprise.”
According to three Nintex reports, 80% of decision-makers across Australia, New Zealand, the US and the UK have selected a technology tool suggested by a Gen Z employee.
Other findings show that the Zoomer, as an employee, is thoughtful and driven with 63% of Gen Z selecting a university major due to “personal interest” rather than career longevity.
Interestingly, half of Gen Z also expect a promotion within their first year on the job. This generation is not one to accept the first job offer they receive; before deciding, they will consider their opportunities for growth and the impact that they will have.
The research also highlights how Gen Z attitudes differ by region as to salary, company culture, career advancement and automation. US respondents rank “salary and company culture” as the biggest factors in making a job decision, while UK Zoomers value “work flexibility ahead of salary and work-life balance”.
In New Zealand and Australia, “salary and company values” top the list.
While Gen Z shares high digital know-how and comfort with technology across all four geographies, their concerns about workplace automation vary widely from region to region. Fifty-seven percent of Gen Z in the US are concerned that AI and automation will cost them their jobs, compared to 30% in the UK and 43%t in New Zealand and Australia.
Looking at Gen Z’s commitment to an employer, 31% of Gen Z in the UK and US, and 29% in New Zealand and Australia, plan to leave a job after just one year.
“Business and HR leaders and front-line managers need to keep this generation’s career advancement goals in mind if they want to retain Gen Z workers long-term,” Johnson said.
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