Robin Paggi - Managing Generation Z: How to Recruit, Onboard, Develop, and Retain the Newest Generation in the Workplace

How to Recruit, Onboard, Develop, and Retain the Newest Generation in the Workplace

Robin Paggi and Kat Clowes

Fresno, California

Managing Generation Z

Copyright 2021 by Robin Paggi and Kat Clowes.

All rights reserved.

Published by Quill Driver Books

An imprint of Linden Publishing

2006 South Mary Street, Fresno, California 93721

(559) 233-6633 / (800) 345-4447

QuillDriverBooks.com

Quill Driver Books and Colophon are trademarks of Linden Publishing, Inc.

ISBN 978-1-61035-400-4

135798642

Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file.

To Michayla and Victoriamy two favorite Gen Zers.
Robin

To all of my students past, present, and future.
Kat

I n 2018, my (Robins) seventeen-year-old granddaughter asked her grandfather if his accounting firm might have a part-time position for her. He told her that she would need to apply and interview with the firms administrator, and I advised that she must dress professionally for an interview rather than wear one of her usual outfits. The firm had no openings, so there was no interview.

Shortly thereafter, the human resources outsourcing company where I work needed a part-time temporary employee, and my granddaughter was hired based on my recommendation. Because I had already advised her on appropriate work attire, I assumed she would arrive at the office in a business-like outfit. Instead, she arrived in leggings, a long T-shirt, and sandals. (Note to self: never assume!)

I sent her a text after work that day to let her know her outfit had not complied with the companys dress code. She asked what she should wear instead, so I sent her several pictures of appropriate apparel. The next time she came to work, she was wearing this outfit.

I told her she looked great and took this picture to send to her grandfather. (Look how cute our girl is!)

Then she wore the same outfit every time she came to the office!

I didnt ask her why she always wore the same thing, but I did ask Kat Clowes, who works with people my granddaughters age.

This is what Kat said: This generation grew up with metrics, benchmarks at school, and extensive standardized testing. Wanting specific instructions, your granddaughter knew that you had approved this outfit; therefore, that was the one to go with when showing up for work.

According to Kat, my granddaughter is a member of Generation Z. Sixty-one million strong, this generation already outnumbers Generation X and is almost as big as the Baby Boomer generation. Born shortly before or after 9/11, most of this generation has always had a smartphone, the internet, and social media. Gen Zers have never lived in a world with privacy, security, or stability.

Over the past fifteen years or so, thousands of articles and books have sought to explain the Millennials as they traveled through school and began their careers, but now the world needs to get ready for Gen Zers. They are not just younger Millennialsthey are from a different world. The only world that Gen Zers have ever known looks far different from the world that Millennials or Boomers or any other generation has known.

Mostly because of technology, Gen Zers grew up with a different set of common experiences than earlier generations. They also missed some of the lessons most previous generations learned. Only 19 percent of them gained any job experience as teenagerswhereas almost half of Baby Boomers had jobs when they were teens. As a result, much of Gen Z lacks some of the general know-how that hiring managers assume is common knowledge. And if a manager displays frustration, a Gen Zer is likely to simply quit, leaving managers confused and bewilderedand shorthanded.

As a training and development specialist at Worklogic HR, I work with hundreds of employers, human resources professionals, managers, and supervisors, and I know all of them could benefit from a better understanding of Gen Z. Kat Clowes has worked with hundreds of young people as they get ready for colleges and careers and knows that these young workers can bring a wealth of skills and insights into your workplace. This book will help you make sense of Gen Zers and maximize their potential.

Robin Paggi is a training and development specialist at Worklogic HR, a human resources outsourcing company in Bakersfield, California. She has more than twenty-five years of experience in creating and delivering training to employees in supervisory positions on topics such as effective communication, performance management, conflict resolution, and harassment prevention. She also coaches employees who need individual assistance with their interpersonal skills and mediates conflicts between coworkers. She has been a human resources manager and college instructor.

With a masters degree in interdisciplinary studies and a masters degree in communication studies, Robin is currently pursuing a masters degree in industrial and organizational psychology. She also has earned professional certifications in human resources (SHRM-SCP and SPHR-CA), training (CPLP), coaching (CPC), and in administering the MBTI, DiSC, and EQ-I assessments.

Robin is active in her community and has served as the president of Bakersfield Twilight Rotary, board president of the Kern County Society for Human Resource Management, chair of the Greater Bakersfield Employment and Labor Law Forum, legislative director of the Human Resources Association of Central California, and member of the Youth Leadership Bakersfield advisory committee. She is also a graduate of the San Joaquin Valley Civic Leadership and Leadership Bakersfield programs.

Robin frequently speaks at conferences, writes articles for local publications, and appears on local radio and television shows to discuss human resources (HR) issues. Throughout the book, I and me refer to Robin, unless the text is specifically attributed to Kat Clowes.

Kat Clowes is the founder and CEO of March Consulting and author of Put College to Work: How to Use College to the Fullest to Discover Your Strengths and Find a Job You Love Before You Graduate. She created March Consulting to help prepare high school students for college and beyond, offering advice on college applications and career paths. Around 2017, Kat began to recognize a definite change in her students questions, learning styles, and preparedness for adulthood, giving her an early look at the unique skills and challenges Generation Z will bring to the workplace.

Kat earned a bachelors degree in communications with an emphasis in digital film and broadcast from Santa Clara University, a masters degree in business administration with an emphasis in entrepreneurship from Mount Saint Marys University, and a certificate in educational consulting from the University of California, Irvine. In addition to her book Put College to Work, which was published by Quill Driver Books in 2015, she has authored various miniguides for her clients, including