Australian CEO Jane Lu has a large Gen Z workforce, but they’re a far cry from the Millennials she’s managed.
The 38-year-old founder of successful fashion brand ShowPo said Gen Z employees are hardworking and productive, but have different expectations than millennials.
“They typically have much higher expectations in terms of growth and want faster and more frequent promotions,” she told news.com.au.
Mr Lu said he found they needed constructive feedback and flexible working conditions, and considered the ability to work from home an “essential” rather than a perk.
Retaining Gen Z staff is also becoming increasingly difficult.
“The average tenure of Gen Z employees is much shorter than that of Millennial employees, so they need to really see the impact of their work to stay engaged,” she says. I explained.
Australian CEO Jane Lu has a large Gen Z workforce, but they’re a far cry from the Millennials she used to manage. Instagram / @thelazyceo
“Just telling them what to do isn’t the answer; they want to understand the ‘why’ behind their tasks and the difference it makes. ”
CEOs can be appalled by the brazen nature of Gen Z.
Once, when I was interviewing a young woman, she made a shocking request.
“They typically have much higher expectations regarding growth and want faster and more frequent promotions,” she said. Instagram / @thelazyceo
“It was the last round of an interview for someone and she asked me details about her role that I didn’t understand and said the hiring manager had a better idea. And she asked me to pick up the manager,” she said.
“I couldn’t imagine asking the CEO to go find someone during an interview.”
The CEO also noted that Gen Z doesn’t care about hierarchies and wants everyone in the office to be equal.
Mr Lu also said he found that constructive feedback and flexible working conditions were desired, and that he considered the ability to work from home an “essential” rather than a perk. Getty Images/iStockphoto
“They feel comfortable challenging and speaking up with their managers with concerns,” she said.
Learning how to manage them has been an adjustment, but Lu explained that what Gen Z brings to the job is positive.
She finds that they are generally more mature and ambitious, always bringing energy and a fresh perspective to things.
“Their willingness to challenge the status quo can change the mindset of the entire team and encourage them to embrace change,” she said.
“Gen Z employees are truly invested in their work and have a strong desire to make a meaningful impact. They value transparency that fosters an environment of open communication.” she said.
Lu said their dedication and excitement often lifts the entire team and will undoubtedly “shape” the future of work.
Of course, that doesn’t mean managing Gen Z is always easy. There were also challenges. You want to encourage them to be ambitious, but sometimes you need to manage their expectations.
“One of the most difficult aspects of working with Gen Z is managing their high expectations for career growth and development,” she said.
“They crave a clear path to promotion and often ask for immediate feedback. This can put pressure on managers to provide consistent support and recognition.” If people feel like their contributions aren’t recognized or valued, engagement can quickly fade.”
Their ambition is a positive, although it can be “difficult” to meet their demands for flexibility and autonomy.
However, Lu explained that what Gen Z brings to the job is positive. Instagram / @thelazyceo
“They thrive in environments where they can take responsibility for their work and innovate, but can struggle with rigid structures that limit their creative expression and ways of working,” she says.
“Striking the right balance between providing guidance and granting independence is very important, but it can also be difficult.”
Despite her occasional problems, Lou is a dedicated advocate for Gen Z workers. They made her a more thoughtful boss.
“Gen Z employees are truly invested in their work and have a strong desire to make a meaningful impact. They value transparency that fosters an environment of open communication.” Mr. Lu explained. Instagram / @thelazyceo
“I became more conscious of sharing the ‘why’ behind tasks and decisions, which helped me stay engaged and motivated about the work I was actually doing,” she said.
This also allowed us to practice giving our staff the ‘freedom’ to explore ideas and come up with creative solutions.
“It’s great to see them advocating for a more inclusive and collaborative culture. Overall, working with Gen Z has definitely opened my eyes to new perspectives and helped me grow as a leader. ,” she said.
