The nature of the hiring process continues to evolve as employers re-evaluate the qualities they need to develop a diverse workplace that complements the company's culture. As Gen Z and millennials continue to crowd the applicant pool, many hiring managers and career experts question their readiness to take on full-time employment.
Peter Gray, PhD., a researcher and professor at Boston College, notes the trend of declining resilience within college students, commonly millennials and Gen Z students, according to his article in Psychology Today. Resilience is a key trait desired by employers and desperately needed when dealing with conflict or decision making in the workplace. Gen Z and millennial employees help to make up a diverse workplace, but Gray's concerns for the future of the workplace involve the ability of these employees to manage bumps in the road without experiencing personal and emotional difficulties.
The hiring process has become more personal, as potential employers are often interested in the personality traits of applicants. Perhaps millennials and Gen Z candidates are too forthcoming or too emotional during the application process, raising caution flags. According to Suzanne Lucas with Inc.com, the question is whether millennials and Gen Z employees can respond to constructive criticism, feedback and performance appraisals without taking the criticism as a personal attack. The attitude that the boss is out to demean or unfairly pick on the employee is seen as a rising trend in this applicant pool.
Millennials and Gen Z employees do not always fall into the stereotypes portrayed by Gray and Lucas. A diverse workplace with generations that bring innovative ideas and processes to the forefront can be beneficial for your business. Individuals from Generations Y and Z want a career that offers personal and professional perks that help to promote skills and experience. These individuals are seeking out opportunities and are motivated to make an impact in the world, with or without the company's help.
It may be that millennials and Generation Z have acquired a reputation for overly sensitive reactions or a lack of resilience, but the personal touch they provide in a diverse workplace has its advantages. Company cultures thrive when people are open and honest with each other. Millenials and Gen Z employees are often more engaged and active within company meetings, gatherings and social outings to expand their networks and get to know the ins and outs of the business as a whole, while also promoting the benefits of a diverse workplace.
The bottom line is that millennials and Gen Z employees are often eager and motivated to advance their careers and stay involved. Hiring managers must determine if these qualities help to create a diverse workplace that benefits customers, clients, employees and management or if the associated disadvantages outweigh the benefits.
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