After years of analyzing millennials, HR leaders are striving to decipher the next generation of job candidates: Gen Z. Thus far, this group comprising people born between 1997 and 2012 has kept employers on their toes, challenging the status quo with unique wants, needs and perceptions about the modern workplace.

It’s a good time to examine this segment of the workforce and determine how to recruit, motivate and retain them. Rather than speculating about their employment expectations, preferences and challenges, iHire went straight to the source.

In March and April of 2024, we surveyed 1,093 18- to 27-year-olds in the U.S. with a wide range of educational backgrounds to find out what this cohort actually wants from employers. We also polled 252 U.S. employers from 57 industries to obtain their perspectives on the Gen Z workforce.

5 Things Gen Z Workers Want and the Implications for HR

Gen Z Wants Employers to Set Stereotypes Aside

Countless studies, news stories and anecdotes are floating around depicting Gen Z in a poor light. Even some employers in our survey indicated that they believed Gen Z employees and job seekers to be entitled, lazy and uncommitted to their careers.

And Gen Z is picking up on the effects of these unfavorable perceptions – 34.4% of those surveyed were concerned that employers’ negative stereotypes about them will impact their job searches or careers in the coming year. In addition, some respondents commented that they wished employers would treat them fairly and with respect, and a few noted that, yes, they do want to work.

HR technology, such as “blind” hiring tools, can help mitigate conscious and unconscious biases by removing personal information from applications, thus promoting fairer hiring practices. This technology ensures that candidates are evaluated based on skills and qualifications rather than age or background.

Anti-bias training via your LMS can also be helpful.

Gen Z Wants to Work In-Person, But Flexibility Is Crucial

Contrary to the stereotype that tech-native Gen Zers only want to work remotely (hence the “Zoomers” nickname), the majority of survey respondents (82.4%) wanted to work in person or in an office some of the time. Also, 55.8% said they wanted to spend 100% of their workdays in person, while 26.6% preferred a hybrid setting.

What Gen Zers actually value is the flexibility to determine when they work and to take time off when needed. In fact, 81.3% of respondents said it was “extremely” or “very” important for their employer to allow them enough flexibility to strike a healthy work-life balance. Flex time, four-day workweeks (which of course aren’t conducive to all industries) and unlimited paid time off were respondents’ top three most desired types of flexibility.

HR technology can support flexible work environments by implementing tools that facilitate hybrid work models, such as virtual collaboration platforms and scheduling software. These technologies enable Gen Z employees to balance their work and personal lives effectively, aligning with their preference for a healthy work-life balance.

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