PART 1
Generation Z is leaving. That’s right. Gen-Z is now running late to the office if you’re lucky… or happen to be a “Gen-Z friendly culture.”
A scary number of them are planning their goodbye parties, which we all know only happens if you’ve been around for AT LEAST ten years (twenty in Gen-Z years). Sixty-five percent of Gen-Z plan to quit their job this year. Yikes!
So, if we’re going to convince them to stick around, we’ve got to hurry up and find a way to lead them… right?
Wrong.
Before we can lead them, we need to find a way to love them.
- If you just rolled your eyes, this blog’s for you!
- And if you quietly said “Amen,” this blog’s about you.
This two-part blog series will outline three shifts that will help you unlock a Gen-Z friendly culture today.
Also, these shifts are no longer suggestions; they are ‘make or break’ for Gen-Z.
Good news—every ‘Gen’ will appreciate them. After two years of constant covid change, there’s no better time to make some moves.
Hint: It has nothing to do with ping-pong tables and flexibility. That’s icing. First, we must build the cake.
My Gen-Z Journey…
Before we talk about how let’s talk about how I got here—for those who refuse to blindly trust me. *Feel free to skip this section if you do.
With ten years in the trenches at one of the largest churches in America—and nothing to lose except more co-workers—I reluctantly stepped into a leadership role. (I liked my low-stress job.)
Attendance was skyrocketing; however, good people were leaving staff at an alarming rate. It was our very own “Great Resignation” before it was trendy.
My job was to oversee Worship Ministries; my real job was to be a tourniquet and turn around a toxic culture IF there was time.
After about a year of reinforcing three pillars that would come to define our culture, the change was undeniable.
Fast forward to today and our culture is unrecognizable. Not perfect but prioritizing the right things in the right order. Things that move the “people needle.” (The most important needle of all!)
We began heading from toxic to healthy, diminishing to developing and best of all, from pushing to pulling people in.
We transformed and so can you.
How do I know?
- First, people stopped leaving in droves.
- Then, new people started showing up.
- Finally, the people who left were trying to come back.
- And, of course, surveys.
These pillars were simple SHIFTS in perspective and priorities that became non-negotiable. And they were based on principles forged over a decade of listening, learning—occasionally cringing—and finally wanting to help.
What I didn’t know is that these shifts would do more than help us get healthy. They were the very things that would make us Gen-Z friendly today.
K—let’s go!
Build it and they will come.
It starts with culture, which is hard to define and even harder to ignore. It’s as elusive as it is pervasive but as real as the metaverse. Exactly.
As a leader, you create a culture. Did you know that? I didn’t.
Culture is a team sport, but if you lead a team, a department, a business, or more, you are the primary driver of that culture.
It’s the effect of your leadership style. It emerges in response to the way you lead like the milk after a giant bowl of Lucky Charms… or Raisin Bran. (One is bad, ICYMI!)
It doesn’t matter how you define it.
Culture is the reason people come AND the reason they go.
When it’s thriving, so is your business. When it’s dying, well, you get it.
No longer lost.
The best way to LOVE GEN-Z is to create a culture that sees them for who they are and stops shaming them for what they’re not.
A culture that stops trying to shoehorn them into yesterday’s cubicle.
A culture that is SO compelling they would forgo their freedom to be a part of it—which is exactly how they see it. A healthy culture is a great start, but not enough anymore.
We need a Gen-Z friendly culture.
As a leader, YOU have influence. Enough to start moving people in a more Gen-Z friendly direction today.
Too many to ignore.
You might be thinking, “Hold on a sec, I like our corporate culture the way it is (was).” I get it. I think?
But the math is clear: Whatever it is you lead today will not have a tomorrow without Gen-Z.
Gen-Z or “Zoomers,” as they’re also called, make up 26% of the world’s population. That’s 2 billion Zoomers and counting! Don’t trust me. Trust the math.
They are the future. And thanks to covid, the future is now!
More options than ever before.
More than ever, Zoomers have a choice to work for you or work for themselves. According to the internet, almost half of Gen Z and Millennials would rather be unemployed than unhappy in a job.
Hats off to the next generation for keeping us on our toes and forcing us forward.
Many are choosing the solopreneur path to their parent’s basement. Anything to avoid working for the proverbial man or woman. That’s us.
Especially if staying comes at the expense of their mental health. Gabby Lanniello, known as the “TheCorporateQuitter” says it this way:
“Inner peace is the new success.”
Gen-Z agrees.
Culture will decide.
In 2021, over 47 million people quit their jobs.
That number is… dare I say… unprecedented. (The second most used word in 2021 to pivot—which as a word became “The Great Reverser.”)
We could drop that word and skip right past vision. It was a free pass.
“I know what I said, and I wish I had time to explain, but we’re gonna need to pivot. Any questions?”
Marcus Buckingham said, “People leave managers, not companies.”
WE KNOW THIS! But 47 million “I quit(s)” got me thinking…
…There are not enough bad bosses in the world to do that alone… maybe there’s a second shooter, a silent killer (kinda like MOLD, which is no joke). And then it hit me in third person… Dave Holvig said, “People quit crappy cultures.”
“People quit crappy cultures.”
We quit!
Culture is key.
Not everyone agrees. Which is why I must keep blogging. Anyway, one of my “thought heroes,” Adam Grant, tweeted it this way:
“More than burnout and pay, the Great Resignation is driven by toxic cultures.”
UNFORTUNATELY, culture can feel too squishy for most leaders to care about. AND IT IS—until you count the cost of quitting.
So why do we waffle? Really.
You won’t find “Culture” on the balance sheet. Therefore, we don’t prioritize it.
More reasons we waffle:
- We like the way it’s always been done.
- We STILL subscribe to the idea that professionalism means ‘void of personal.’
- We are comfortable with the way it’s always been done.
- We view team members’ mistakes as a reflection on us.
- We prefer the way it’s always been done.
- We confuse a different emphasis with entitlement.
- We don’t like change.
- We think we can build culture with process.
- We are not comfy.
- We see people as a means to an end.
- Uncomfy.
There is hope in our humanity.
Do NOT panic if you were nodding in agreement with this carefully curated list. You are not alone, and there is hope!
Ross is right. Nobody likes change. But together we will overcome all these obstacles, except the last one. That’s just part of the future-proofing process.
Gen-Z is not as mysterious as they’ve been made out to be.
Sure, they’re digital natives, but you own an iPhone. 🤳
Yes, it’s frustrating when they wear the exact same thing you did in eighth grade and act like pioneers. I’m with you.
And NO, fanny packs are not NEW, but they ARE slightly cooler these days. Even with a little “Robin Hood” from the jersey squeeze, it looks sweet. And man, it feels good to be locked and loaded again. Chapstick? Eye-drops? CASH?? Whatever you need. Loaded.
We are not so different.
At the end of the day, Gen-Z ARE people. What’s my point?
We overcomplicate leadership; it’s about people. So, if you care about people, you CAN learn to lead Gen-Z.
We underestimate culture; it’s paramount. And if you’re willing to shift, you CAN start to unlock a more Gen-Z friendly culture.
PART 2 will show you how to shift.
FINAL WARNING FOR THE WILLING: People come out of the woodwork to preserve the status quo. It’s much more predictable than preventable, so just know that leading through this will be messy.
Expect resistance.
Take it as a sign you’re headed towards tomorrow. And remember…
The future always faces into the wind.
To be continued…
Nice job! You’re halfway there. I hope this was a helpful take on what we’re facing and why a culture that connects with Gen-Z will be the ball game.
Again, PART 2 will show you HOW to start moving in a Gen-Z friendly direction. It will break down all three shifts and bring some brand-new leadership jokes.
Make sure you subscribe below to be the first to know when PART 2 is ready to go.
A few questions to consider in the meantime for the overachievers:
- What are you learning about this generation?
- What are you learning from this generation?
- What are you holding onto that is holding you back from becoming more Gen-Z friendly?
Do you dare share in the comments? That would rule.
Lastly, if you are looking for more insight on the generational back and forth happening in the workplace, check out this blog. Click the scissors.
THANK YOU FOR READING.
- I’m honored you would take the time to read this blog. I hope it makes you think, smile, maybe even lol, and lead different(ly).
- Thanks for sharing on your socials. And yes LinkedIn is a social for all of you in denial.
- Thank you for commenting below! Nothin’ better than reading your reactions.
- If you have questions, concerns, corrections, or just need to be encouraged. Hit me up here.
- Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to this tribe of leaders—cause you don’t wanna miss a blog.
Once again, you zero in on a situation most leaders know about but prefer to avoid. How many more millions of Gen-Z resignations will it take to wake leaders up? The concept of LOVE seems to work its way into many of your solutions. Who can argue with that?