What connection does the younger generation have with the business world? The relationship with work has profoundly changed, explains Élodie Gentina, researcher, during a day of reflection organized on the subject, in Nantes, by West France and the API news agency.
Each generation that arrives pushes the previous one to its limits, this is nothing new. That of “digital natives”, born in a digital world, is no exception and stands out from its elders. His relationship with work, in particular, moves the lines. Differences in substance or facade? Deciphering preconceived ideas about generation Z, those born after 1995, in the era of the internet and mobile phones, with Élodie Gentina, teacher-researcher at IESEG, a management school based in Lille and Paris, author of Managing Generation Zpublished by Dunod.
Élodie Gentina, researcher, specialist in the relationship to work of younger generations. (Photo: DR)
Misconception number 1: “Young people want to work less than their elders. »
This is both true and false. “We sometimes hear that young people no longer want to work, in fact, no! Simply, their relationship to work is different. This remains important. But no more than family or friends. What they want is a work-life balance. For them, this comes before job security or climbing the ladder in a company. Sometimes, moreover, this questions the generations before who wonder if they were right to work so much! For example, they are very interested in flexibility in their schedules: being able to finish one day at 5 p.m. to go and do sports. Even if it means working again afterwards…
On the other hand, young people from generation Z are capable of holding several jobs, for example adding a photographer or DJ activity on the weekends if that is their passion. Or even create a business while they are still students or otherwise employed. »
Read also: This generation is more exposed to burnout than others, here’s why
Misconception number 2: “Young people are less attached to their company”
It’s true. “Generations before had a rational, normative attachment to the company: you had to have a job because it was the social norm. Generation Z is more attached to employees (colleagues, managers) than to the company that employs them. It’s a social, emotional loyalty.
They work as a tribe, the network is something natural, innate, for them. They create it in the real world and maintain it in the digital world. This notion of community is so important to them that it happens that young people leave a company as a group, sometimes even trying to be recruited as a group. And when they create a company, it is no longer alone, but with one or more friends. »
Read also: How can we fight against the “end zone”, this loss of meaning at work which demotivates employees?
Misconception number 3: “They want a job that they like straight away, otherwise they will slam the door”
It’s true. “Generation Z gets tired very quickly! These are young employees who need to be nurtured, who want to learn every day. They live in the culture of the present moment. And they need feed-back (return) regular: one individual interview per year, that doesn’t suit them at all, because if it happens, they will be gone by then. They work in a mission, project logic, without a long career plan.
Previous generations evolved in a linear vision of time: we studied, did military service, got a permanent contract, built a house. Generation Z has a circular vision of time: you can have a job, then be unemployed again, return to your parents, leave again… They call into question the notion of permanent contracts. »
Read also: Five prejudices about young people at work, challenged by a large study
Misconception number 4: “They want a job that has meaning. »
This is true and false. “This is totally true for young CSP+, who attach a lot of importance to companies’ CSR policies. They want work that is in line with their values in terms of the environment and respect for diversity, in particular. And they don’t just want declarations but also want this to be felt in the everyday atmosphere. Companies know this, and those with an image that is too rigid, too traditional, are aware of having to work on their “employer brand” to be able to attract young people.
But be careful, these concerns do not affect all young people in the same way. This is especially valid for graduates of major schools. Working-class youth prioritize their need for money above all. »
How to reconnect business with young people?
This is the theme of the day organized on November 12, during the Think Forward festival. An event organized by West France in partnership with its subsidiary API and the OPA group. The objective? Better understand how young generations are reinventing their relationship with business and how organizations can adapt to their expectations: ecology, quest for meaning, digital… Young entrepreneurs will come and testify and workshops will allow us to compare perspectives on subjects such as : can we manage young people through humor or what future for young people in the face of a world that is falling apart? A unique moment to exchange, be inspired and find concrete solutions for the future.
The festival will take place from 9:15 a.m. at the Cité des Congrès in Nantes. Participation is paid, but West France offers places to the first 50 registered with this code: FTF! inviteOF
Complete program and registration on the website festival Think Forward.
