How to Make Your Office Environment Appealing to Millennial and Gen Z Employees  

If you think you have Millennials and Gen Z figured out­­–with their sophisticated smartphones, work-from-anywhere expectations, and job-hopping inclinations–think again.

While the now-largest employee groups indeed revere the always-on access mobile technology provides and cherish social media connections, their workplace preferences are as refreshingly old-school as a black-and-white TV.

Results of our Gen Z & Millennials Collide @ Work survey, conducted in collaboration with Future Workplace, reveal a number of interesting insights about the largest (Millennials) and newest (Gen Z) cohorts in the workforce. While they are eager for work-life balance and more technology on the job, they actually prefer communicating with co-workers and managers the old-fashioned way–in person.

Why? Because it works better than email, phone, and other long-distance methods.

In fact, 39 percent of respondents say in-person conversation is the most effective communication method, more than double email, at 16 percent. Further, they have the presence of mind to realize that one of their favorite pastimes – social networking – is also the most distracting when it comes to getting their jobs done.

While employers should be heartened that Millennials and Gen Z are so focused on workplace productivity and performance, they may need to rethink how these and other shifts in attitudes will impact the recruitment, engagement, and retention of these key workforce segments.

The Workforce Is Changing

With millions of baby boomers about to retire, Millennials moving rapidly into management roles, and Generation Z just entering the job market, the modern workforce is undergoing a shift.

Companies already accustomed to adjusting to the needs and demands of younger generations of workers must continue to refine that process. As Millennials and Gen Z evolve and their job responsibilities change, companies must remain mindful of their unique traits and workplace values.

For instance, our survey revealed that Millennials – now armed with more responsibility than ever – are concerned that they are somewhat ill-equipped with the necessary people skills to manage effectively in a team environment. Only 27 percent rate their personal skills as very good, and only 28 percent say their current jobs relate extremely well to their education or training.

Further, conflict resolution and negotiating – named by 29 percent and 28 percent of respondents, respectively – were also among the highest ranking concerns for Millennials. Less concerned were Gen Z workers (at 24 and 25 percent, respectively), probably because fewer of them are in leadership roles.

Younger workers are also feeling increased on-the-job stress, and they ranked being uncomfortable with office politics as one of the biggest obstacles interfering with their performance. Given that they have plenty of angst outside of work – stemming from the rising cost of healthcare and burdensome student loan debt – Millennials have been justifiably dubbed the “stress generation.”

Spurring Workplace Change

What can employers do to further improve the workplace environment for the increasingly important Millennial and Gen Z workers? Here are a few adjustments to consider that may positively transform your workplace:

Maximize Performance
Maximize workplace performance by seamlessly integrating collaborative tools and processes into the corporate culture. More than 40 percent of Gen Z and Millennials prefer to work in a corporate office, far exceeding the preference for co-working or a home office. Enabling that collaboration requires select enhancements to the working environment that may differ from traditional practices.

For instance, future-looking companies are implementing “office-without-walls” layouts, which eschew cubicles and corner offices for a more flexible format. When team members are required to work separately, cloud-based computing and collaborative work management software make it easier to work side by side while miles apart.

Use Technology
Incorporate advanced communications technologies. While younger workers crave in-person collaboration, they also need tools that enable anytime, anywhere accessibility – even if they are potentially distracting. Our survey found that Gen Z and Millennials want employers to incorporate social media (41 percent), wearables (27 percent), and virtual reality (26 percent) tools – in a reasonable manner – to further workplace productivity.

Setup Mentor Programs
Initiate workplace mentoring programs to transfer the wisdom of predecessors to the next wave of leaders. Because many Millennials have difficulty adjusting to their new managerial roles, consider offering mentoring and other forms of management training to help them develop networking, communication, and other soft skills. Shoring up the confidence and skill levels of these budding managers will result in more effective performance in their new roles.

And don’t hesitate to leverage their own budding experience; more than 80 percent of respondents are “very willing” or “extremely willing” to mentor younger employees, a key retention attribute for all participants.

Maximize Benefits 
Bolster your organization’s benefits to maximize engagement with, and loyalty from, Millennials and Gen Z. Our study found that workplace flexibility and healthcare coverage are the top two benefits these workers expect from employers, yet only 34 percent of companies offer flexibility, and only half provide healthcare coverage. Rapidly, these benefits are becoming table stakes, and their absence can trigger an exit strategy from workers already frustrated by changing roles and collaboration challenges.

A true culture of collaboration can exist at all levels of your organization. Employers who aren’t providing the structure, training, and support to enable Millennials and Gen Z to thrive on and off the job should be prepared to lose them to competitors who will.