Gallup recently released their findings on the "disconnected generation." Those born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z or Zoomers, are less engaged in their working lives than older workers. The data also concluded that the younger cohort of millennials, born after 1990, led the way for disconnection.
54% of this disconnected generation are not engaged, a little higher than other generations. But they are also less likely to be "actively disengaged ." While an engaged employee will be productive and proactive, a disengaged employee will go through the motions and meet the requirements. An actively disengaged employee will show it and take steps to express their dissatisfaction—which will likely bring down morale and productivity and impact the customer experience.
Active Disengagement in Action
For the younger millennials between the ages of 32 and 25, consider the attempts through 2021 - 2022 to unionize Starbucks, beginning in the USA, with increasing employee awareness and activity globally. This group is actively disengaged and trying to do something about it.
Starbucks has over 16,000 global locations, employing about 300,000 people. Your Starbucks barista will most likely be white (63%), female (69%), about Twenty-four years old, and earning about $28,000 / Yr.
In early May 2022, Starbucks committed $1 Billion to uplift the Starbucks Partners (employees) and the customer experience. The same week, the National Labour Relations Board (NLRB) in the U.S. received filings of 29 unfair labour practices and over 200 alleged violations.
Special Note: The NRLB has revised their website to list "cases and organizations of interest for the public" in the Next Generation Case Management System (NxGen). Including organizations such as Google, Harvard, Lyft, McDonald's, the NFL, Tesla, Trump Companies, Volkswagen, Walmart and Yale University.
The Disconnected
Gen Z and younger millennials are less angry, more lost, and slightly more likely than senior co-workers to be ambivalent about their workplace (i.e., "not engaged" at work). In addition, most young workers don't feel a close connection to their co-workers, manager or employer.
Employers and managers are essential in connecting new and early-career employees to their organization and potentially their co-workers. In August 2022, the Gallup Workforce report showed the importance of a "Best Friend at Work ."
Close co-worker contact positively impacts; the engagement of customers and internal partners, getting more done in less time, supporting a safe workplace, innovating & sharing ideas and having fun at work.
Younger employees consistently report more overall stress and work-related burnout than older generations. 68% of Gen Z and younger millennials report feeling stressed most of the time. Stress and burnout influence job performance and long-term career growth. In addition, burnout relates to physical health risks and poor personal relationships. Employees who experience burnout are more likely to leave their job -- another factor in young employees' "job hopping."
So, what is this group looking for from an employer?
65% of millennials rate greater work-life balance and better personal well-being as "very important" when considering a new job, up from 61% in August 2022. Moreover, work-life balance and well-being are now more significant than the desire for an increase in pay or benefits, at 64%. Adjusted to include the inflationary impact of 2022 would give these items equal consideration.
Younger employees favourably value career growth and flexibility that benefits their well-being. As a result, they are more likely to seek career development and remote work, greater work-life balance, and overall better well-being. They also want flexibility and independence -- they recognize its value for their well-being. They've seen generations before them burn out. And they don't want that to be their future.
Remote work and the desire for increased flexibility can be a double-edged sword for those early in their career. For example, young employees may not know the value of eating lunch with co-workers, asking for feedback, or simply being available to volunteer for extra projects while in the office.
Successful young workers work alongside experienced peers, informal mentors and coaches, with exposure to other departments and levels of their organization. Unfortunately, Gen Z entered the workforce with a narrow view of "success." Yet, these informal, unexpected interactions at work can provide new opportunities they didn't know were possible.
Simply being in the office doesn't guarantee developmental encounters.
Companies and managers still need to be intentional in shaping experiences that will set new employees up for success over the long term. Development takes time, and it can take a year or two for someone to fully settle into their role -- especially for employees early in their career.
A proposed approach - The Revisited Apprenticeship
Cognitive Learning - Show me; We do it together; Watch me do it.
Cognitive apprenticeship (learning) is a method/practice where a veteran of a skill teaches that skill to an apprentice (employee).
Show Me: In the first cognitive (mental) stage, learners develop an analytical understanding of the skill by witnessing the activity completed by the veteran / skilled leader. The leader's role is to show and explain the task. There are many ways for the apprentice to learn during this phase based on their natural learning style.
We do it together: Then, mistakes, misinterpretations and inaccuracies learned in the cognitive (mental) stage are detected and eliminated in the second associative stage. At the same time, associations between the critical elements involved in the skill are strengthened and reinforced through observing and coaching by the skilled instructor.
Watch me do it: This is the autonomous stage of learning, where learners gain knowledge through independent efforts and develop the ability to inquire and evaluate away from an instructor and peers' influence. Learners at this final stage have enough knowledge and the power to control their learning. Autonomous learning motivates learners to learn through their own will.
In our remote and digital world, revisiting the traditional leader and employee training & development method may be precisely what is needed. In addition, millennials and Gen Z may need the apprentice (cognitive) learning model to be engaged and empowered, define role clarity and feel connected to their ongoing growth and development at work.
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