I was recently talking to a restaurant manager about the challenges of working with young employees. He started telling me about a particular employee who was very bright and a good worker, but he couldn’t always count on him coming.
She loved him, but he was causing problems in her presence, and she didn’t know why. She wondered: Is there a medical problem? Were there personal problems?
One day, when it became clear to the manager that she could not continue this way with his irregular attendance, she decided to force the issue. Why couldn’t he come in yesterday, she asked, he was sick? No, he assured her that he felt fine. Was he worried about some other serious situation in the background? He nodded. Well, she asked him what was going on.
The young man was silent for a moment, thinking, looking for the right words to describe his feelings.
“The job just didn’t have the right atmosphere,” he finally said.
Confidence and stability
Right weather? I thought about myself careerand how some of my own managers, in a conservative suit-and-tie environment, would have responded if I had explained my absence in this way. Let’s just say that aside from a possible initial lack of understanding, it’s a fair chance that the conversation wouldn’t have been pleasant.
But these times are different and managers regularly deal with different types of issues. Younger workers, often identified as Generation Z (or simply “Generation Z,” born between 1997 and 2012) are widely recognized as having lower levels of productivity overall. stability and higher level stress.
One inquiry on the topic “found that 33% of young adults rated their mental health as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’, compared to 48%, on average, of all adults.”
Statistics show that finances (often due to high home ownership costs and uncertain job prospects) are an unusually large source of stress. Confidence levels are generally low, with only 27% of women and 40% of men considering their confidence and self-confidence. self-esteem “excellent or very good.”
Other inquiry noted that 27% of Gen Z workers “say their work makes them feel depressed at least once a week for the last six months.”
This problem can manifest itself, as in the example above, in more absenteeism, low job confidence and increased turnover.
A positive way
Given these emotional headwinds, what can managers do to keep young workers on a positive path when it doesn’t take too much to throw them off the game?
Human Resources Society Management He made a number of suggestions for managers, and several of them coincided with observations I had made throughout my managerial career. Here are three:
Take the time to understand the employee’s mindset and motivations. Many Gen Z workers feel that their managers “don’t get them.” Too often managers see their role as simply getting results with minimal attention to the personalities of those they manage. Sometimes the simple act of taking time to talk and understand can have a positive impact.
Offer professional development. At a time when management is often under pressure to “do more with less,” professional development is routinely neglected. However, it is highly valued when offered, and Gen Z places a high priority on acquiring new skills.
Emphasize the purpose. Many young workers tend to want meaning and purpose in their work. If managers can help them find it (not always possible, it’s true), this can be a positive element.
I often think of management as a puzzle; it’s good when the pieces fit, but sometimes they don’t. Sometimes the “vibe” is right and sometimes it isn’t. Helping young workers find that right fit can be a challenging and rewarding part of a management role.
