Want to Hire Generation Z?
Maddie King and Andrew Gunn started up young & free press in St. Thomas back in summer 2018 based on the idea that teenagers should have a role in co-creating both the work environment and the future of the community as a whole. Our process is simple: our teenage staff members put forward ideas, and Andrew helps to make everything happen! Over the past couple of years, we have coordinated more than $3M in projects focussed on making the communities where we work more welcoming, interesting, and beautiful. Recently our friends at the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce asked us to share our thoughts on how to build a workplace that will appeal to members of Generation Z (this is the term commonly used to describe the cohort born between 1995 and 2010). We work continuously, and rarely take the time to reflect on what has made our approach effective; further, we have never attempted to communicate what lessons could be gleaned from our experience to assist other businesses. Maddie and Andrew collaborated on the article below, blending our voices to share some insights. The tips for employers were drawn from our team and conversations with young people locally.
Want to Hire Generation Z?
Tips for Employers Looking to Engage the Next Generation
Adults tend to think of themselves as teachers, whether in the classroom, workplace, or everyday life. Fair enough. Experience matters. The twist, though, is that we are currently living through one of the greatest shifts in human civilization, specifically the changeover in the dominant mode of communication. Analogue to digital. Newspapers to online. Rotary phones to smart phones. One-way media to social media. Written words to symbols and videos. Pick the thread that you prefer, but regardless, the reality is that teenagers and twenty-somethings understand contemporary communications. Business owners are likely missing out if they do not utilize this resource.
How can employers “recruit, retain and optimize” the next generation? This is the question put to us recently by the team at the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce. The topic is significant – if a community is going to grow, teenagers and young adults have to feel connected to the place. Find some tips for employers below, offered up from the perspective of youth:
1. Recruitment. Post jobs on social media. Describe the role fully. Use video to explain the responsibilities. Highlight young people who work in the business and let them speak.
2. Community. We want to be proud of where we work and where we live! Business owners who support the community in unique ways get noticed, particularly by smart, motivated students who are thinking about how to build a body of work to showcase for post-secondary institutions and future employers. Find fun ways to make the community more interesting, beautiful and welcoming for all. Never criticize the place – if we hear you saying that the community sucks, why would we want to be there, and why would we want to work for you?
3. Culture. Be patient and kind. There are endless stories of teenagers who have been devastated by negative experiences at first jobs. Monitor how members of your team are interacting with new employees. What is the benefit of treating young people like disposable pieces? Build us up, and we’ll help build up your business, too. And remember, we communicate quickly – if a workplace is toxic, every teenager in the community will know instantly. Word spreads fast at school. Employees set up group chats to talk about work. Teenagers have a running list of where not to work that is constantly updated and shared.
4. Environmental issues. We want to work for companies that prioritize the environment. This does not have to be expensive. Look for ways to reduce the use of plastic. Set a day once a month for employees to clean up a block in the city. Donate to the local Conservation Authority to plant trees. This does not have to be done as a publicity piece. There is a quiet dignity in simply helping to clean up the local environment.
5. Inclusivity. Be open about diversity and inclusivity – we are interested in businesses that connect with all cultures, as well as the LGBTQ2S+ community. Teenagers want to feel safe and respected where they work, and employers should foster this culture.
6. Expectations. Recognize that, for most students, our priorities in life include our friends, school, extracurricular activities, and work – and often in that order. This does not mean that we do not care about our jobs – of course we do! We need to make money to support ourselves and go to school. Our suggestion, though, is that employers should manage their own expectations. Students have a lot of things happening, and we’re trying to figure out how to balance everything. There is no reason for employers to make students feel bad for occasionally prioritizing time with friends, school, or extracurricular activities.
7. Public Relations. Give us a role in shaping the public relations of the company. We have large social networks. Employers who consult with young employees on marketing and communications will benefit by having all of us act as ambassadors for the business, as naturally we want to share messaging that we helped to create! We’ll even highlight products that we support. If you ask teenagers for input and get a minimal, unenthusiastic response, that means either we dislike the idea or we do not feel comfortable enough with you to contribute. Give us a chance to pitch ideas, listen to us, and we’ll start to give you authentic feedback that you can use. Ultimately, this will help you to reach a whole new audience. Let us have creative freedom, too. We know what our peers like.
8. Social Media. We are digital natives. Social media is like second nature to us. Let us help you get the word out! There are so many employers who seem scared still to engage online, but over the long-term, this will erode your business or at least impede growth. Definitely there are aspects of online communications that are negative – we deal with harassment and aggressive people on our own social media feeds all the time – but we know how to handle this kind of thing and keep things positive. Consult with us on how to manage communications through Instagram, Tik Tok, or whatever is the platform of choice, and we’ll give you lots of ideas on how to enhance the profile of your business. Tone of voice on social media is the starting point. Be consistent.
9. Everyday life. How do things look and sound in the workplace? There are simple things that you can do to make young people comfortable and productive. Let us generate a music playlist at work. Ask us what kind of artwork we would like to see on the walls. Give us the freedom to create our own appearance, and to be ourselves. Get to know us as unique individuals, rather than expect us to be another version of you.
10. Rewards. Build a reward system. Recognize extra effort and good work. This does not always have to be financial. Sometimes a positive comment can be just as valuable. The key is that we want to know that our contributions are appreciated. This builds loyalty.
Hopefully this list is helpful! We have one bonus tip … many traditions are becoming irrelevant to us, and members of Generation Z care most about new experiences that they help to create. If there is something that your business does every year that does not seem to be working anymore, let that go … take on the challenge of creating moments that cannot be replicated!
By the end of this article, we trust that the adult and youth voice seem united. This is the key innovation of young & free press, and we believe that every business owner can build a culture where teenagers and young adults feel valued and inspired. Ultimately, this will be reflected in the wider community, and then more and more people will want to live and work there. We have a lot of work still to do in St. Thomas – our vision includes a busy downtown humming with local businesses, a mix of housing options, art installations, recreation opportunities, and fun events – and we’re excited to be a part of the transformation!
Over the past year and a half, Andrew and Maddie have served as consultants on the Estate of Donna Vera Evans Bushell, arranging funding for a series of high-impact community projects. One of the most visible is the ongoing ‘Track to the Future’ mural project that we have coordinated in collaboration with Railway City Tourism. The experience has been meaningful to us — often poignant, in fact — and we wanted to make sure to contribute financially, too. Our team recently supported this stunning new mural by artist Meaghan Claire Kehoe, which can be found on the back of the Ignite Youth Centre at 745 Talbot Street. Adding this kind of large-scale artwork changes the way that residents and visitors feel about a community.
One way that we have enhanced our community is to develop names for neighbourhoods around St. Thomas, and then install a ‘Railway City Little Free Library’ box in each one! Many local donors have contributed to this project, including our team, and we have been fortunate to have great local partners like dmac automation, the STEAM Centre, St. Thomas Public Library, and Railway City Tourism. Eventually, there will be more than 30 book boxes around the city! Projects like this brighten up the community and connect with people of all ages.
