Australian CEO Jane Lu Gen Z is a group of employeesAnd they’re nothing like the millennials she used to manage.
38 year old founder of successful fashion brand shopo That said, Gen Z workers are hard-working and productive, but they have different expectations than Millennials.
“They generally have very high expectations from development, and they want promotions faster and more often,” he told news.com.au.
Lu said they require creative feedback and flexible working conditions and have found that they view the ability to work from home as a “must-have” rather than a benefit.
It is also becoming difficult and Difficult to retain Gen Z staff.
“The average tenure of a Gen Z employee is much shorter than their Millennial counterparts, so they really need to see the impact of their work to stay engaged,” he explains.
“Just telling them what to do won’t do. They want to understand the ‘why’ behind their actions and the difference they are making.
Sometimes, the brazen nature of Gen Zers stuns CEOs.
Once, when she was interviewing a young woman, she made a request that surprised her.
“It was the final round of interviews for someone and she asked me some detail about my role that I didn’t know and said her hiring manager would have a better idea. And he asked me to get him that manager,” she said.
“I couldn’t even imagine asking the CEO to call someone during an interview.”
ceo It has also been noted that Gen Zers are not interested into hierarchical structures and want everyone in the office to be equal.
“They are more comfortable challenging their managers or talking about their concerns,” he said.
Learning to manage them has been an adjustment, but Lu explained that what Gen Zers bring to work is positive.
She finds them generally more mature and ambitious, and they always bring energy and a fresh perspective to things.
“Their willingness to challenge the status quo can inspire the entire team to think differently and embrace change,” he said.
“Gen Z employees are truly invested in their work and have a strong desire to make a meaningful impact. They appreciate transparency, which fosters an environment of open communication,” she said.
Lu said that their commitment and enthusiasm can often lift up the entire team and that they certainly “shape” the future of work.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that Gen Zers are always easy to manage; There have been challenges. You want to encourage them to be ambitious but sometimes you need to manage their expectations.
“One of the most challenging aspects Working with Gen Z is navigating They have high expectations regarding career growth and development,” she said.
“They are eager for clear paths to advancement and often want immediate feedback. This can create pressure on managers to provide ongoing support and recognition. If they feel that their contributions are not acknowledged or valued, their engagement may decrease rapidly.
It may sometimes be “difficult” to meet their demands for flexibility and autonomy but their ambition is a plus.
“They thrive in settings that allow them to take ownership of their actions and create something new, but they may struggle with rigid structures that limit their creative expression or ways of working,” she said.
“Striking the right balance between providing guidance and providing freedom is really important but can be difficult.”
Despite occasional hiccups, Lu is a Dedicated advocate for Gen Z workersThey’ve made him a more considerate boss.
“It has made me more conscious of sharing the ‘why’ behind actions and decisions, which maintains engagement and motivation around the actual work they are doing,” she said.
This also gave him the practice of giving his employees “freedom” to explore their own ideas and come up with creative solutions.
“It’s great to see them advocating for a more inclusive and supportive culture. Overall, working with Gen Z has definitely opened my eyes to new perspectives and helped me grow as a leader,” he said.
