I am an Xer who manages a small but crucial team at my workplace (in an EU country). I had a lady resign last week, and I have another who may be about to resign or I may have to let go due to low engagement. They are both Gen Z. Today it hit me: the five years I’ve been managing this department, the only people I’ve lost have been from Gen Z. Clearly I do not know how to manage Gen Z so that they are happy working here. What can I do? I want them to be as happy as my Millennial team members. One detail that might matter is that my team is spread over three European cities.
Happy to provide any clarification if anyone wants it.
Edit. Thanks for all the answers even if a few of them are difficult to hear (and a few were oddly angry?) This has been very helpful for me, much more so than it probably would have been at the Old Place.
Also the second lady I mentioned who might quit or I might have to let go? She quit the day after I posted this giving a week’s notice yesterday. My team is fully supportive, but it’s going to be a rough couple of months.
That is was “personal” and they didn’t want to talk about it. I spoke with all the other team members and found out it was because of things other people had - like wfh or different hours - that she never asked me about even though she knew directly approved for the others.
You don’t know what she knew.
Did you inform all of your direct reports, unsolicited, that you would approve flexible hours or locations?
Yes, multiple times. We talk, all the time; we have to bring in multiple locations.
She brought this attitude over from Banking where she was last, and even though I tried to engage her, she just refused to talk to me. Despite me getting her a 20% raise this year, not that that is the central thing.
Like others said, the only way to get loyalty is to lead them in their personal lives. They need to see you as a life mentor. It’s not something your company will tell you though because it’s has nothing to do with corporate performance or business. And you might not even want to be friends with them. Gen z are really not into the work is my second family mindset.
I hard disagree with this. Zoomers do not want their company in their personal lives.
I am a millennial and I do not want my company in my personal life.
We are not a family.
Companies should provide opportunities for employees to bring their families to fun social engagements, if they want, only after the company has met all other employee requirements.
Having a group of people that like to work together is important, but trying to be a “life coach” is some boomer shit if I have ever heard any.
Edit: furthermore it is so disgustingly condescending. Just because you are a person’s manager means nothing outside of work. Work mentor yes, “life coach”? Get that garbage out of your brain. I would immediately hate working for anyone who has this mentality.
Edit2: I cannot express how utterly terrible, condescending and offensive this thought process is. Fuck. I would go over your head or quit so fast. Jesus Christ this makes me irrationally angry. 💢
Well yeah that’s why zoomers look for another job after 2 years. It’s expected. Now put yourself as a startup business owner looking for smart zoomers in IT to build your product. How would you try and keep them long term because if they quit after 2 years, you’ll be in big trouble. Solution? Try to be friends outside of just work with them.
What boomer bullshit is this?
Millennials and zoomers look for new jobs because businesses don’t treat them as adults most of the time. I got told by a boss that “Millennials are too young to know the value of hard work.” Bitch, I’m 35 years old. Companies don’t offer reasonable salary increases or promotions.
Want to keep zoomers? Pay them commiserate with experience. Give them level/title bumps. Treat them like adults.
Don’t let the pensioner get to you, that’s how they feed.
I agree, the comment is extremely off-base. I hope anyone that reads that advice also sees your comment underneath it, the advice itself is extremely poor and likely to be counter productive.