Hiring manufacturing workers may get easier as Gen Z enters the field

Gen Z wants to work.

The catch, however, according to a recent report from Randstad Canada, is that they want to work on their terms.

Generation Z (a.k.a. Gen Z and zoomers) is the generation that was born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s, and projections indicate that by 2045 there will be more Gen Z workers in the labour pool than millennials. Employers need to get to know the desires and work/life priorities that define zoomers to get the most out of them.

First off, they are digital natives; they are the first generation that grew up using the internet as an integral part of everyday life. This familiarity with digital tools makes them suitable for manufacturing’s digital, automated, and interconnected future.

Designing a good workplace for zoomers means more than filling your shop with software, AI, and the latest in advanced tools, though. It's the environment that matters.

They prefer flexible, tailored work circumstances. In a post-pandemic world, this means they want to work from home, set flexible hours, wear casual attire, and focus on an even work/life balance. They also want to take sabbaticals to travel and to continue their education. This is not exactly a perfect fit for front-line manufacturing work … except for the casual attire part.

They also care about a company’s social responsibility and ethics. About 80 per cent of Gen Z workers want a job that aligns with their core values. As a reference, only 59 per cent of millennials share this notion.

Zoomers want their jobs to be a part of their life, but do not necessarily want to be identified solely based on their job title.

Parsable, a company that specializes in helping companies create digitally connected front-line workers, has stated that 45 per cent of current front-line manufacturing workers want to work in a modern, digital environment that uses mobile technologies to help them do their jobs better. This number will only rise when zoomers take on these jobs.

By understanding what each generation in your workforce values, you can create a work environment that is tailored to the individual. Fitting that into your entire group creates a balanced workplace that can attract, and more importantly keep, a stable workforce.

The next generation entering the workforce is Generation Alpha (Gen Alpha). We should probably prepare now.