MANILA, Philippines — Individuals under the so-called Generation Z will represent nearly 35 percent of the workforce in the next seven years, a recent workplace trend study by French multinational services firm Sodexo showed.
Considered Gen Z are persons born between 1995 and 2012.
As advancement in technology continue to develop, the Gen Z workers are more likely to adapt to new workplace considering their total immersion in social media and smart technology while returning to some of the values often associated with more traditional generations, the Sodexo report said
As different studies continue to decode what sets Gen Z apart from previous groups, 2017 already marked the first full year with Gen Z in the workforce.
Mak Zara, HR manager of Sodexo On-site Services Philippines Inc., said that Gen Z is now starting to change team dynamics through fostering a vibrant multi-generational mix in the company.
“This is strongly motivated by the fact that Gen Z and millennials are now close to 70 percent of its 2,800-strong workforce,” he said.
He further noted that by understanding deeper the motivators and values of this generation, there is an opportunity to look to the future for workplaces.
“As much as possible, Gen Zers seek out many different experiences and explore multiple roles in order to satisfy their hunger for career development,” the report said.
It then suggests that employers nowadays need to respect the “side hustle” of Gen Zs – whether it’s blogging, freelancing or creating YouTube content.
“For Gen Z, they believe that they can earn through their passion and it can happen anywhere, especially with the help of smart technology,” report said.
“Experiential, cross functional trainings here and outside the country are part of our development program. This promotes learning new skills and exploring multiple roles. For Gen Zers who are focused on career progression, this is essential,” Zara added.