Generation Z graduates are not looking for cool benefits like ping pong tables in their first job, but rather to get rid of their debt.
Generation Z faces many stereotypes, especially in the workplace. Ben Christensen, co-founder of the career platform Handshake, recently explained what is really behind the mindset of Generation Z. His platform is aimed specifically at university graduates worldwide and aims to ease their entry into the workforce.
He observed that benefits like unlimited kombucha and a ping pong table are nice, but Generation Z values quite different things.
Out of debt and a mentor, please!
What is important to Generation Z? Generation Z prioritizes differently than previous graduates. Christensen explains at Fortune’s Workplace Innovation Summit (via fortune.com):
Students tell us: Cool, your ping pong table with kombucha on tap is really nice, super fun, but I want to know what will make a difference in my life, […] They are looking for things like learning and development opportunities. They ask: ‘Where is your scholarship that I can invest in myself and my development in a few years?’
In addition to development opportunities, students also place importance on getting rid of their debt. The repayment of student loans “is important to them when thinking about their next job,” explains Christensen. Instead of fun benefits, Generation Z seems to care more about advancing in their careers.
What does Generation Z think about remote work? According to Christensen, there is also a misconception here. His data shows that 81% of users on his platform want to connect with people in their first job. 47% of them also want to maintain contact with people in the professional world after their first job.
Generation Z is looking for a mentor “from whom they can learn how to navigate the workplace,” says Christensen. He advises employers to think about how to implement personal connections, even if it is a company that offers remote work and home office options.
That Generation Z prefers success in their new job and opportunities for further education over fun benefits may surprise many startups still trying to impress with outlandish offerings. However, once Generation Z enters the job, they are also quick to turn the tables: Generation Z has become bosses, and the first thing they do: They complain about how young people work
