by Janette Blanco | April 5, 2019

Now that you have discovered how to attract a new Generation Z team, you need to focus on what it will take to make them stay.

In today’s workforce, many companies have a staff comprised of a variety of generations. From Baby Boomers, to Generation X, to Millennials, to today’s Generation Z, each generation has its own needs, demands, and ways of communicating.

As the Millennials start to advance in their careers, Generation Z is starting to follow in their footsteps. However, business owners are starting to realize that this new generation may be a little higher maintenance than their predecessors.

However, the effort is worth it, as it becomes increasingly clear that this new generation are resourceful problem solvers who are up to any challenge presented to them. In fact, they welcome the challenges.

Here are five ways to help motivate and retain this new generation of employees:

Flexibility

Generation Z works hard, but likes to play harder. There must be a steady work/life balance in order to keep them on board. Sometimes this balance can be even more important than pay. It is important for owners to get to know their staff and understand what their lifestyle is like.

Cross-training

This generation gets bored pretty easily, but on the plus side, they can multi-task and thrive on learning new things. A business owner can support that intrigue by allowing new opportunities for professional growth. Train them in multiple roles and rotate responsibilities to make them exciting.

Mentorship
Start a mentorship program with higher executives, and even the owner, in order for the younger employees to understand the path they have to take in order to succeed down the line. This will motivate them and allow them to recognize there are opportunities for growth in the company.

Succinct Meetings

This generation grew up watching YouTube. They are used to receiving information in approximately three minutes or less. Keep company meetings and professional development seminars short and sweet. You can do this by creating smaller sub-meetings out of one long meeting.

High Tech Environment­

There has never been a time in their life where technology was not present. They have the ability to talk to a person while simultaneously taking notes and scrolling through their phones. Keeping abreast of all the technological advancements is a must for this generation.

• Janette Blanco

  Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County Economic Development Department

  Specialty: Construction Industry Regulations and Licensing, Contract Compliance, Strategic Planning

  Janette Blanco has extensive knowledge in doing business with the government and specializes in assisting minority and women-owned businesses with the government bidding process. She also teaches workshops, provides one-on-one consulting assistance to business owners in English and Spanish, and does community outreach throughout South and East Tampa. Prior to joining the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County, Blanco was a cost estimator on engineering projects as well as owned and operated her own business for 15 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Massachusetts. She is a Master Compliance Administrator, a Profit Mastery Facilitator, certified in Strategic Management Performance Systems, and a Lean Six Sigma White Belt. Blanco earned Florida SBDC at USF Regional Consultant of the Year honors in 2016 and 2017. Blanco is also bilingual.
  
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