Generation Z and Millennials Employees are Changing the Workplace as We Know It

The results of a new Microsoft study have shown that employees need change, and that change is being introduced by Generation Z and Millennials. 

Generation Z and Millennials employees, aged 18 to 41, make up a large part of the current workforce. The Work Trend Index 2022 revealed that employees are reevaluating the role of work in their lives, and what they want from work and what they are willing to give in return is assessed on the basis of 'is it worth it'. In fact, the research found that 49 percent of Generation Z and Millennial employees will consider changing employers this year, according to the statement.

Freedom and Flexibility as a New Trend

Although the Work Trend Index 2022 showed that all employees want more flexibility, it also indicated that Millennials and Generation Z are the most inclined to change. The results say that 49 percent of Generation Z employees are likely to consider transitioning to a hybrid work model at their current job, and 46 percent are likely to start working remotely. More than other generations of employees, they highly value the freedom of choice regarding when and where they will work.

However, Generation Z and Millennial employees do not only want flexibility.  The Work Trend Index 2022 revealed that, after salary, these employees prioritize a positive work culture (46 percent), benefits focused on their well-being (42 percent), and a sense of purpose or meaning (40 percent).

The research also showed that Generation Z and Millennial employees are more likely to leave when something does not suit them. In fact, nearly half of them in Europe, or 49 percent of them, are likely to consider a new employer this year, compared to the EMEA region average of 36 percent. A further 31 percent of Generation Z employees are likely to relocate and find a job that allows them to work remotely.

Hybrid Work as a Key Factor

Generation Z and Millennial employees make up a large part of the current workforce and are likely to increasingly take on leadership positions in the future. To attract the best talent – now and in the future – organizations need to adapt their business practices to meet the new expectations of employees.  Business leaders and human resources managers will therefore need to create organizations where these groups feel included and have a sense of loyalty and purpose.

– It is impossible to erase the lived experiences and lasting impact of everything we have gone through over the past two years. Empowering managers to adapt to new employee expectations helps business systems lay the groundwork for long-term success. A great tool to assist teams during this change is Microsoft Viva, which helps teams within a company or organization thrive by providing them with recommendations on how to improve productivity and care for the well-being of team members – commented Ketevan Ratiani, head of the modern workplace division, Microsoft CEE Multi-Country region.

Successfully meeting employee needs requires a shift in mindset for human resources and business leaders. With the increasing importance placed on positive business culture and the need for flexibility, leaders will need to adjust how their teams work to ensure that employees and managers have clear information about their roles and responsibilities, as well as clear information on how hybrid work functions.

Changing the Rules of Business

However, only a handful of companies, or just 27 percent of them, have established team rules to clearly define these new norms. To build effective hybrid teams, managers will need to introduce team rules that establish 'why', 'when' and 'how' to come to the office, the purpose of in-person collaboration, agreements on when to meet in person, as well as the definition of hybrid meeting rules and the redesign of spaces that will support the new way of working.

These rules should ensure everyone has the same sense of engagement at work, whether they are in the office or working remotely. A collaborative, digital culture can help bridge geographical distances and other differences when leaders choose to use technology for these purposes. 

Some examples of rules include open Outlook calendars to simplify scheduling meetings, adding Microsoft Teams links to every meeting call so that people can choose whether to join in person or online, collaborating on shared documents in the cloud so that everyone has access to the same information, and recording calls. 

As stated in the statement, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. For the office to work for everyone, a lot of effort will be required. This also means deciding to make flexible, hybrid work truly functional. By adapting to new employee expectations through technological, process, and cultural changes, business systems can prepare for the future and take full advantage of hybrid work.