Webinar Recap: Dispelling Common Myths — Attract, Retain, and Engage Gen Z Talent

This webinar features a discussion on the importance of understanding and effectively engaging Gen Z employees (ages 12 to 27) in order to create a thriving workplace. Considering Gen Z currently represents 17.1 million individuals in the U.S. workforce and is projected to make up 27% of employees by next year, companies must learn to adapt to their unique preferences and values.

In this discussion, expert panelists Roslyn Byrd and Kat Walsh address and dispel some of the common myths surrounding Gen Z workers and offer insights into how organizations can modify their workplace to better support this generation. By confronting misconceptions that could hinder future engagement, the panelists provide practical solutions for both retaining and attracting this valuable pool of talent.

Meet the Experts on the Panel

Roslyn Byrd, RS DEI Executive Sponsor, LHH

“I'm a National Portfolio Sales director and DEI Executive Sponsor for LHH Recruitment Solutions. For those who are not familiar with LHH, we are an end-to-end HR solution firm.

What we like to say is that we help organizations and candidates through their career journey from providing recruitment, solutions, leadership, development as well as career transition.”

Kat Walsh, GenZ-ologist and Advisor

“Kat is a recognized thought leader in the Gen Z workforce. She assists her clients in the public and private sectors by helping them talk about this topic and hire and retain Gen Z talent. She is also a Notre Dame lecturer as well as with the University of Chicago Lisky Center.”

Summary of the LHH Gen Z Webinar

Understanding Gen Z’s Values and Work Preferences

Developing a tangible understanding of what motivates this unique demographic in their job searches will help your organization to better attract these individuals, improve productivity and engagement when hired, and reduce potential turnover and hiring costs. Because this generation is vastly different from their counterparts, understanding them is the first step toward successfully employing their unique skill sets.

1. Entrepreneurial Spirit with a Desire for Stability

Many Gen Z professionals grew up in a culture that celebrates entrepreneurship, and as a result, this generation is apt to admire the freedom and success associated with this path. However, this doesn’t mean they’re solely driven by entrepreneurial goals. In fact, Gen Z greatly values the stability that medium to large-size businesses can offer them, seeking to build fulfilling careers with stable income, benefits, and continuous professional development opportunities. Stability coupled with professional growth is a core value for this group of workers.

Kat Walsh: “Even though they have that entrepreneurial spirit, it's important to know that the vast majority wants to work for a medium to large size business. They want stability, predictability, and growth. So, stability and predictability are in the form of a paycheck, benefits, and growth in the form of ongoing development.

2. Life-Work Balance, Not Work-Life Balance

A key distinction between Gen Z and other generations is that Gen Z prioritizes their personal lives and sees their career as a way to enhance their life choices, not dictate them. Despite being ambitious and motivated, they actively pursue careers that resonate with their chosen lifestyle and personal values—rather than molding their lives around their work.

Kat Walsh: “In earlier generations, we put the career at the center of everything; career determined where we lived, where we would relocate our family, we went to the office sick; career determined many of the life choices we were making. Gen Z Is flipping that upside down. They're saying life is at the center of everything. The lifestyle choices that I'm making for myself are what’s going to determine my career.”

3. Mental Wellbeing Matters

Research has shown a decline in mental well-being, with approximately 61% of Gen Z reportedly being diagnosed with anxiety. Because of this, they are highly attracted to organizations that support mental well-being and foster an open dialogue around mental health. For this generation, an environment that champions mental wellness is a non-negotiable component of a desirable workplace.

4. Flexibility and Control Over Work Structure

Gen Z highly values both flexibility and control over their schedules and workplace, with 74% of this demographic saying they would prefer a hybrid work model that allows for variety and autonomy.

Kat Walsh: “Flexibility and control may seem contradictory, but they're really directly connected. Because so much of Gen Z's lives have felt out of control to them, they really yearn to have some control where and when it's possible. Organizations that offer innovative forms of flexibility and enable Gen Z to have some control over their work-life — they're the ones who will win with Gen Z.”

5. Meaningful Contributions and Purposeful Work

Above just a paycheck, this young demographic truly seeks out purpose and meaning in their work. They want to know that their contribution is making an impact on the greater team and company goals.

To effectively engage your Gen Zers, get input from young professionals currently working in your organization via focus groups, surveys, and interviews to create practices, programs, and roles that allow your Gen Z employees and future hires to live out their values every day at work.

Debunking Common Myths About Gen Z in the Workplace

1. “All of Gen Z Wants to Work from Home”

One misconception is that all of Gen Z want fully remote jobs. As Kat Walsh puts it, “It’s less about working from home and more about having choices.”

In reality, only 11% prefer a fully remote structure, while 74% would rather work in a hybrid model, which allows for more variety. Rather than complete isolation, Gen Z seeks flexible options that allow them to work in diverse environments, whether that’s having the option to choose where they work within the office or whether it’s at home that day.

“What they really want is variety. They want to make sure that they're not getting stuck at a desk, and they're going to be at that desk day in and day out for the rest of their lives. It's like offering options is the new black.”

2. “Gen Z Quits for No Good Reason”

The idea that Gen Z employees quit without good reason is more complex than it seems, as Kat Walsh argues that it simply “isn't true.” Gen Z workers don’t typically quit on a whim; rather, they find themselves in roles that don’t match their skills or interests, such as sales positions. The stats tell this story, as 50% of Gen Z graduates are hired into sales regardless of their major, and 60% of those hired into sales will fail within their first year.

Mismatches do lead to turnover with Gen Zers, which is why taking the time to understand their strengths and aligning roles to their career goals is critical to company success and loyalty. Fortunately, technology makes this misstep an avoidable one, as data analysis tools can effectively match CVs to open positions.

3. “Gen Z Leaves Too Quickly for Long-Term Investment”

A common misconception is that Gen Z frequently job-hops due to a poor work ethic or lack of loyalty to their employers. Though it may be true that this group is more likely to change jobs compared to previous generations, the data tells a slightly different story. Gen Z workers are staying with their employers for an average of 2 years and 3 months—considering that they’ve only been in the workforce for about 6 to 7 years, it’s not an unsubstantial commitment percentage wise. “Two-plus years is about 30% of their career. So if you measure tenure as a percentage of total work hours or years in the workforce, they're actually a really good investment.”

Actionable Strategies for Beating the Myths — Attracting and Retaining Gen Z Talent

Myth: All of Gen Z Wants to Work from Home

Actionable Strategy: Offer flexible, hybrid work options and create an engaging office environment where workers have a sense of autonomy over their schedules and variety in their day-to-day work life.

• Offer hybrid work models that provide a balance between remote work and in-office days.
• Allow flexibility in workspaces, such as collaborative areas, quiet zones, and open seating, to provide a sense of variety, even when in the office.
• Design office spaces that are modern, tech-driven, and conducive to collaboration.

Myth: Gen Z Quits for No Good Reason

Actionable Strategy: Ensure that candidates are carefully matched with roles that complement their skills and align with their career aspirations. Encourage open dialogue around career development and advancement. Leverage technology to periodically re-evaluate their roles within the company and assess whether their skills would be better suited in a different area.

• Match Gen Z employees with roles that align with their skills and interests during the interview process—shrinking the possibility for disengagement and, thus, higher turnover.
• Regularly communicate about potential for advancement within the company, mentorship opportunities, and additional training that can support their long-term career goals.
• Support and encourage lateral moves to different roles that may be better aligned to an individual, and establish career development plans early on that forecast growth opportunities for them.

Myth: Gen Z Leaves Too Quickly for Investment

Actionable Strategy: Invest in ongoing onboarding and continuous learning opportunities that help educate Gen Z employees on managing their own careers. Establish programs that encourage cross-generational, cross-function interaction: mentorships, internships, job shadowing, sister-company shadowing, succession planning, and more.

• Extend onboarding past the first few weeks to provide continuous support and learning opportunities—44% of Gen Zers say they’ll quit due to a lack of development, so extending the onboarding period can help them feel like they’re being invested in from the get-go.
• Leverage technology and AI to offer tailored learning programs, industry updates, and upskilling resources that are accessible at any time.
• Educate Gen Z employees on managing their own career growth, empowering them to take control of their career paths and seek out the resources they need to succeed—on their own.

Kat Walsh: “Truly one of the greatest gifts that you can give a Gen Z employee is to teach them to manage their own career.”

Conclusion

The major topic of discussion in the labor market today is how companies can attract and retain top talent. So, for companies aiming to secure the best employees for their organization, it’s crucial to appeal to the 17.1 million individuals comprising the Gen Z talent pool.

The key lies in understanding and adapting to their unique workplace and lifestyle values. Providing career management and development tools that align with Gen Z’s priorities can create a workplace culture that resonates with this incoming group of workers and sets a foundation for future-proof success.