VoIP and the Gen Z Workforce

The last couple of years have been all about the needs of millennials in the workforce. One thing that is clear is that it took a while before most understood them. Just as businesses were beginning to adapt to the millennials, a new group of workers has started to come of age which is poised to make its mark on the world. They’re referred to as Gen Z and have unique wants, needs, and aspirations in the workplace. To think of them as millennials 2.0 is doing them and your organization a disservice. As a whole, Gen Z is the first generation that’s always been connected to the internet. Most were born after the dot com crash and came of age with Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. They’re digital natives and expect to have access to the latest technology at tall times. Organizations that adopt advanced technology like VoIP service, data management technology, artificial intelligence, and more, are in a better position to attract and retain Gen Z employees.

Gen Z Characteristics and How They Translate to the Office

The members of Gen Z were born between 1997 and 2010 and consist of 2.5 billion members. Soon, they’ll account for 40% of the consumers in the United States. They’re just coming of age and their potential is largely untapped. In order to make the most of this young, educated, and ambitious generation, it’s important to understand them as a group. For a long time, businesses treated them just like millennials in the way they hired and marketed to them. Research has revealed they’re quite different.  The following characteristics are generalizations and you should evaluate each person individually but they can serve as guidelines when dealing with Gen Z as a whole.

1. Products over experiences

One of the core themes with millennials is valuing experiences over things. They’d rather spend money on a getaway than spend that same money for a car down payment or other tangible items. Gen Z is different. Instead of valuing experiences, they place a lot of emphasis on products and technology that can keep them engaged. This Gen Z characteristic can be an advantage for you if you’re willing to invest in equipment to keep your team happy. For example, when you’re using VoIP for business, choose UC devices that are well-designed and come with many novel features. Your Gen Z employee will feel at home exploring the feature set and using it to its full potential.

2. Digital natives

As mentioned before, Gen Z is at home on the internet and the many ways it can be used. Not only in their personal lives but their professional lives as well. This extends to the technology used in the workplace. They expect to be connected with their systems whether they’re in the office, out meeting with clients, or performing offsite work-related activities. Organizations that are able to make this a reality have better chances of attracting and keeping fickle employees. The CRM mobile app, the inventory management system that can be updated in the field, and of course the VoIP service that lets them answer and make calls through their smartphones – which 81% of Americans have – are a necessary part of the technology web they value.

3. Open to remote work

In addition to work being increasingly fluid, it has moved beyond geographic borders. Fifteen years ago, if you wanted to meet with someone in New York, you’d have to be in New York. Now, solutions like GoToMeeting make it possible to have face to face interactions with your clients, prospects, and team members in other offices. Remote teams and work, in general, are a reality of the modern workplace. Gen Z members are quick to embrace the trend. GoToMeeting is unique in that it focuses on web conferencing with a lot of extra, powerful features added to the mix, like whiteboards, transcriptions, and automatic recording. GoToMeeting is accessible from both desktop and mobile devices, and in addition to speaking face-to-face, users can share views of their desktops and specific applications as well as pass over control of the mouse/keyboard. This is just scratching the surface of the kind of technology you need to make your workplace attractive to the youngest working generation. If you want to retain them long term, incorporate your employees into key decision-making processes. It’s no longer an effective strategy to choose technology and force it on the people who’ll be using it every day. In fact, 20% of millennials and gen z workers said that inadequate technology was enough reason to look for a new job.

4. Want a purpose

Most employees are concerned with their career progression and whether or not there’s a clear path for advancement in their chosen field. Gen Z, in addition to wanting the ability to progress in their careers, wants to do meaningful work. With the constant search for meaningful work comes the expectation of ideal working conditions. Gen Z won't settle for less than performing at their peak. If an organization falls short of this expectation then they have no problem looking for another employer. This can present special challenges for organizations who’ve invested in their Gen Z workers and the technology they request. It’s not cheap to upgrade existing systems. VoIP services, though much cheaper than traditional phones, still have costs associated with them. What happens if your new employee decides to leave after 6 months? VoIP providers like RingCentral clearly understand this can be a real issue when it’s time to decide whether or not to upgrade to VoIP for business. It offers phone rental services which reduce the initial investment and makes it easier to adopt the latest technology and, by extension, helps retain new Gen Z employees.

5. Demand the truth

This may seem like an irrelevant Gen Z characteristic to mention but that’s far from the case. As businesses scramble to incorporate this new generation into their organizations, they’ll attempt to make a lot of changes. Of course, not all changes can be implemented immediately, especially when there are legacy systems in place. Instead of telling your Gen Z employees that you’re going to make sweeping changes in the next six months and upgrade all your systems, be honest. If it’s not on the roadmap or a priority, let them know.   For example, you know a unified communications system that comes with a top VoIP service like Vonage will make you more attractive to prospective employees, reduce costs, and increase efficiencies throughout your organization. Due to a number of reasons in your office, however, it’s not possible to implement it in the near future. Don’t play it up like it’s right around the corner. Be as honest as you can about timelines. If not, the backlash may be worse when the truth comes out. This may seem like an exaggerated example, but in a generation that doesn’t mind moving from company to company, a white lie may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. In short, tell your people the truth or nothing at all.

Conclusion

Gen Z is just starting to take up their roles in the workforce. Most of their potential hasn’t been realized. They’re more comfortable with technology and the rapid pace of innovation than any other generation. This can be a distinct advantage if you know what you’re doing. By understanding the characteristics of Gen Z, you can find ways to cater to their needs and create an organization that’s attractive to work in. A few methods include adopting a unified communications platform through a VoIP service, creating a workplace with purpose, and keeping them plugged in when it comes to decisions that affect them. In the end, a VoIP service, cutting edge CRM, marketing technology, etc. are important parts of the equation. This doesn't, however, mean that they are everything. Work together with your Gen Z employees to find the perfect balance so you’re in a position to attract and retain the latest talent entering the world.