In a study by the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, 61% of employees who want to leave their jobs find a lack of adequate internal communication as a contributing factor.
Gen Z employees are especially keen to work in companies with strong internal communication systems compared to their predecessors. For many of them, the lack of transparency is a significant reason they might want to leave a company, despite other possible perks.
Gen Z’s expectations of communication in the workplace
Regarding communication within the workplace, Gen Z employees have a clear idea of what they want. This includes:
- Transparency and open Dialogue: Gen Z is a proponent of innovation and creativity, and it believes in expressing its ideas and concerns without feeling restricted by age or rank.
- Real-time feedback and updates: Most Gen Z employees prefer receiving feedback on their work in real time instead of waiting for feedback cycles that occur once or twice a year.
- Encouragement of collaborative and inclusive discussions: For Gen Z, internal communication should allow employees to feel comfortable expressing their ideas, which the leadership gives due consideration to.
- Use of latest communication methods: With technological advances, Gen Z prefers working for companies that use innovative methods or communication that is intuitive and easy to navigate.
The presence of these elements within a company’s communication system is something that Gen Z actively wants, and they have good reasons behind these demands. For most of the those who are within the newest generations of employees, these new methods can help facilitate a much more productive environment.
Gen Z’s focus on transparency
For most members of Gen Z, transparency has become important no matter the place. Whether it’s their workplace or their local supermarket, they expect access to any and all information that can affect them.
Following this trend, members of Gen Z value transparency in the internal communication of their companies. The latest generation of employees wants their leaders to be open with their plans and goals.
When joining a company, Gen Z wants to be aware of the following:
- The values of the company
- The policies that the company adheres to
- The company’s future plans
- How the company operates
- What does the company expect from their employees
For Gen Z, the transparency within a company allows them to understand the motivations of those above them better and contribute productively. Instead of simply being assigned tasks, they prefer knowing the purpose behind said work to enhance the quality of results.
Furthermore, Gen Z enjoys a transparent work environment as they believe it fosters collaboration. With their inclination towards innovation and creativity, most Gen Z members want to impact the workplace, and they think that an inclusive workplace can help them identify the perfect opportunities to grow and learn.
Gen Z’s drive for transparency is not limited to the knowledge about their company’s plans and goals. They also value receiving honest feedback on their work in real time to keep improving and remain productive.
With the world becoming as fast-paced as it is today, scheduled feedback sessions are losing their charm as younger employees prefer instantaneous comments that can help them
Adapting transparency in the workplace
With the demand for transparency increasing in the workplace, those in leadership and management positions need to take proactive steps that can ensure an environment that the latest generation of workers want. This can be achieved in more ways than one with the help of the latest technology and trends in communications.
- Open-Door Policies: Those in leadership need to ensure that their employees feel comfortable in sharing any idea and/or concern with them. Managers and other senior members must make those under them feel comfortable in sharing their thoughts.
- Empathetic Conversations: Listening to the ideas and/or concerns of employees is only the first part of the equation. Leaders should make sure that they pay due consideration to what is being said to them and provide valuable input as per the situation.
- Modern Communication Tools: While emails remain the official mode of communication, most companies have started to use platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams to facilitate communication. These tools allow employees to connect easily and take off the burden of remaining completely formal for even the simplest of conversations.
- Culture of Feedback: Providing regular feedback is not just about growth. It also showcases that those in senior positions are indeed aware of the work done by their juniors and value the work enough to pay it due attention on a regular basis.
Retaining Gen Z with transparency
By being more transparent in their communications, companies can easily increase their retention of Gen Z employees. By being open about the work and value of the company, employees feel more connected with the company and can be eager to add their own input.
Most members of Gen Z have information at their fingertips and are well aware of just how big the world is. This makes them eager to make their own impact in the workplace. In a transparent work environment, they feel seen and heard, which allows them to believe that this just might be the place for them.
While changing years of communication system can he hard, it has its own set of advantages that companies have started to recognise and covet. While internal communications is a priority for Gen Z, members of other generations have started to appreciate the benefits of being part of a workplace that is open in its communications.