Future Trends: Building Gen Z Vision

Gen Z Employees | Next Generation Employees | t² designs — The High School Students involved in the CREW event

Much of the research I’ve seen suggests that Gen Z employees (Those born 1995-2012) want to know they are making a difference in the world. Is your organization ready for them?

The CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) Detroit Outreach Team worked with a group of all women high school students over the course of the school year. In late April, they gathered at Wayne State University’s Student Center for the season finale, which I attended as a CREW member.

The full-day, all-women event included speakers from various construction trades, the president-elect of CREW Detroit, and a Wayne State representative. The day ended with a tour of Little Caesar’s Arena. However the feature activity of the day was a design challenge.

The Gen Z Employee Challenge

The students divided into four teams, with CREW members assisting. Teams were tasked with designing a small retail space for WSU. They had to determine what they would sell, how the space would look, and other issues such as how they would market the product or service. Each team was given a floor plan, magazines from which to gather ideas, and tools such as pencils and markers.

Several themes were common among the teams. Providing a product or service that was beneficial to a non-profit, or the less fortunate was one. Selling an “experience” rather than a product was another. The teams proved the research right – Gen Z feels that while pay is important the experience and doing work that plays a role in making the world a better place is equally important.

These young women jumped in, collaborated from the start, and developed concepts that led to innovative ideas. It is clear that Gen Z employees—or at least this group of young women—will enter the workforce knowing how to navigate teams, delegate tasks, and collaborate to produce better, stronger solutions than those working alone.

Businesses will be better for it.

Is your company attuned to the next generation of workers and leaders? What are you doing that makes a difference in the world and makes your company a place where talented Gen Z employees will want to work?