If you are fixated on their date of birth, Gen Z can be brushed aside as a tenderfoot in the workplace. Getting past that superficiality, one sees an enterprising workforce for what it is: naturally attuned to the future of work, keen on kicking fresh ideas around, and (this one just might raise many pairs of grey eyebrows) eager to soak up knowledge and insights from seniors. That is how the data from an India-specific Adobe Future Workforce study translates into.
Here is a peek into the findings: 91% of Gen Z respondents say they are prepared for AI adoption in the workplace; and 81% of them admit to having tried using the technology to aid in their work regardless of whether their workplace has implemented guidelines on generative AI. Most of the Gen Z respondents (96%) point out they are comfortable providing feedback to their peers and colleagues; and (86%) state they are comfortable giving upward feedback to managers or supervisors. Gen Z is eager for career guidance with 91% saying they believe a workplace mentor is crucial for their career, the study states.
Reportedly, in collaboration with Advanis, Adobe collected over 1,000 responses online from Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) in India in early September 2023.
The Gen Z respondents had worked full-time for a medium to large-sized company for up to three years.
Fast track to success
The report states that an overwhelming majority of Gen Z workers (93%) are eager to grow, not only in impact but up the corporate ladder to the C-suite. While 87% say they feel good about career growth opportunities at their company, 46% of respondents ranked “no clear path to promotion” as the number one reason for leaving a job, closely followed by less-than-satisfactory pay (43%).
Mentoring matters
According to the study, a whooping 91% of the respondents underline the need for mentoring, and only 76% report that this need is met.
“Forty-six per cent of the respondents ranked “no clear path to promotion” as the number one reason for leaving a job”
On what types of training they would like to see more of in their workplace, 45% say they want more training on hard skills related to their jobs, compared to 40% for soft skills.
Employee experience
Ninety-one per cent of the respondents note they have a strong support network of colleagues their age, allowing them to feel comfortable being open about traditionally sensitive topics like job satisfaction (90%) or compensation (82%).
With over half (52%) of the respondents saying they work in the office full-time now, it is not surprising that 89% consider on-site office experiences important, the study observes.
Company values are critical to shaping their workplace experience.
Almost all participants (99%) say they are familiar with their company’s values, and 88% stress the importance of connecting with them.
Corporate social responsibility is important to Gen Z, with more than three-fourths (78%) reporting they want to work for a company that is outspoken about social issues.
Notably, most Gen Z workers (91%) believe their employer is hitting the mark in regard to being a good corporate citizen.
