Challenges and learnings from leading a Generation Z team – as a Generation Z member myself

All generations, from baby boomers to millennials, face stereotypes in the labor market, and Generation Z is no different. While boomers are seen as overly rigid, Generation X is considered pragmatic, and millennials are viewed as insecure, Generation Z is perceived as disinterested and superficial. Amidst so many misconceptions and prejudices, the labor market now faces the challenge of integrating the growing wave of Generation Z professionals, who by the end of the year are projected to represent 27% of the global workforce, according to the World Economic Forum.

How can companies ensure they are equipped to attract and retain younger talent, who have demands different from the generations that founded the companies and structured the corporate culture? As a Generation Z professional currently leading a team of fellow Generation Z members, I have come to understand the importance of intergenerational dialogue, where each party is willing to learn from the other. Furthermore, I recognize that the future lies in management that integrates autonomy and flexibility with respect for individuality and vulnerability, including that of the leaders themselves.

In my daily routine, I lead a team of young professionals but report to leadership from previous generations. Thus, it falls upon me to translate the aspirations and demands of each side to the other. The success of this work is achieved through active and humanized listening, acknowledging the contexts of each generation so that differences are respected and generate growth opportunities for everyone. Generation Z enters the workforce with a desire to engage in purposeful activities aligned with their personal values, while previous, more experienced generations master skills such as discipline and organization. The combination of these characteristics holds much more positive potential when dialogue is conducted respectfully.

On the other hand, Generation Z has increasingly demanded flexibility at work to better balance professional and personal life. However, this is not new: all generations have always wanted this, but today's social context enables younger people to demand it in the workplace. This understanding should lead leaders from previous generations to be more empathetic when dealing with younger employees, also being willing to guide them so they develop professionally with greater attention to their responsibilities.

Trust: Flexibility and Autonomy

Nowadays, the adoption of a hybrid work model or strategies such as the short-day have yielded good results precisely because employees feel more comfortable performing their functions without sacrificing contact with family and personal leisure time. Furthermore, leaders should delegate with autonomy, meaning stipulating the tasks each person must do but ensuring professionals the freedom to make decisions during execution. This alleviates workplace rigidity, making employees feel valued.

All of this, however, is only possible when leaders demonstrate trust in their teams. Generation Z, more than any other generation, feels uncomfortable with micromanagement – the excessive and detailed control over everything done – and therefore avoids jobs that are very rigid and lack freedom. Here, trust is a pillar for a good relationship in the corporate environment, fostering better results and talent retention.

Superhero vs. Human Being

Another important point is the invitation to vulnerability: in other generations, leaders sought to present themselves as infallible, superheroes not subject to failure, because they believed this was a way to earn the respect and trust of their subordinates. For Generation Z, however, it is far more valuable for leaders to be seen as real human beings who make mistakes and learn to evolve. This is what inspires young professionals to become better versions of themselves.

After all, the stereotype of the boss who sacrifices everything – from family relationships to their own health – in the name of professional success is no longer a model to be followed. On the contrary, Generation Z wants their leaders to be balanced, human people, willing to approach the work routine with more lightness. This creates connection among teams and fosters the necessary trust for employees to have the desired autonomy to perform their tasks.

Valuing the Individual

My generation was shaped by personalization: if I join an organization and am treated as just another employee, I quickly become demotivated. So, at least to my leader, I need to be seen. Leaders need to know their teams, pay attention to each person's specificities, recognize the skills and limitations they may have, and actively work to better develop individual potential.

And this recognition does not necessarily have to come through a promotion, for example, which is not the ambition of all Generation Z employees. I know professionals who were invited to be mentors in a program and were much happier than when they were promoted. When recognition is genuinely tailored to the professional's aspirations and demands, it generates satisfaction and stimulates engagement more organically.

Feedback – or Simply Dialogue

The practice of feedback, with specific meetings between leader and employee to point out improvements in work, is an important path to success in managing Generation Z. But this is because dialogue, ultimately, is the foundation for building an organizational culture that knows how to welcome younger workers and present them with paths for personal and professional development. If the intention is to create a corporate environment based on respect for individuality, for both employees and leaders, then it is essential that the parties are available for good conversations and mutual learning. This, after all, is the future of labor relations.

*Natália Travagin is Marketing Supervisor at DM, a financial services group specialized in credit management, born in the year 2000.