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Gen Z has gained a considerably negative reputation in the workforce.
Three-quarters of managers say their “Zoomer” employees are more difficult to work with than other generations, according to a ResumeBuilder.com survey from April. Similarly, 40% of business executives surveyed in July by Intelligent.com, a platform that ranks higher education programs, believe recent college grads are unprepared for the workforce. Zoomers are allegedly so inept at soft skills that major consulting firms are offering young workers specialized training to help them develop non-verbal communication, storytelling, and presentation abilities.
But Zoomers are hungry for guidance. Around 83% of Gen Z respondents say having a workplace mentor is crucial to their career, according to Adobe’s Future Workforce study, published in September 2023.
A new learning series from cloud-based talent-development software provider and online learning platform Cornerstone aims to help young workers develop necessary people skills. The video collection, called the DNA learning series, features short-form, vertical videos—similar to a TikTok—that address a single question or concern a young worker may face in the workplace. At the end of each video is a short quiz that the viewer answers. Companies that are customers of Cornerstone’s Learning Management System platform can access the training through a subscription to its “Content Anytime” offering, and either have employees register or assign them trainings.
“What we’re seeing and what research is telling us now is that there are difficulties that they [Gen Z] face to the quote-unquote traditional corporate environment,” says Carina Cortez, Cornerstone’s chief people officer. “I know my kids love the TikTok format, and their attention span is usually about that long. These quick-hit [lessons], I think works really, really well.”
Some examples of video lessons include:
— “Hey guys,” which offers advice on how a worker can address her discomfort with her manager addressing the team as “guys.”
— “Communicate across differences,” which helps workers be mindful of their colleagues’ different communication styles.
— “Own your professional voice,” offering guidance on communicating professionally and being taken seriously.
According to Cornerstone, “Communicate across differences” is currently the top-performing course it offers, garnering 45,000 registrations and a 99% completion rate in 2023. While the series is catered to digital natives, older employees can also learn things about Gen Z in turn.
“You now have so many different generations that have had different ways of operating,” says Cortez. “Having that human connection, being able to have that one-on-one interaction, that’s what’s gonna make the difference. It’s just being able to be open to that conversation.”
Paige McGlauflin
paige.mcglauflin@fortune.com
@paidion
Reporter's Notebook
The most compelling data, quotes, and insights from the field.
The extent to which AI will replace human jobs is hotly debated. But David Hsu, CEO of Retool, a software company that helps companies integrate large language models into their systems, says his clients are interested in fully replacing human workers.
“With our customers, it’s not augmentation they want. It’s full-on automation. They just want the human to disappear. That is where you see the massive cost savings,” he tells Semafor.
Around the Table
A round-up of the most important HR headlines.
- One-third of Gen Zers aged 16-26 said they believe working for themselves is the best path to wealth, according to a Meta poll. Business Insider
- Workplace discrimination claims must include proof that an employee was directly harmed by an employer's actions, but a case going in front of the Supreme Court tomorrow could expand that definition to include workplace DEI initiatives and prompt a wave of reverse-discrimination claims. Washington Post
- Interview processes that required take-home assignments grew 86% between Q3 in 2019 and Q3 in 2023, per Glassdoor data. Applicant sentiment towards them, however, is getting worse. Bloomberg
- More layoffs are likely on the way at Wells Fargo after the bank’s CEO announced it would set aside $1 billion for “unanticipated” severance costs in the fourth quarter of 2024. The specific number of position cuts, however, wasn’t disclosed. Financial Times
Watercooler
Everything you need to know from Fortune.
The power of choice. Employees given the option to choose how they work (in-person, remote, or hybrid) were more productive, less stressed, and twice as likely to be happy with their employer than employees whose work situation was chosen for them, according to a survey from corporate wellness platform Gympass and Northwell Health.—Jane Thier
Closing time. Job openings hit a 2-year low in October at 8.7 million as layoffs increased and hiring cooled. —Paul Wiseman, AP, Irina Ivanova
Stimulus doesn’t stick. Data from the Bank for International Settlements found that countries with the most pandemic handouts are having the hardest time getting workforce participation rates back to pre-pandemic levels. —Orianna Rosa Royle
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