There are three initiatives HR can undertake to not only attract Gen Z employees but make sure they don’t fly the coop, according to Jeri Hawthorne, who has been Aflac’s CHRO for just over a year. Hawthorne recently spoke with HR Brew about these strategies, and how they’re used at Aflac.

Provide wellness solutions

Some 65% of Gen Z workers say it’s “very important” for their employers to provide mental wellness benefits, according to data released in February 2023 by Securian Financial. Employers should consider offering benefits that support mental and financial wellness, Hawthorne said.

At Aflac, employees have had access to behavioral and financial wellness benefits since 2018 and 2019, respectively. The organization decided to offer these solutions after assessing its programs to determine where employees needed greater support, Hawthorne said in a follow-up email to HR Brew sent through Aflac program PR Manager Darcy Brito.

Developing employees is a key part of Aflac’s overall wellness strategy, Hawthorne said, noting that organizations with strong employee growth plans may be more attractive to Gen Z candidates.

Resist rigidity

Gen Z values flexibility in when and where they work, Hawthorne said: “Organizations that have the ability to give flexible schedules and some sort of combination of onsite and remote [is] something that’s very, very attractive to Gen Z.” Indeed, 75% of Gen Z employees prefer hybrid or remote work because of the flexibility these situations offer, a 2022 Deloitte survey found.

Aflac’s roughly 5,700 US workers have enjoyed a hybrid work model since the Covid-19 pandemic, Hawthorne said via follow-up email, coming together in-person for various learning opportunities and meetings. This is appealing to younger workers, Hawthorne said.

Mission driven

Many Gen Z employees want to be a part of an organization that makes valuable contributions to their communities, Hawthorne said. Indeed, 77% of Gen Z want to work for a company with values that align with their own, according to Deloitte research.

Aflac, for example, has supported initiatives to end childhood cancer since 1995, contributing over $176 million to the cause. Aflac’s My Special Aflac Duck initiative also provides comfort to sick children.

These initiatives are highlighted during Aflac’s recruiting and onboarding processes, Hawthorne said in an email. She believes they have an effect on workers’ decisions to join the organization, noting that “it is even stronger with Gen Z employees, who are very much in tune with the notion that successful companies should give back to the community.”

This report was initially published by HR Brew.