Digital native demographic cohort Gen Z likes artificial intelligence, apparently. Amy Feirn, U.S. managing principal for transformation at Deloitte, said a recent study of Gen Zers and millennials designed to gauge their understanding of the workplace and their values zeroed in on generative AI.
“They said that if they were using the tools and felt empowered by their organization, and were doing that as part of their daily activity, they were more positive about their potential—their human potential—in their career and with that organization, than if they weren’t,” Feirn said during a panel at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women summit in Laguna Niguel, Calif. on Monday. But some Gen Zers and millennials said they didn’t feel as though they were given the tools or being empowered to use them, which means more investment needs to be made in doing just that.
That same study also found that among millennials and Gen Z’s top three priorities, their paycheck came dead last. What came first, however, was purpose. They care if their company does good for society.
And of course, work-life balance came second, which is something the current generation of senior leaders has learned to adapt over the years. Some might say they’re taking a page from Gen Z.
Emma Chalwin, Workday’s chief marketing officer, shared that she used to say yes to everything. “I wouldn’t say no to anything,” Chalwin said. “I would travel on every single trip, because I’d think if I wasn’t there, I would be forgotten.”
It wasn’t just reframing work-life balance, she explained, but also being authentic. “I’ve really learned over the years to really try as best I can to manage my calendar and not let my calendar manage me,” Chalwin said.
Maybe it’s something Gen Z and their predecessors, millennials, already know. They seem to appreciate vulnerability, too. Seema Hingorani, founder of Girls Who Invest and managing director at Morgan Stanley, said there’s one thing she always does, particularly when it comes to working with Gen Z women. “I always share my family story because we all start from a different place,” Hingorani said. Sometimes it can provide an instant connection because everyone has a family story and it can influence who you are.
Vulnerability and authenticity aren’t weaknesses, and with female leaders the two traits can find themselves in how they helm. “We take the business and make it purposeful,” Feirn said. “We do that because we bring emotion, we bring vulnerability, we bring perspective, we bring transparency.”
But they have to continue to do that, while continuing to push for more diverse workplaces. Nadine Augusta, chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer at Cushman & Wakefield, said it plainly: “Commercial real estate is not known for its diversity.” Not many women are in high-earning roles in the industry, which is why her company has worked to create an environment where female employees can speak up, whether that be through allying with employee resource groups or connecting women at the company with each other.
Still, the way the current generation of leaders climbed the ranks might not be the same as younger generations, so the skills they need might be different. According to Feirn, they need communication skills to simplify complexity, they need to harness change, and they need to understand how technology influences how markets operate. Augusta had one more thing to add: Creativity.
