Hiring new graduates and welcoming them to your workforce after the 2023 graduation season requires a different approach and more effort than classes of the past. These graduates belong to a generation that grew up during the struggles of the Great Recession and later earned their degrees amid a global pandemic. Consequently, their values aren’t placed on snack bars and beanbags in the office but rather on stability and flexibility.
New graduates yearn for stability at work
According to a Handshake Network Trends report, a good amount of new graduates feel nervous about the current economy and anxious about landing a job. This angst motivates them to apply to a greater range of diverse jobs, making it difficult to capture the greatest talent. To be able to recruit the best that class 2023 has to offer, you must be able to offer stability. This factor carries more weight than employer brand names and is equally as essential as salary. Specifically, they are searching for employers that can adapt to the ever-changing work world, especially in the technology industry.
For instance, companies like Ford and General Motors have been around for over a century, yet they are utilizing technology to advance their goal of autonomous vehicles and have zero emissions. Actively making choices that move with technology will be a key factor when candidates are vacillating between employers they choose to work for.
Flexibility is a key factor in hiring new graduates
While the new remote work world is loved by many generations, recent surveys indicate that Generation Z isn’t entirely in love with the idea of remote work. In fact, some prefer not to have this option at all sometimes. They have had their fair share of growing up through technology whether it was through the explosion of social media or attending Zoom University. Now they are at an age and point in their life where they crave something more and it’s the value of connection in the workplace, best known as “company culture.”
For example, Isabella worked 18 months at a remote job and felt completely unsatisfied. When she landed an office job last year, she was so excited, only to be placed in a lifeless workspace where half the employees were not present. Many
GenZers have faced the experience of working at home, using tech to conference with individuals they have never met while hoping for real-life interactions.
While remote and hybrid work may be your workplace model now, there are steps to take to uplift this environment for your new employees by inviting them into a welcoming team already expressing gratitude for them. Spend time facilitating open discussion, even virtually. Explore co-op spaces where employees living in close proximity could meet to collaborate on occasion. It’s imperative to plan for events/meetings periodically for in-person time.
Create a path for continued learning
Aside from creating a balanced work environment that new graduates crave, one of the most important ways for Gen Z to feel part of the company culture and begin to learn the ropes is by providing opportunities for growth.
Gen Z gets its nickname “Why Generation” for a reason, and that’s their thirst for learning mingled with curiosity. According to a LinkedIn Study, these new hires want to learn how to climb their professional ladder, and the smartest companies are providing just that. Amy Borsetti, Senior Director of LinkedIn Learning, states that “learning and creating a culture of agility and continuous learning is a full-blown competitive advantage.” Take this and practice it through career-pathing or organizing professional development courses at work. To the new graduates, it symbolizes security in their careers.
Studies found that 83% of Gen-Z want to learn skills to perform better in their current role. Hiring companies actively pursuing new graduates from this generation should review their current continuing education program and their performance goals requirements for employees to advance and learn new skills. Partnering with industry associations and organizations that offer training and workshops can help this effort, even if you don’t have something built in-house.
Grow with a staffing firm that understands the next generation
At SSi People, we recognize the different expectations of the next generation and how to create a work environment to set them up for success. One of the ways in which we do this is to partner with educational institutions and recruit new graduates into the world of HR while partnering them with SSi mentors to help them learn hands-on experience in our industry. Our recruiting team benefits from these interactions and gains direct insight into how to build relationships with the world’s future workforce and industry leaders. Contact our team today to discuss expanding your talent pool and building new relationships with top talent.