An Evolving Workplace for Next-Gen Employees

The unique expectations of “next generation” (Next-Gen) employees—defined as those currently 18–23 years old—regarding workplace culture, mental health and well-being, and mission-driven work are inspiring employers to re-evaluate their practices and policies as part of a whole-person approach to health.

In early March, the Public Health team at the Milken Institute held a convening, An Evolving Workplace for Next-Gen Employees, as part of the Employer Action Exchange. The goal of the session was to bring together employers and Next-Gen advocates to elucidate the upstream thinking and actionable strategies organizations are taking to support the upcoming generation of talent and foster a more inclusive, resilient, productive, and engaged workforce across generations. Thirty-one organizations participated, and while not all of them are listed below, this article is the product of their collective thought leadership and expertise. Three key themes emerged around how employers can adapt to and thrive with the Next-Gen employees: a renewed focus on mission-driven work, mentorship, and communication as important areas for employees and employers alike as they navigate the evolving workplace together.

Driving Engagement and Performance with Mission-Driven Work

Next-Gen employees have come of age in a tumultuous time, facing numerous macro-environmental pressures, in addition to the stress of joining the full-time paid workforce. Moreso than previous generations, they are drawn to roles where they feel connected to the organization’s mission and values, which then has the potential to drive pride and motivation, according to the US surgeon general. However, as one attendee reflected, “It may be harder and harder to get Gen Z employees to feel like they’re doing something that changes the world.” Several participants noted that while previous generations have faced existential crises (e.g., following World War II or 9/11), Gen Z is unique in believing that the world may not even exist for them in 50 years.

Others had observed that Next-Gen employees’ two main drivers for showing up in the workplace are: 1) if they see a glimmer of hope for the future and/or 2) they view work as a way to pass the time. Employers who understand this mindset can help Next-Gen employees see the positive impact their organizations have on the broader community and can foster an environment where those employees feel a deeper connection to the purpose and mission of the organization. A clear line of sight and a sense of unity around the shared mission are essential to productivity and performance.

Building Connection and Resiliency through Mentorship

In addition to employees believing that their work has purpose, having non-parent caring adults, such as managers and mentors, whether formal or informal, can serve as a protective layer for their mental health, the Poe Center reports. The workplace can provide a sense of community that helps prevent loneliness and isolation, which are associated with worse performance at work, according to the US surgeon general. The sentiment that “people don’t leave organizations, they leave managers” was echoed throughout the convening. It highlights the importance of mentorship from managers and leadership in employee retention. Outside of mentorship programs, managers need to establish open lines of communication to build trust and connectivity between themselves and employees.

While managers may occasionally need to deliver difficult feedback, having established a professional rapport built on kindness, trust, and open communication can enable them to provide honest and constructive feedback that ultimately helps the employees grow and advance in their careers. Formal mentorship programs are not only critical for professional development and career growth, but support from non-parent caring adults can equip younger employees with the confidence and tools needed to build resiliency skills, cope with adversity, and advocate for themselves, which will, in turn, make them stronger employees and future leaders.

Bridging Divides with Communication and Shared Language

Underscoring all of this is communication. Employers are listening to the needs of Next-Gen employees and should engage with empathy and understanding. Through their work with Next-Gen students and young adult employees, the Jed Foundation found that Gen Z often feels “gaslit” when they are told they should learn to work through or cope with, rather than be angry about, the state of the world today. From their perspective, their frustration with the world they've inherited—as one attendee stated, "a world on fire, thanks to the actions of previous generations"—is warranted and appropriate. Employers who demonstrate a desire to understand, who keep lines of communication open with Next-Gen employees, and who recognize their employees' hunger for mission-driven work will have a more engaged and inspired workforce.

Several participants also touched on the unspoken messages employers send through their actions. Work-life balance is a priority for Next-Gen employees but can be difficult to maintain in this era of technology and hyper-connectivity. When leadership sends emails or messages outside of work hours, even if they don’t expect a response, the behavior they are modeling can unintentionally make it difficult for Next Gen to set and maintain boundaries. Reflecting on the indirect messages sent through behavior and modeling a positive example for Next-Gen employees can communicate that their well-being is a priority for the organization. Communication is key to bridging gaps in generational expectations and fostering understanding in the workplace.

Next-Gen employees may have initiated this workplace shake-up, but prioritizing whole-person health and connectedness in the workplace by uniting through purpose, promoting mentorship, and improving communication will benefit all generations. Embracing the diversity of perspectives across generations and making space for new approaches and mindsets will guide the standard for more inclusive, resilient, and collaborative workplaces across the board. Creating a more sustainable culture around workplace well-being will lead to higher performance for both employees and organizations alike.

Adaptation at Work: Action Steps for Employers

Unifying Employees through Mission-Driven Work: Next-Gen employees bring the causes they care about to the workplace, which is an opportunity for employers to unify their employees through a shared goal. Incorporating employee feedback into and outlining the organizational mission and values will provide a line of sight for employees to be more connected to, and therefore more engaged in, their work.

Guiding Next Gen through Mentorship: Formal mentorship programs that pair junior- and senior-level employees together for guidance and training can result in stronger ties to both colleagues and the organization while supporting career and professional development and promoting intergenerational trust and connectedness. Mentors can also provide perspective through historical context for newer employees that helps them understand internal changes that have taken place as an organization continues to evolve.

Prioritizing Communication Best Practices

• Establishing a common understanding of frequently used internal acronyms and defining lingo and industry phrases can demystify communications for those less familiar with the terminology. Generational differences in terminology or style can impede clear communication and alienate colleagues of different generations. This will allow for effective messaging across an organization.
• Provide opportunities for employees to share suggestions of how leadership or managers can better meet their supervisees' needs. Opening a dialogue and being receptive to feedback establishes trust and signals that Next-Gen employees’ feedback is valued.
• Use the scheduled delivery option to send emails during the recipient's working hours. This helps maintain work-life boundaries by limiting off-hours communications and signals that employees’ time is respected.

Leading with Empathy: Adopting a whole-person approach to leadership and leading with kindness and empathy can, in its own way, be the social-impact side of work.

• Riley’s Way Foundation paves the way for future empathetic leadership through grants and leadership training awarded to Next-Gen leaders working on projects rooted in kindness and community.
• ESPN launched the Choose Kindness Project as part of an alliance with 20+ nonprofits to teach youth about the importance of bullying prevention, intentional inclusion, and youth mental wellness, instilling the values of kindness and empathy in the next generation of leaders.
• Several participants referenced a study that found a generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot’s responses to patients’ health-care questions were significantly more empathetic than those of clinicians, as reported in JAMA Internal Medicine. As it pertains to the workplace, we will continue to explore the use of generative AI as a tool that might be leveraged to lead and communicate with empathy.

Resources

• The Jed Foundation: College to Career: Supporting Mental Health      
• National Alliance on Mental Illness: Building Resiliency
• Psych Hub’s Educational Mental Health Content
• The Mental Health Coalition: Wellbeing at Work
• Society for Human Resource Management: 5 Generations Are Now Working Together: Here's How Smart Leaders Are Making the Most of It
• ESPN’s Choose Kindness Project
• Milken Institute: Employers Taking a Humanist Lens: Implementing Whole-Person Health in the Workplace