I’m sure you’ve seen or heard the tropes about Gen Z at work.
According to the Internet, Gen Z is “lazy, entitled, and doesn’t want to work.”
As a Gen Z nonprofit professional myself, I’m here to tell you that isn’t true.
The Pew Research Center defines Gen Z as people born roughly between 1997 and 2012. Compared to millennials and older generations, Gen Z tends to be more social justice-minded, connected via technology, and concerned with work/life balance.
Another unfortunate defining feature of our generation: the pandemic happened during some of our most formative years. The pandemic changed the way that Gen Z professionals formed social connections, finished college, and carried out their first internships and jobs.
Gen Z workers will account for 30 percent of total employment by 2030 in the United States, according to a study by Oxford Economics. Whether you currently have a Gen Z professional on your development team or not, you will soon.
Perhaps you’re a manager looking to hire some younger fundraisers or seeking ways to best work and communicate with the Gen Z professionals on your team. Everyone is different, and I’d always recommend direct communication if you’re struggling with a current team member.
However, if you’re looking for some general ideas on ways to best hire and retain young professionals, here are 6 things Gen Z fundraisers are looking for in a nonprofit workplace:
Do you have questions or more to contribute to this conversation? Join us on Tuesday, October 25 at 12 PM CST for a conversation with Gen Z professionals and managers about quiet quitting and ways to best work together.