Canadian HR Reporter

CANADIAN HR REPORTER JULY 2019 FEATURES 33 RECRUITMENT Preparing for the next wave of talent What matters most when it comes to recruiting, retaining generation Z? By Chris Brown F or years, HR leaders have been trying to determine what millennials most want out of a job and how to best appeal to this generation. How- ever, leaders are now setting their sights on the next cohort to enter the workforce: genera- tion Z, comprised of those born between 1995 and 2010. To prepare for the next wave of talent, which is estimated to account for 20 per cent of the workforce by next year, talent leaders need to recognize that these digital natives bring an unprecedented level of techno- logical skills to the table. But, simultaneously, they ex- hibit skills gaps in certain areas, particularly when it comes to soft skills. As Canada continues to face a growing skills gap, it is more important than ever that human resources leaders are equipped with the insights needed to suc- cessfully attract and retain this generation. Human resources plays a cru- cial role in identifying how to best incentivize gen Z, when to off er more support and what hiring strategies and retention methods will resonate with this group. Here are three key consider- ations for HR and learning and development (L&D) leaders look- ing to navigate gen Z's emergence into the world of work: Soft skills are here to stay As technology automates hard skills, there is a growing demand for this emerging generation to solve problems creatively, navi- gate change, and work well with others. In fact, 91 per cent of L&D leaders believe the skills neces- sary for today's workforce are diff erent from those of previous generations, according to a 2018 LinkedIn survey of 400 learn- ing and HR professionals in the United States. Strong soft skills are becoming vital for professionals and busi- nesses alike as these are skills machines can't replace. For ex- ample, while creativity is often associated with art or design, it's also a skill that closely correlates with problem-solving and can be applied to almost any role. Sixty-one per cent of HR lead- ers believe that relative to other generations, gen-Z employees will need extra support in the devel- opment of soft skills to navigate the changing world of work, ac- cording to the survey. Talent professionals will there- fore be key in identifying fresh ways to accurately assess and continually upskill this new gen- eration's soft skills. Even with the growing impor- tance of soft skills, it can be dif- fi cult for talent and hiring leaders to assess them compared to hard skills. To equip gen Z with the right skills, talent professionals need to fi rst identify the soft skills valued most at the company and defi ne the skills needed for a specifi c role. Human resources should con- sider assessing the skills shared by top performers and align with hiring managers and recruiters on the most important soft skills for a given job. Establishing clear internal guidelines will help set a bench- mark to assess prospective and current employees. Financial incentives and career advancement Unlike their millennial prede- cessors, gen-Z learners are moti- vated by fi nancial incentives and career advancement. While mil- lennials experienced challenging early years fi nancially, gen Z will enter the workforce at a time of economic stability, making them more driven to see financial success. is generation wants to make a diff erence while simultaneously ensuring they have the fi nancial stability to have a secure life out- side of work. This drive is so strong that more than half (59 per cent) of gen Z would like to learn pro- fessional skills to make more money and 46 per cent would accept learning opportunities to get a promotion, according to a LinkedIn survey of more than 2,000 gen-Z members. Knowing that fi nancial incen- tives and career advancement matter, L&D leaders should provide a clear vision of career advancement and transparently share what they need to do to rise in the company. To complement this growth, HR leaders should also instill a sense of purpose with a genera- tion that seeks passion in their careers. By illustrating how their role aff ects company goals and reiterating that they are vital to helping the big picture become realized, gen-Z employees will work relentlessly to activate these goals. Invest in micro-learning e generation that grew up in a connected world prioritizes ac- cessibility, and takes comfort in being able to digest information from anywhere, at any time. More than half (58 per cent) of gen-Z workers would like to learn a new skill but feel they don't have the time to do so, found the survey. Unlike previous genera- tions, many gen Zs prefer a fully self-directed and independent approach to learning versus the traditional learning L&D pro- grams tend to off er. Gen Z is familiar with learn- ing new skills on YouTube and other online platforms in short, digestible snippets of time, which means organizations need to break out of traditional learning methods to appease their appetite for on-demand learning. It's about leveraging diff erent mediums and developing L&D programs that focus on providing these digital natives with mobile learning opportunities in varying forms that cater to their strengths — such as video tutorials for visu- al learners and podcasts for audio learners. is training also needs to be provided in bite-sized chunks (micro-learning) so it can easily be inserted into everyday tasks — such as during a commute, while waiting in line, or during a lunch break. Investing in micro-learning en- ables L&D leaders to quickly close skill gaps and easily fi ts into the busy lives of gen Z. Organizations that can suc- cessfully attract and retain gen-Z talent will have an unquestion- able competitive advantage. When managing the new in- fl ux of this up-and-coming gener- ation, it is up to human resources and L&D leaders to consider how to harness their strengths and help them to fully integrate into the organization. Chris Brown is director of talent solutions Canada at LinkedIn in Toronto. For more information, visit www.linkedin.com. Training needs to be provided in bite-sized chunks so it can easily be inserted into everyday tasks. Credit: DisobeyArt (Shutterstock) The PMIR now includes study in both Toronto, and on the Queen's campus in Kingston. Star ng September 2019 the PMIR launches fall/winter course offerings in a state-of-the-art Learning Centre, in the downtown core of Toronto. The PMIR class schedule allows students to combine full- me employment responsibili es with part- me graduate studies, over a study period of about 30 months. Explore the Queen's PMIR: mir.queensu.ca Professional Master of Industrial Rela ons The Queen's PMIR is a graduate program for professionals in HR/LR, leading to the Master of Industrial Rela ons degree.

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