Who's Up Next

Employers saw a lot of differences and challenges when hiring the most recent workforce group, the gen y-ers.

But they haven't seen anything, yet.

Next up is generation z. You might not have heard of them yet, as they were only born as early as 1995, but they'll be entering the workforce very soon. And like every other generation, they have their pros and cons. It's finding a way to work with those pros and cons that will help make this generation a huge success in your business.

Let's look at the cons, then pros of their different attributes:

In a blog written by Penelope Trunk, a writer on managing careers, she states that "generation z will not be team players". Instead, they'll prefer to get things done themselves. This can prove to be difficult to work with, but at the same time they don't need loads of direction. Their parents, as a result of their overkill parents, are less likely to tell them exactly what to do, where to do it, and when. Therefore, they learn to know what they want, and how to push themselves to get it (a skill I'm sadly lacking).

Because they're so used to fast-paced games, computers, and school work, they will expect this same high speed in their jobs. If you think gen y gets bored too easily, then watch out. But on the upside, you can utilize this speed tremendously in your business. They will sift through information at speeds we could only dream of. They will also multitask as if by second nature, in the end boosting their productivity.

But with these skills, comes a little attitude. In an article published by HRGuru, they warn companies that this generation places "even less priority on their career in search of more flexibility and balance between work, family and personal time". They also have a mistrust of larger corporations after watching their parents get laid off, even if they had worked there for many years. This means you have to give them more incentives to choose your business.

Eventually gen z will disperse into the workforce with as much ease as any other new generation. After the bumps and grinds, businesses will see their true potential, and make positive changes to accommodate and utilize their unique skills.

><(("> Becca Carpenter

Becca is a ><(("> Team member at Catch Your Limit Consulting, a management and marketing firm with offices in Tallahassee, FL and Richmond, VA. To learn more, visit www.catchyourlimit.com.