BECAUSE of the global pandemic, the entry Gen Zs into the working environment may be harder than ever, not only due to the education aspect, but also the concerns regarding the future talent pipeline.
However, professional recruiting company Hays believe that recovering employers today are uniquely positioned to help the COVID-19 era cohort of university and school graduates to start their career the way they were supposed to.
“Many commentators argue that this crisis will define an entire generation, but in my mind, that doesn’t mean it needs to dictate their future success. As business leaders, we cannot just idly sit back, avert our eyes and let this generation experience this monumental upheaval without doing all we can to support them,” stated Hays CEO Alistair Cox.
Echoing the sentiment, Hays Malaysia managing director Tom Osborne said: “Many graduates today have been unsuccessful in finding work in their chosen fields. For those who have found jobs, they tend to have very different experiences compared to colleagues who joined the workforce years before.”
Osborne also stressed that supporting the graduates in their challenging first step onto the career ladder is vital to the country’s future talent pipeline.
According to Hays, organisations have an important role of supporting the Gen Zs effectively, which can include:
Keeping an open mind when hiring: Alistair says businesses must move away from ticking boxes and set pre-requirements. Employers should widen their nets and consider each candidate’s potential. “It shouldn’t matter where a candidate went to university, or even if they went to university at all. What matters is that they are the best person for the job,” he explained.
New entry-level vacancies: On this, accountancy and financial services training coompany Kaplan Matt Rawlins said: “In the absence of maintaining a pipeline, it’s predicted that a business will suffer in five to 10 years, due to a skills gap caused by the current talent moving up within the hierarchy, with no pool of talent to replace it.
“It’s certainly worth considering filling the gap with a bumper year of recruits or trainees. A delay of a year won’t hugely affect a business’s talent pipeline. However, if the ‘hole’ is not plugged quickly the impact will be extrapolated.”
Formal and informal training: Once entry-level talent gaps are filled, use training to ensure new staff develop the necessary skills. If you are working remotely or in a hybrid model, explore the range of virtual training tools and platforms available and select the most appropriate for your organisation and employees. Mentoring, coaching, project involvement, on-the-job learning and stretch opportunities will also ensure your entry-level staff are given the groundwork they need.
Tailored onboarding: Greenhilll HR co-director Sandy Wilkie believes that HR teams and senior managers should ensure that the new starts in the company flourish.
“It’s key to put more effort into regular and engaging conversations with new starters leading up to their start date. Ask them what and who they think they need to know and build this into a tailored onboarding or induction plan that blends face-to-face and online meetings.
“When they have joined, ask them how they feel on a regular basis and invite them to participate in daily check-ins so they feel supported and can highlight any problems they’re having.”
Helping hybrid staff plug into the culture: It may be difficult to understand the company culture, and what the company expects from them in terms of performance and behaviour. Managers and HR professionals need to be proactive and reach out to the fresh starters to help newcomers integrate. – May 26, 2021
