Management Tips for Gen Z (Part Two)

This is the second installment of a two-part series, Management Tips for Gen Z. Read part one here!

In May 2022, Chris Hauck, founder of HauckEye, and Erin Sowell, founder of Thoughtful Research, gave a talk at QRCA’s annual event titled: “Connecting Generations”. Their work analyzed how each generation views both itself and other generations.

You can find links to both of their profiles at the end of this blog post. I know both of them would love the opportunity to engage with you about their research on generational differences.

How Gen Z views themselves

According to Chris and Erin’s report, Gen Z views themselves as:

• Tech-savvy
• Open-minded
• Creative
• Fast learners
• Detail-oriented

How other generations view Gen Z

All generations see Gen Z as tech-savvy. However, there are some negative views held by older generations when describing Gen Zers including:

• Entitled
• Lazy
• Needy
• Move too fast
• Narcissistic

While all generations struggle with scrutiny from older generations, we are in the tightest labor market in the last 30 years.

For example, Gen X had to conform to the value system of Boomers. The outcomes were on work-life balance. In fact, Gen X had to get approval for doctor appointments during the workday.

My first job was in the mid-90s. We were required to get approval for even a 30-minute dentist appointment. And, if you were out of the office for any length of time, the minimum PTO cost was half a day.

Not only were corporate policies prioritizing time at work, Boomers and Gen Xers saw working long hours as a badge of honor. In fact, employees would expect social shaming by peers and managers alike if they had several doctor visits in a month.

The advice I was given by my dad was, “If you want to be the best employee, be the first in and last out every day.”

Compare that to this TikTok of a Gen Zer explaining to their boss what their boss should care about:

 

 

 

Be warned! Don’t be offended. Being offended because a generation has a different value system is a trap. Listen to what the Gen Zer is actually saying.

“You told me what to do…I did it…what’s the problem?”

This leads to our first tip…

Tip 1: Identify what is important (outputs)

As a manager or owner, you need to prioritize what you care about. Is it attendance? Is that more important than the actual deliverables? If it is, that is fine.

You just need to be clear on what your internal expectations are. This will give you a lot more peace as a manager.

I can’t underscore this point enough, be true to yourself. Don’t feel bad for prioritizing things like “early starts” over “work done”.

Tip 2: Don’t micromanage

Let your employees have a strong influence on when the workday starts. The flip side is you also need to be clear on what work needs to be done in that timeframe.

Remember, just because you can’t see them working at their cubicle doesn’t mean work isn’t being done. Trust your team and don’t micromanage.

For example, if I see an employee is often offline on Slack my Gen X mind says, “They are likely watching Stranger Things for the third time,” And this thought can lead to mistrust and even resentment.

Don’t give in to that.

In my early days as CEO of Decipher, I would walk around the office to check in on people. This walk was never about making sure people were working. It is just too easy for employees to hide inactivity. Alt-Tab has always been a thing.

Don’t over-index on green bubbles that are supposed to show active status when managing remote staff.

 

 

Tip 3: Verify outputs

Trust is the first half of the equation. The other half is to verify the outputs.

If you prioritize start time, for example, please be at your computer no later than 8 am every day, then track when people are not at their computer.

How would you do that? That’s up to you.

However, if you prioritize doing a specific task or project, then measure that.

Here is my management framework:

1. At the start of the quarter, I set a specific goal for each direct report, e.g., number of leads generated per week, on-time project delivery, etc.
2. This gives each subordinate a clear picture of what they need to do and helps them prioritize their time. It also creates a clear and unbiased assessment of how they are performing.

I then meet every two weeks for 30 minutes with my direct reports. Here is the structure of that meeting:

• Review stated goal vs. actual performance
• Gap analysis:
  • If they are behind, “why?” and “what can we do about it?”
  • If they are ahead, “Woohoooo!!!!”
• Start: Any activity or behavior I’d like them to start
• Stop: Any activity or behavior I’d like them to stop
• Continue: Focus on the things they are doing well
• I end every one-on-one with this question, “Is there anything you need from me to do your job?”

Action: How often do you have one-on-ones with your direct reports? This will help you set the culture of measurement and accountability.

Tip 4: Celebrate success

Gen Z loves recognition. Consider a small discretionary fund for managers to use for these micro celebrations.

Managers should look for opportunities to celebrate the same work milestones that would be celebrated if we were all in the office together.

But don’t stop there! Managers should also be looking for opportunities to praise their employees for little things.

Example: Some companies are recognizing employees with videos that celebrate workers’ contributions. These videos can be placed in the public domain like your website and social media.

I’m on the board of a solar company that does this and it has two outcomes:

1. Attracts new talent that is in the Employee of the Month’s network. What is powerful about this is that good people attract good people.
2. The second benefit is that it connects with current and potential customers. By publicly recognizing employees you are making a statement about your culture. And, today’s buyers want to buy from companies that share their values.

Qualtrics even has an award they give out for the biggest failure of the month. In an interview I did with their CMO, he talked about a customer support employee troubleshooting an issue with a client. The employee had to use the bathroom and forgot to mute their phone.

While it was embarrassing, this incident underscored the priority the company had on servicing the customer at all costs.

Tip 5: Challenge yourself to see the other side

This is really hard. We all get dug into thinking our view is the right one when the reality is there is truth on both sides. Here is an example of a post for employees who are being taken advantage of…

 

 

 

On the flipside, you can find many TikToks by business owners who feel they are being taken advantage of by their employees.

It is vital we try and check our biases and prejudices at the door when managing staff. I believe the single greatest superpower a manager can have is adaptability. By that, I mean the ability for you to not apply a cookie-cutter approach to managing staff. We are all unique and, today, we expect to be managed as such.

For further consideration

If you’d like to learn more about the work referenced in this post:

• Chris Hauck, founder of HauckEye. HauckEye is a marketing research consultancy providing insights through deep ethnographic and experiential research.
• Erin Sowell, founder of Thoughtful Research. Thoughtful Research helps businesses understand and meet the sustainability, inclusion, and wellness needs of their customers and employees.

Some of the data for this report was gathered using HubUX, A research operation platform for private panel management and qualitative automation, including video audition questions and surveys.

If you’d like to learn more about HubUX please reach me on social or via email.

Lastly, you are always invited to attend the MRxPros’ Virtual Lunch. This is a group of UX, CX, and market researchers that meets every week for 30 minutes to do three things: learn one new thing, make one new friend, and have fun.

Happy researching! 😊

References

• 2011. “Millennials at work Reshaping the workplace”. PwC. Online. Accessed June 9, 2022.
• McNamara, Brittany. 10 November 2021. “The Science Behind Social Media’s Hold on Our Mental Health”. Teen Vogue. Online. Accessed June 9, 2022.