By Francesca Morichini
The new generation entering the workplace are the trailblazers of a post-Covid workforce, entering without any memory of the traditional 9-to-5 office grind. Their latter education was largely digital, and global uncertainty has become their companion. But within this uncertainty lies a wealth of opportunity.
Report findings drawn from a quantitative survey of 200 recent CEMS’ graduates worldwide, complemented by 11 in-depth interviews, delved deeper into the perspectives of a handful of these young professionals. The result was a captivating glimpse into the aspirations and demands of the next generation.
Discussions highlight the shift towards digital prowess as the new cornerstone of job security. They underscore the importance of fostering enjoyment and creativity in the workplace, viewing offices as collaborative playgrounds rather than mere workspaces. Flexibility is key, allowing them to blend work with life experiences, including a penchant for work-related travel.
This generation approaches career progression differently, valuing happiness and personal enrichment alongside traditional advancement. They’re adept at navigating the deluge of information from social media, honing their skills in filtering what’s pertinent.
In essence, the future is bright, brimming with possibilities. By understanding and embracing the unique traits of this emerging workforce, organizations can thrive in an ever-evolving landscape. It’s a journey of adaptation and collaboration, where each step forward brings us closer to a more resilient and sustainable future.
Here Francesca Morichini, Chief HR Officer at Amplifon, a CEMS Corporate Partner, gives her reaction to the report findings:
Balancing the needs of young professionals with business requirements
Overall, these findings don’t surprise me as they are quite consistent with what we at Amplifon experience every day when interacting with the next generation. Obviously there can be some micro cultural differences country by country or region by region, but in general the trends are pretty much the same for the generation entering the workforce all over the world.
Young people are clear they want to find purpose in their work and enjoy it. Having an impact on their community is very welcome and helps us know what we need to do to engage with them. However, it is important to balance needs and wants with an understanding of the requirements of the business. There are some actions, contents, or ways of working that are required to make the business work and perform.
As the survey finds, this generation is very comfortable with using technology to learn and grow competencies – after all much of their higher education was delivered remotely during the pandemic.
They love the flexibility of working remotely. It’s up to us to show why a work environment, where they meet with colleagues, is also valuable to their growth and why taking the opportunity to come to the office, and interact in person, with colleagues has a positive impact on their development. It is part of our job as leaders to help them to find out and understand the right balance.
Similarly, as younger colleagues haven’t experienced working full-time in an office, they are sometimes unaware of the implications of the ideas they’d like to implement. For example, post-Covid, we were discussing with younger colleagues why we wanted to implement a policy of offering a good level of flexibility while at the same time requesting a good level of presence in the office. We explained that if we went fully remote, it would have consequences for the company, the employees themselves and other company’s external stakeholders. Companies need to communicate that they have responsibilities not only to individual employees but to many other stakeholders and we have to find the right balance together.
The importance of a bold, empowered workforce
The desire to be valued and heard is something we perceive very strongly in our young people and it’s critical for us to build this into our culture. We value young people who want to share, speak up and have an opinion independently of their seniority. Having a bold and empowered workforce can only help the organization.
At the same time, we recognize that young people can’t be expected to understand the complexities of an organization or how best to make an impact straight from the classroom. We’re working to harness the power of this new workforce by giving them the opportunity to build new capabilities and competencies that help them navigate and interact in a positive way with the rest of the organization.
To succeed it’s important to help young people see the value for themselves in experiencing something different or looking at things from a different stakeholder’s perspective. It will help them envisage the difficulties they’ll need to overcome, understand the value of compromise, and grow in maturity and resilience. If young people learn to frame their ideas in the context of the organization and wider community to find a ‘win-win’ solution – their voice will become even stronger.
Three steps to unleash potential
What steps should organizations take if they want to unlock the potential of their young workforce? I would say follow three key principles. Firstly, communicate – and when you communicate concentrate on explaining! Explain why decisions have been taken and what it means for the wider organization. Explain where young people can have an impact, where they are valued and where they can give value – perhaps in areas they hadn’t previously considered.
Secondly, invest in skills. This generation doesn’t want to be in a closed box. They are aware that they need to build a rounded profile. They want to have different experiences. It is critical for organizations to be agile and offer them the opportunities to acquire new skills and capabilities in every context and situation.
Finally, invest in your culture. Make sure your young people feel part of an environment where they are listened to, they can learn, and they make an impact. Build an inclusive and diverse environment where values are clear and can be easily perceived.
Francesca Morichini
