A lot of criticism is levelled at young workers, even if they aren’t actually that young.
Despite the oldest cohort of millennials now being in their 40s, stereotypes persist about millennials and Gen Z (or ‘zoomers’) being ill equipped for the world of work thanks to their digital upbringing. Having grown up communicating via messaging apps and social media, the thought is that younger generations lack key social skills needed in the workplace.
There may be a grain of truth in this, but it also isn’t a reason for businesses to despair. While younger employees may have a skills gap in terms of direct communication, this is often mitigated by being stronger in other areas. The businesses that are thriving in the modern economy are harnessing the strengths of millennial and Gen Z employees, mitigating their weaknesses, and embracing the benefits they can bring to the workplace.
Generation gap
The terms ‘millennial’ and ‘Gen Z’ are often misunderstood, so let’s start by laying them out. The generally accepted definition of millennial is people born between 1981 and 1996, while members of Gen Z were born between 1997 and 2012. As such, when we talk about millennials, we’re discussing a cohort that is now firmly ensconced in the workplace. By contrast, Gen Z are newcomers to working life, with the youngest members still having a few years to wait.
These age ranges are designed to reflect the circumstances in which both groups were raised. Millennials grew up in an age after the internet and personal computers, but before the popularisation of smartphones and social media. By the time the earliest members of Gen Z were teenagers, by contrast, these technologies already existed. To put it another way, millennials are familiar with both the analogue and digital worlds, while Gen Z is fully digital.
There are always differences between generations, but these two jumps can seem particularly stark. Millennials largely grew up online, even if it was on forums rather than Facebook. Gen Z meanwhile has spent less time on computers and more on mobiles, making them hyper-familiar with social media, but less so with spreadsheets. Each generation is not just out of step in terms of technology, but the precise technology they use – bringing interesting implications for the world of work.
Communication breakdown
Believe it or not, millennials have been the largest demographic in the U.S. workforce since 2019, and are predicted to represent around 40% of all workers by 2025. This obviously nullifies a lot of the cliches around avocado toast-eating yuppies, given that you probably know plenty of these millennials. But it also reflects the fact that the issues cited about millennials in the workplace aren’t new – they’re just being brought to fresh attention because of Gen Z.
The key one is communication skills. The internet is a fantastic tool for communication, but it’s a kind that differs from what businesses often value. Social media and apps such as Discord allow you to meet people from all across the world, sharing your interests and forming genuine friendships. But you can also do so living behind an avatar, and not speaking or presenting yourself directly to others. Indeed, in a world where scare stories of online predators are rife, retaining this anonymity is encouraged.
What this can lead to is weaknesses in certain soft skills. The obvious one is communicating with people in person, and without the time or space that messaging allows you. This is not just an issue for interpersonal skills – critical to the dynamics of any workplace – but also presentational skills, and the ability to articulate your thoughts to others. If you can’t explain things clearly to a stakeholder, your boss or your peers, it becomes difficult for an employee to advance, creating a major shortfall of managers and salespeople.
How to address a presentational skills gap
So, how to remedy this? The first point to make is that the skills that younger employees bring to the workplace can be a differential factor. The tech literacy that can make people less able to present and speak in public also make them adept at digital communication. Millennials tend to be well-versed in productivity and creative software such as Office and Adobe Creative Suite, while Gen Z can cover social media such as Instagram and TikTok seamlessly. They also bring new perspectives to businesses, and a keen awareness of sensitive topics, something that can help you to avoid marketing gaffes.
Solving the presentational skills gap simply means giving these employees the knowledge and experience they need. There are a few ways to go about this. The most obvious – and often practical – is to invest in presentational and communication skills training. Training courses such as our Assertive Communication Skills course can help young employees to get over the anxiety of public speaking, and expressing your opinion effectively; while our Effective Presentation Skills course can hone your technique, and ensure you capture your audience’s attention.
Beyond this, there are practical changes you can make to boost interactions between employees, and nurture their communication skills. Mentorship and orientation can help to integrate employees into the workplace, and build relationships that naturally improve soft skills. While often seen as slightly antiquated and of dubious value, team building exercises can also help to foster both better relationships and better communication. This needn’t be the usual outdoor activities, as if anything, these can put Gen Z employees off. Instead, consider arranging something like an escape room, or even an afternoon of cooperative board games, such as Pandemic or Mysterium.
With all of this said, not every employee is there to be nurtured. Some people are naturally more introverted than others, and will never enjoy or thrive at public speaking. In this instance, while you may be able to help them assert themselves more when it’s beneficial to their work, they shouldn’t be forced into situations that will make them particularly uncomfortable. In other cases, a mental health condition can make public speaking or giving presentations a terrifying prospect, though this is likely something that candidates would be aware of when pursuing certain roles or careers.
It’s dangerous to fall into stereotypes and assume that a generation of people lack the skills you need, or for this to affect your hiring decisions. However, the differences between the technology that the last few generations have grown up with are such that some differences are inevitable, and are something that businesses must look to accommodate.
Instead of looking at these differences as weaknesses, business leaders should instead embrace the strengths that younger employees bring, and find ways to offset the issues. Through a combination of formal and informal training, mentorship and building up experience, younger employees can improve their communication skills, and contribute enormously to any workplace.
