Assimilating the Youngest Generation into the Workforce

Industry: All Industries

Keywords: Workforce, Gen Z, Millennial, Leadership, Retention

Level: Advanced

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitch-lomazov-30959b105/

We have spent years researching and adjusting corporate policies and leadership style to engage and develop the Millennial workforce. The newest generation, Gen Z, appears at the surface to resemble the same priorities, work style, and values. However, upon a deeper dive, the two generations couldn't be more different. There is an increase in disengagement and less retention across the younger generations in the workforce and part of it is due to initiatives bundling the two younger generations into one. As business approaches evolve, so do the types of leaders within organizations.

Within the past few years, a new generation has entered the workforce, with entirely different value systems and behavior patterns. In order to increase the engagement and efficiency of our organizations, we need to understand and adapt to the values of Millennial and Gen Z generations and the differences. To gain awareness and equip leaders with the ability to adapt, one needs to look at what occurred during the formative years of generations to see how their behavior patterns and values in the workplace are derived. With this training, we create numerous connections as to why younger generations may not be engaged and how to create better environments to foster new leaders. For example, the Generation Z, by majority, is highly skeptical while the Millennial Generation tends to be more optimistic and trusting.

When we take a deeper dive into the root cause, the Gen Z generation grew up immersed in social media and with scandals being publicized of leaders and actors. They experienced the 08 recession from a child's view point, seeing more homes argue and stress about finances. They experienced a multitude of negativity on the internet and social media along with financial hardship in a condensed period of time. Quite differently, the Millennial generation experienced a significant economic boom during their formative years. A heightened sense of interconnectedness as the internet was routinely used in their upbringing.

As a result, the Millennial generation tends to believe in the mission and vision of organizations and their leadership, while Gen Z requires significantly more time to build trust. Onboarding looks quite differently when understanding the differences in values and behaviors of the two youngest generations. There are numerous innovative strategies that can be developed to better lead, engage, and retain younger workers by studying the economic and environmental events during their formative years.

Mitch Lomazov

Executive Director of Client Development, EXCELLence Performance, Sarasota, FL, USA

Mitch is a high-demand speaker and coach at EXCELLence Performance, repeatedly voted as the #1 Business Consultant and Trainer in Venice, Manatee, and Sarasota by the Herald-Tribune Readers’ Choice Awards. He has sought out the best coaches and professors to develop his leadership, personal development, and speaking skills to more impactfully communicate his message to professionals and the next generation of leaders.

Coming from an immigrant family, his parents started with nothing and created an opportunity for him and his brother to thrive in America. He has built his career with a sense of gratitude and appreciation from the opportunities provided to him. Mitch pulls from life experience along with what he has learned to positively impact the leaders of today and tomorrow. He graduated from the #2 Accounting School in the Country with Degrees in Accountancy and Finance.

Mitch joined EXCELLence Performance as their Director of Finance and while establishing their finance department he graduated from a 2-year coaching certification program which included 150+ hours of supervised coaching and direct training from the CEO of EXCELLence Performance. In addition to his speaking and coaching career, Mitch co-founded a medical speech therapy practice with his wife in Sarasota, FL called Neuro Speech Therapy.

Mitch was recognized as one of Sarasota's 35 under 35 by SRQ Magazine and the Most Valuable Professional of the Year under 40 in Manatee County. His team won a Small Business of the Year award by the Manatee Chamber of Commerce. Mitch dedicates his time to speaking to small and large teams across the country to better engage their workforce and coaching their rising leaders to build upon the legacy of their organizations.