Changing expectations of the Gen Z workforce

March 2022

The global pandemic and the resulting shift in working behaviors have meant that people are re-assessing what’s important to them in the context of the workplace. So much so, that many employees are now looking to find new opportunities and explore greener pastures. 

Known as the ‘Great Resignation’, a global phenomenon, employees in Ireland are changing jobs at an unprecedented rate – young people in particular: 74% of 18–24-year-olds are hoping to be in new work within 12 months¹.

So, what is driving this vast departure, and more importantly, what can you do to attract and retain your younger workforce in Ireland? Check out Irish Life Health’s tips on how you can attract and retain the younger workforce:

While the trend is a global one, research has found that 67% of Gen Z respondents in Ireland place particular emphasis on greater work/life balance in their employment choice, compared to the global average of 50% ².

So, to appeal to this new generation of workers, look to create a more accommodating work schedule with benefits such as flextime and hybrid working.

In Irish Life Health’s latest commissioned research³, 63% of Irish workers expect greater flexibility in the hours they work each day/week, to accommodate a better work/life balance. But this number jumps to 87% for respondents aged 18-24 – which shows just how important it is to this group.

80% of Irish Gen Z-ers said they would still want to work even if they had enough money to live as comfortably as they’d like for the rest of their lives.³

So, despite any misplaced myths about this being the “distracted, snowflake generation”, Generation Z clearly has a drive and determination that could become the foundation of your successful business. With this in mind, put them to work. Give them clear targets, provide personal development projects and offer up something they can really get their teeth stuck into. 

Generation Z does not know a world before the internet – they simply didn’t experience it.

When you hear the phrase ‘digital natives’, this is the age group of people that are being talked about. During the pandemic, 82% of this generation spent more time on TikTok and Instagram, in addition to entertainment sought through YouTube (93%), Netflix (91%), and online gaming (40%)⁴.

So, if you want your business to appeal to Gen Z, don’t even think about using paper and pens. 85% of 18–24-year-olds said they would be enticed back to the office for access to technology and facilities that wouldn’t be available at home. With this in mind, make sure you have a wealth of digital tools, mobile devices, and accessible cloud storage if you want to engage them – and empower them to do their best work.

As a generation that has grown up in the world of 24-hour news channels and ‘always-on’ connectivity, it’s unsurprising to hear that these individuals can easily suffer with stress and anxiety.

41% of Irish Gen Z-ers said their employers had done a poor job supporting their mental health during the pandemic⁵.

So, as an employer, you have a responsibility to support these employees and to do all you can to maintain their mental health. Whether this is open discussions in the workplace, access to an employee assistance program (EAP), supportive reading materials, or a combination of all of these, it’s vital that you fulfill your duties to Gen Z workers.

Through Irish Life Health’s research, they found that 51% of Irish employees said having access to health & wellbeing supports (such as gym facilities and yoga classes) would entice them back to the office environment. However, among Gen Z respondents, this number jumped to 83% - that’s a 62% increase above the average.

So, it’s clear if your business is to appeal to 18–24-year-olds, then you better have a focus on health and fitness. This can include subsidized gym memberships, an on-site gym (if you have space), or even just offer work flexibility so they have time to work out during their day.

Encouraging the use of tools like MyLife (Irish Life’s personalized health and wellbeing app) motivates employees to get active and embrace positive lifestyle changes – and rewards them for doing so!

Irish Life Assurance plc, the IGP Network Partner in Ireland, is a subsidiary of the Irish Life Group Ltd and is one of Ireland’s leading life and pensions companies with over 1.3 million customers. For over 80 years, it has helped people in Ireland embrace change and build better futures through its innovative products and dedication to customer care.

Irish Life Health dac is also a subsidiary of the Irish Life Group Ltd, and a provider of competitive and comprehensive health insurance plans.

It is important to note that Ireland’s health insurance market is community-rated.  The cost of health insurance premiums is not based on an individual health status but on the average cost of providing private health services. Everyone, with certain exceptions, can purchase the same policy for the same price. A risk equalization mechanism operates in the background to compensate insurers with older or sicker portfolios.  For this reason, medical cannot be included in co-ordinated employee benefit programs such as captives, pooling or global underwriting products.