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More than 2.4 million college graduates will enter the workforce this year, but many feel completely unprepared. Here’s what employers can do about it.
be Recent Research According to a survey of more than 2,000 U.S. workers conducted by my company, nearly two-thirds of Gen Z workers under the age of 24 are dissatisfied with their school or college education. Prepare for employmentAccording to a survey by the American Staffing Association, 70% of Gen Z workers want professional development and training. Important Considerations When contemplating a new job.
According to the Harvard Business Review, 70% of employees Lack of skill acquisition This highlights the critical need for organizations to provide more effective training to equip employees with the skills they need to perform their jobs. So how can organizations step up their training and development to better integrate their new Gen Z workforce? Here are five ideas to consider:
Related: Gen Z is changing entrepreneurship forever
Establish a dedicated learning and development program
Starting a career is a big step for all graduates, be they high school or college graduates. They have been in learning mode since childhood, acquiring skills. Let’s continue that in the workplace. Employers can leverage that “I’m here to learn” reflex by preparing programs for new graduates to succeed on the job. Organizations should include not only hard skills like office suite training, but also soft skills like meeting behavior (it’s never too early to start training in leadership).
Wherever possible, organizations need to make learning scalable and personalized, allowing managers to quickly and easily create and deploy short-form, “snack” learning courses tailored to individual needs, building a strong bench of potential future leaders. This training goes a long way in keeping employees satisfied. Job Employment and Labor Mobility Survey (JOLTS)Between 3 million and 4.5 million employees left their jobs.
Pair up your friends
Assigning an experienced colleague can increase the success of onboarding. Buddies can answer questions new hires don’t want to ask their boss or senior management, shed light on company culture, and guide new hires to avoid making costly on-the-job mistakes. A buddy system also reduces unnecessary exposure to busy managers. Giving new hires a go-to person who is similar in experience and age and knows how to fit in quickly makes a big difference, and it goes a long way toward building the welcoming culture new graduates crave.
Appoint a senior mentor
While a buddy can answer a new hire’s questions and generally steer them in the right direction, they can’t replace a dedicated senior mentor to solve problems and chart the right path to success. A good mentor will look out for the new hire and provide success strategies, such as improving job performance and helping them get promoted, or building the skills to move up within the company. Mentors also regularly check in to make sure the new hire is adjusting well to the company.
Set up a 90-day feedback session
New graduates are accustomed to consistent feedback from teachers and professors. A lack of feedback in the workplace can make them feel less confident. A business isn’t a university, but that doesn’t mean your company can’t create opportunities to mentor and reassure new hires. Feedback should always be constructive and help prepare them for a more formal review. Receiving initial feedback within three months of their start date gives new hires a chance to get back on track before their first formal performance review, when the stakes are higher.
Related: 5 Differences Between Gen Z and Millennials to Consider When Promoting Your Business
Create opportunities for cultural adaptation
In a hybrid or fully remote work world, there may be fewer informal opportunities for new hires to integrate. Working from home means fewer impromptu water cooler chats, and new hires may feel isolated in that mode. Still, employers can organize culture-building opportunities like monthly live company updates, virtual lunches, one-on-one meetings, and company-wide all-hands strategy sessions. Inviting hybrid and remote workers to such events can go a long way to building a cohesive culture when office time is scarce or no longer available.
Onboarding new graduates doesn’t have to be a daunting task for busy organizations. At my company, CYPHER Learning, we put many of these suggestions into practice. Though we’re a fully remote organization, we bring employees together regularly to ensure mentors are available and provide ongoing feedback. We set up corporate calls to share good news and provide training on our latest products. We ask managers to keep in touch with new hires so they feel valued.
Following this book isn’t that difficult, and doing so can have huge benefits for employee productivity and innovation, team cohesion, and long-term retention. With a little planning, organizations can help new graduates seamlessly transition into the workplace and emerge as confident, successful new hires.