How to Recruit Gen Z Candidates: What They Want From Work

Generation Z, born between the mid-to-late 1990s and the early 2010s, is the first fully digital generation: they have never known a world without the internet. They have also grown up with economic uncertainty and a strong awareness of climate change, diversity and social equality. Now leaving education and entering work in growing numbers, they bring a different set of expectations about work, leadership and workplace culture.

For employers and Facilities Managers, understanding what motivates this generation matters. The organisations that reflect their priorities find it easier to attract, engage and keep talented young professionals. This article covers what Gen Z want from work, how they look for jobs and what employers need to change to recruit them.

Gen Z and Millennials compared

Generalisations about any generation only go so far, and individuals vary. Even so, the broad differences between Gen Z and Millennials are useful when you are designing a recruitment process.

Gen Z

• Important job factors: salary, duties, work-life balance.
• Communication preferences: texting, social media, video calls.
• Feedback style: face-to-face, frequent, continuous.
• Soft skills: connected, realistic, socially responsible.
• Media preferences: YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat.
• Occupations: design and media, sales, psychology.

Millennials

• Important job factors: salary, career growth, work-life balance.
• Communication preferences: email, texting, phone calls.
• Feedback style: digital, frequent, casual.
• Soft skills: goal-orientated, flexible, collaborative.
• Media preferences: Twitter (now X), Facebook, Instagram.
• Occupations: education, mathematical roles, business and financial operations.

Many of these differences reflect how much digital media Gen Z were exposed to growing up. They show up in the occupations Gen Z enter, which tend to offer more creative scope, such as design and media, and in how they search for jobs.

What Gen Z want from work

Purpose as well as pay

Salary still matters to Gen Z, but many also want to feel their work contributes to something meaningful, whether that is supporting communities, protecting the environment or improving people's lives. Younger employees are more likely to choose employers whose values match their own, so corporate social responsibility, sustainability and ethical business practice play a real part in recruitment and retention.

Employers should be clear about:

• the organisation's purpose;
• its values;
• its sustainability commitments;
• its diversity and inclusion work; and
• its community engagement.

Candidates increasingly ask not only "What does this company do?" but also "Why does it do it?"

Flexibility as the norm

Gen Z entered the workforce during a period of rapid change in how work is organised, and many see flexible working as a normal expectation rather than a perk. That does not mean everyone wants to work remotely full time. Many value choice over where, when and how they work, which can include:

• hybrid working arrangements;
• flexible start and finish times;
• remote working opportunities;
• activity-based workplaces;
• collaborative spaces; and
• quiet areas for focused work.

Continuous learning

Gen Z understand that careers change quickly. Rather than expecting to stay in one role for decades, many actively look for chances to build new skills, and professional development is a major factor when they choose an employer. Organisations can respond with training programmes, professional qualifications, mentoring, coaching, leadership development, cross-functional projects and clear internal career paths. Employees who can see room to grow are generally more likely to stay.

Technology that works

Having grown up with smartphones, cloud computing and instant communication, Gen Z expect workplace technology to work properly. Outdated systems and clumsy processes quickly become a source of frustration. Smart building technology, digital workplace platforms, cloud collaboration tools, mobile workplace apps, automated workflows and data-driven facilities management all help.

Collaboration, with space to focus

Despite assumptions that younger people prefer to communicate through screens, many Gen Z professionals value teamwork and enjoy working with diverse teams across disciplines. Workplaces should provide space for team collaboration, informal meetings, creative thinking and knowledge sharing, alongside quieter areas where people can concentrate. Getting that balance right is the key.

Open communication and regular feedback

Gen Z generally prefer open, honest and frequent communication, and they want feedback face to face and on a continuing basis rather than once a year. Regular conversations about performance, development, career progression and business updates help, as do approachable leaders and an environment where people feel comfortable sharing ideas.

Recognition does not have to be financial. Clear expectations, constructive feedback, ongoing coaching and simple acknowledgement of good work have a significant effect on motivation.

Diversity and inclusion

Gen Z have grown up in one of the most diverse and connected periods in history, and many expect a genuine commitment to equality, inclusion and belonging that goes beyond written policy. They look for evidence in inclusive leadership, diverse recruitment, equal opportunities, accessible workplaces, fair progression and respectful behaviour.

How Gen Z search for jobs

If you want to attract Gen Z employees, you need to understand their job search habits.

Employee referrals

Research published by recruiting software company Yello in 2019 found that over 60% of Gen Z prefer and rely on referrals from an employer's current or former employees. Gen Z appear to value referrals more than previous generations did, which makes the satisfaction of your current employees a recruitment issue as well as a retention one.

Company and careers websites

Gen Z respond to compelling, meaningful and visually engaging content more than any other generation. A company website is often where they decide whether a role interests them, so good design and honest job descriptions matter.

Relationships with recruiters

Gen Z jobseekers place a high value on meaningful personal relationships. If they trust their recruiter, they are much more likely to be interested in the role. Long online application processes, by contrast, can put them off.

Social media

Users aged 18 to 24 spend most of their social media time on Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram, and these platforms have moved into recruitment. Snapchat has introduced features that let brands attract applicants through the app, and in 2021 TikTok ran a US pilot, TikTok Resumes, that let candidates apply for roles with participating employers by posting video CVs. Gen Z are already used to engaging with brands on social media, so it is a natural place to reach them.

Recruiting strategies that work

Because Gen Z look for jobs differently and weigh different factors, employers need to be more creative about attracting them.

Move quickly and keep in touch

Gen Z jobseekers expect fast replies and quick offers, usually within a week of the first interview. Keep them updated frequently and use a mix of channels, from email and phone calls to LinkedIn messages. In Yello's 2019 Recruiting Study, more than half of Gen Z candidates said they preferred face-to-face communication during the recruiting process, so in-person follow-up meetings through the process help build the relationship.

Turn your employees into advocates

Because Gen Z rely so heavily on referrals, engaged and satisfied employees are one of your best recruitment channels. Build those relationships and encourage staff to refer people and to show your company culture through their own social media posts.

Rewrite your job descriptions

Job descriptions need to reflect Gen Z's priorities. State the flexibility on offer so candidates can see their work-life balance will be respected, and because Gen Z place a high importance on what the job actually involves, list the duties in full alongside the benefits. Be clear about purpose, values and development opportunities too.

Modernise your careers site and technology

A visually engaging, mobile-optimised careers site is the foundation of a recruitment strategy that appeals to Gen Z, and it can be integrated with social media. Gen Z also have high expectations of technology, so keep application and recruitment systems simple and quick to use.

Advertise where they already are

Social media job advertising, including the recruitment features on platforms Gen Z already use, can be an efficient way to reach them.

The workplace matters too

Recruitment does not stop at the offer. Facilities Management has a growing influence on workplace experience, and the workplace now supports wellbeing, collaboration, innovation, sustainability, inclusion and productivity, not just somewhere to do a job.

Facilities Managers can help organisations keep the people they recruit by creating workplaces that are flexible, sustainable, technology-enabled, inclusive, safe, comfortable and collaborative. These environments appeal to Gen Z, but they benefit employees of every age.

Looking ahead

Gen Z are already changing how organisations think about work. Their expectations around flexibility, wellbeing, sustainability and purpose are pushing businesses to rethink traditional workplace models and leadership. Because they value referrals and personal relationships so highly, recruitment may move further towards referral-based, face-to-face processes and away from traditional online applications, and that may shift again when Generation Alpha reach working age.

Employers who treat these expectations as an opportunity rather than a problem are likely to attract the best young talent, keep it longer and build stronger cultures as a result.

Talk to Maxwell Stephens

If you are hiring in Facilities Management and want a view grounded in actual placements rather than survey averages, talk to our team. We have recruited exclusively in FM since 2006.