Why we need to understand Gen Z Learning Styles

Generation Z: New workforce on the block 

Born in the mid to late 1990s and early 2000s, Generation Z are perhaps the first generation to have grown up with social media and mobile phones at their fingertips from an early age. The use of technology in the workforce isn’t a novelty for Generation Z, it’s the norm. 

Many younger Generation Z employees also entered the workforce at a time when flexible working was either becoming, or had already become, the standard for many businesses. Collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams or Slack are not necessarily something that Generation Z has to adapt to, but rather the dominant form of workplace communication. These subtleties carry significant weight when it comes to Generation Z’s learning preferences. 

An article from Hays, ‘What employers need to know about Gen Z’, further explores the characteristics of this element of the workforce.

What does this mean for your workforce? 

People development leaders need to adapt their offering in line with the needs and wants of each generation – which now includes these younger workers.  

In a 2022 article by Zurich, they state that by 2025 Generation Z will account for 27 percent of the workforce, they currently make up 30 percent of the world’s population.

According to Deloitte although salary is still the most important factor when choosing a job, gen Z values salary less than the other generations, “If given the choice of accepting a better-paying but boring job versus work that was more interesting but didn’t pay as well, Gen Z was fairly evenly split over the choice”.

We know that opportunities for learning and development are key factors for employee job satisfaction and contribute to whether they stay and progress within an organisation, or leave to seek out career development and fulfilment.

This means creating new approaches that better cater to the learning styles of Generation Z, who usually prefer a digital-first approach. 

To encourage the retention of younger employees, and the development of an overall more effective workforce, organisations should revise their learning strategies urgently to include generation z learning preferences. 

Different learning styles are being demanded 

Learning experts have reassessed the delivery and content of learning and development materials in the workplace. All generations are demanding a different workplace learning style, especially Generation Z. 

Today’s average employee is said to be time-poor, with just 1% of a typical workweek to focus on learning and development. 

On top of this, we can add a globally dwindling attention span. This is especially the case with Generation Z learning styles, with employees in this age bracket are said to have an 8 second attention span. 

Every workforce is diverse in a variety of ways, including age and seniority. Leaders must therefore offer a strategy that suits the individual, rather than investing time and resources into a blanket approach that may not be successful. 

Time to take your staff learning and development to the next level

• • Access Learning courses can be accessed online, in innovative bite-sized modules to engage your employees and help learning stick across all generations.  
  • Access Career Development software that supports your employees at any stage of their career. This system delivers professional coaching advice to build employees’ skills and develop their confidence which in turn can help you to retain talent and benefit from measurable differences to your business and workforce.