The first and most important thing to keep in mind when it comes to millennials is that they are mission driven and seek to work in support of a cause greater than themselves. They are hard workers and don’t see themselves as entitled. They may work individually but they seek to achieve team goals.
Members of Gen Z sees themselves as the opposite of millennials. They have more of an entrepreneurial spirit and are competitive. They are not as collaborative as millennials and are more focused on getting their work done. They require flexibility in where they work and tend to prefer remote work opportunities.
Gen Z tends to see millennials as being more entitled and require more team collaboration. Of course, not all employees in either generation behave the same and one generation isn’t better than the other. Gen Z employees typically have a more realistic attitude and value loyalty in their workplace. Compensation and opportunity for advancement are more important to Gen Z recruits.
When it comes to recruiting members of Gen Z, offering internships and speaking with people earlier (even in high school) is important. A significant amount of Gen Z doesn’t attend college and the ones who do have already predetermined their major and goal prior to beginning their studies. To address the major decline the accounting industry is facing, we should offer internships and start recruiting students earlier in their academic journey.
Our industry is seeing a greater swing towards technology with blockchain and AI. It is important to understand that your millennial and Gen Z employees will be comfortable with learning to use new technology. Using technology comes especially naturally to Gen Z, as this generation was immersed in it throughout their formative years. You need leaders and innovators in technology to help grow your practice, and Millennials and Gen Z employees are uniquely positioned to meet this need.
Tom is a huge proponent of hiring millennials and members of Gen Z. By discovering and paying attention to the differences and opportunities of each generation, you will have better clients, a better practice, and a better life.
Want to learn more about how to get better clients, a better practice, and a better life? Book a call with us today and see if joining TFW Advisors® is right for you!