1 in 2 Hong Kong employees unimpressed by their firms' Generation Z 'approach'

Upward mobility is becoming a hot topic.

Only half (50 per cent) of Hong Kong employees think their organisation is well prepared to meet the demands of Generation Z, based on a Randstad Hong Kong’s Workmonitor survey.

According to a release from Randstad Workmonitor, this concern becomes particularly relevant as the next generation of workers, aged between 14 to 19 years old, dominates social commentary in Hong Kong on the back of the Occupy movement.

As Generation Z gradually enters the workforce, Mr Peter Yu, Director of Randstad Hong Kong, advises business leaders to take into account the nature of a diverse workforce when they plan their human capital strategies.

“Upward mobility for Generation Z has been a hot topic across Hong Kong recently. To keep this generation engaged, employers will be expected to provide rapid advancement opportunities, while 75 per cent of current employees expect them to demand greater work-life balance than older generations.

“To successfully integrate Generation Z into the workplace, employers need to understand their motivations, strengths and weaknesses, while balancing the needs of each generation which all have diverse perspectives, skill sets and work styles,” Mr Yu said.

Here's more from Randstad Workmonitor:

While Generation Z is considered to be technology savvy and will be essential in driving innovation according to 66 per cent of current employees in Hong Kong, less than half (47 per cent) think they can learn a lot from Generation Z in the use of technology.

This tracks far behind regional counterparts including India (86 per cent), China (75 per cent), Malaysia (74 per cent), Singapore (68 per cent), New Zealand (63 per cent) and Australia (62 per cent).

“To maximise productivity in a multi-generational workforce, employers should promote mentorship so that older workers can coach younger colleagues and pass on knowledge and leadership skills, while employees from the younger generations should be encouraged to share fresh perspectives, teach new skill sets and cross-pollinate ideas with older workers.

“With so many generations working closely together, this opens up opportunities for greater collaboration, robust discussions that spark innovative ideas and more importantly – it may prevent any skills gaps in the workplace and help build a solid leadership pipeline,” Mr Yu concluded.

The Randstad Workmonitor survey also found that: Half (49 per cent) of employees think they can learn a lot from Generation Z on work-life balance. 66 per cent of employees think their employers dedicate more time and resources to talent development programmes than they did 10 years ago. 67 per cent think their employers allow them to define their own career paths.