Tech-savvy, entrepreneurial, pragmatic, and collaborative, Gen Z – which includes the vast majority of recent college graduates – possesses many attributes prized by employers.  

However, it’s also a cohort that struggles with anxiety, can be confrontational, and craves precise guidance that can sometimes be perceived as a lack of motivation.  

Veronica Stewart, director of Bryant University’s Amica Center for Career Education, notes that the center prepares graduates for the workforce through a mix of experiential learning, real-world experience, and classroom instruction that includes lessons on workplace culture. 

With Gen Z now entering the workforce, Stewart says employers can get the best out of recent college graduates by: 

• Letting them express themselves: Gen Z adults have often been encouraged to engage in family decision-making. “They speak up about what they think or feel, and that’s something employers are not used to,” says Stewart. Giving young employees the latitude to express themselves can help build the sense of belonging and purpose that Gen Z needs. 
• Being transparent: Taking the time to explain the “why” of workplace decisions to a junior-level employee may seem unnecessary, but it builds trust with a cohort whose nature is to question everything. “If they trust an organization, and there's open communication, they are willing to work very hard,” says Stewart.  

“If they trust an organization, and there's open communication, they are willing to work very hard."

• Talking about values and culture upfront: Giving recent college grads the information they need to determine whether the organization is a good fit can head off pushback and apathy later on. “We remind students that being heard, feeling like you belong, and being a part of some decisions,” while important, doesn’t change the fundamental truism about work: a job is still primarily about organizational goals, not yours, Stewart says. 
• Leaning on mentors: Gen Z can greatly benefit from a side-by-side coach, preferably someone near their own age, during their first few months on the job. “They're often given supervisors, but not coaches,” says Stewart. “They need someone to be highly involved in the work they're doing and very directive about what needs to be done.” A well-structured mentor program that includes training on active listening and confidentiality can help. 
• Giving constructive feedback: It’s an overstatement that Gen Z workers don’t accept feedback; however, recommendations can devolve into unproductive stress and anxiety if not delivered carefully. “Give feedback in a constructive way versus criticism,” advises Stewart.  
• Keeping them busy: No surprise that a generation overstimulated by devices has a limited tolerance for idle time or busy work. “Students will come back from an internship and say, ‘I had nothing to do even though I asked repeatedly for work,’” says Stewart. “If supervisors were to say, ’You don’t have to be here if your work's done for the day,’ that could resolve so much. Gen Z’s feeling is, ‘If you don't have anything for me to do, why are you having me sit here?’ That doesn't feel like an honest relationship to them.” 
• Being clear about expectations and consequences: Gen Zers who lived through the COVID-19 pandemic were given a lot of flexibility and second chances in school, Stewart points out. “To not have that in the workplace is pretty difficult,” she says. “It’s important for employees to understand that this was the environment they were raised in. It's not that they're intrinsically lazy or defiant.” 
• Making them feel valued: Recent college grads who question everything can feel like disrespect, but often it’s an effort to become more engaged. “As an employer, you have to work a little harder to make them feel valued and understand how their roles fit into the big picture,” Stewart says. 

"You have to work a little harder to make them feel valued and understand how their roles fit into the big picture."

• Allowing them to be flexible: The duality of Gen Z is that while they can struggle with idle time, and are often rigid about ending their workday on time, they also are flexible about working odd hours. “They might be very willing to work hard over the weekend or during the evenings when they find time to work on projects,” Stewart says. “You can get productivity out of them if you manage them properly. Give them the flexibility they need to be their best selves.” 
• Explaining the hierarchy: Gen Z “was raised feeling more comfortable being at the same level as adults. Through college, they were encouraged to express themselves, find their own identities, and build their brand,” says Stewart. “Then they enter the workplace and are asked to sit down and wait for instruction.” Gen Zers’ assumption that they're on the same level as their higher-ups can be difficult, Stewart concedes. “They need to be told, ‘Here's the hierarchy, here's where your responsibilities begin and end.’ If a decision is not open for group discussion, let them know that.” 
• Stressing workplace fundamentals: Stewart says many Gen Zers haven’t yet internalized professional workplace rules such as showing up on time or early, being properly dressed for an occasion, or the proper use of names or titles in correspondence or when meeting in person. “The orientation process needs to include this type of information,” she says. 
• Accentuating the positives: Working with Gen Z employees takes a fair amount of specialized attention, but Stewart says the end result can be well worth the effort. “They want to trust an employer. They want to stay. They want to work hard if there is transparency,” she says, stressing: “There’s so much talent and so much loyalty underlying this generation.”