How to prepare the leaders of tomorrow

Five key strategies to support your Gen Z employees

How to prepare the leaders of tomorrow

1.

Provide engaging and meaningful work

Upskill line managers to have regular, open and honest career conversations with their younger team members to understand what they want from their careers, and to help them see a future for themselves within the business. Whilst promotions aren’t always an option, secondments, projects, mentorships and stretch assignments can ensure ongoing job satisfaction whilst building skills and retaining key talent.

2.

Focus on skills, not jobs

While ‘climbing the ladder’ may be an outdated concept, ongoing career development isn’t. Our research shows that Gen Z employees are keen to advance their careers, and by creating a culture of internal mobility, organisations can better position themselves to retain young talent by offering them opportunities for ongoing development through regular lateral career moves, focusing on the basket of skills held by the individual – and those they want to acquire – rather than the job title.

3.

Provide clarity around what it takes to be a great leader in your business

The skills and qualities of great leadership differ from business to business – so it’s important for organisations to gain clarity on the non-negotiables, and communicate these to all employees. And it’s best to keep it simple – select no more than five key areas and ensure any development programmes or internal assessments align to these.

4.

Remove bias from internal processes

Transparent, data-driven decisions are key when it comes to identifying and developing high potential talent. Implement objective assessments and recruitment processes, and ensure employees have sight of how decisions are made throughout the business, to encourage applications from all demographics.

5.

Provide time and permission to focus on development

Development takes time – a precious commodity in today’s world of work. If businesses want to see a true ROI on their development programmes, it’s vital to provide employees with the explicit permission to take the time to learn, to progress their careers without fear of leaving their current team in the lurch, and to speak about their goals candidly. A culture of ongoing learning must be role-modelled from the top-down.