What Does Gen Z Really Want in a Workplace?

For print service providers (PSPs) looking to hire and retain talent, consulting content from a wide range of experts is beneficial. However, to appeal to the next generation of workers, it's important to understand what their priorities are, what type of work environment they value, and what challenges might arise during the search for new talent.

Xiaoying Rong, professor, Graphic Communication Department at the College of Liberal Arts, Cal Poly in California, posed these very question to her students.

She summed up their responses, noting, “The top things that students mentioned when entering the workforce are financial stability and sustainable salary. The location of the job, supportive culture, respect for diversity, and willingness to learn from the younger generation at the workplace are also at the top of the list. The possibility of remote work can be attractive, too.”

That mentality was echoed by both Megan Mikami, account manager, and Emilia Thein, experiential designer, who were both just hired full time at Image Options in Foothill Ranch, California, after spending a year in the company’s robust internship/apprenticeship program.

“Going into the work world — at least for me as a designer in this space — I feel like my surroundings and the community and space I’m working in is constantly inspiring me,” Thein notes. “I can either be locked into my computer and work ... or I can be in a complete rut. So, coming from a creative background, I thrive on routine and deadlines, and having an organized system and way of doing things, which is why I think I went down the design route and not the art route.”

Mikami has a slightly different take, noting, “I played softball in college — I’ve been on a team my entire life. And [I wondered] how do I cut that out cold turkey and transition into my new career and find that in a workplace? That was always something I kept in the back of my head when I was interviewing at other places ... what is going to be the environment that I’m entering into?”

Mikami continues, “I was looking for a place that would take me for me as someone who doesn’t necessarily know exactly what I want to do, but I’m willing to learn and I’m willing to go through it and experience it.”

Creating a space where younger generations feel welcomed, and free to explore their interests and cultivate their talents tops the list of what many of these workers are seeking. They are also looking for places that offer education and mentorship opportunities — whereas in the past, new hires were expected to come in, be dropped into a situation with minimal training, and were told to figure it out, tomorrow’s workers are looking for a far more hands-on approach.

Jules Van Sant, vice chair of the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF) as well as a member of the Graphic Communications Workforce Coalition, observed this when working with and talking to younger workers.

“I think strong communication skills are super key,” Van Sant says. “I think employers have been very fortunate when they’ve held on to employees for a long time. It’s the unspoken word — we all kind of know how it goes. And the people come in and they’re like, ‘Well, tell me what I need to do.’ And [employers respond with], well, you’re going to this corner. That’s not how people learn.

“So employers need to become better communicators,” she continues. “They need to foster community. They need to foster that culture within their company, and do that kind of mentoring as well as cross training, so people feel as though they’re always being challenged and educated. That’s better for the employer, too, because you have people who can step in and back up. But I do think communication — whether it’s nonverbal with signage, whether it’s interactive video, whether it’s having company events, whether it’s having team meetings — I think that we have to nurture relationships. It’s not, ‘Oh, you’re lucky to have a job.’ That’s not the world we live in.”

Rong points out that while the printing industry has been modernized when it comes to its equipment, the way in which it speaks to and attracts the younger generations has not.

“Well-educated students from various programs — including Cal Poly — are looking for companies with supportive cultures and values that align with their own,” Rong says. “They are also looking for jobs that could challenge them.”

Capturing Gen Z’s Attention

Creating a welcoming culture that values education, mentoring, and training will help keep Gen Z there, but it still leaves the question of how to get them through the doors to begin with. Some of that comes down to a matter of perspective.

“The job market is currently quite competitive, especially in positions related to design and high-tech,” Rong says. “When students are searching for positions in print-related fields, there are more marketing, account management, and sales positions. Some students may not be interested in those areas and may find it a bit challenging to find what their technical interests could align with. Many students are interested in project management positions; many printing companies or PSPs may use different titles, making it harder for them to connect with students.”

Another point the Cal Poly students note is the use of AI in hiring and recruitment. They consider it just as critical for a potential employer to have well-crafted applications and job documentation as it is for them to have a well-crafted resume and cover letter. On the topic of AI — while the use of these tools to screen applicants has gained steam in the past year, PSPs should still take them with a grain of salt — and be ready to hand-scan documents AI might have rejected. Those tools aren’t perfect, and companies might lose out on excellent candidates without anyone in the company ever seeing their resume.

PSPs should also consider the process of applying for a job within their company. Does the process ask the applicant for a resume and then use an online HR/AI tool that asks them to input the same information into a form so they can more easily be bulk analyzed? If so, talented applicants might walk away out of growing frustration.

Van Sant notes that in reality, “a lot of those job boards and recruiters, all their numbers are way down this past year. So I do think you’re kind of getting back to that networking.” She points out that the old-fashioned approach of connecting with guidance counselors, offering internship programs, and hosting job fairs on-site so potential future talent can come see what the printing industry really is firsthand, are all proving to be far better tools for finding the best talent in a community, rather than relying on AI tools and job boards.

Mikami says another thing to keep in mind is to be clear about what the job entails. One red flag for her when she was job hunting was a lack of “transparency when it came to applying and knowing exactly what you were going to get into.”

“I think that was difficult to navigate, especially in the job market when there are thousands of people applying to an opening on LinkedIn and you don’t really understand exactly what it is,” she says. “And it’s an entry-level job, but at the same time it requires you to have five years of experience. How could I have gotten that? I feel like that was a big thing that probably turned me away from some jobs.”

When referring to her interview process at Image Options, Thein points out that being up front can make all the difference.

“During a time of applying right out of college, you’re going to apply to jobs, and you’re in that space where you’re going to take what you can get,” she notes. “But I felt like my interview experience with Image Options was very genuine and very much [seemed] like they wanted us, and were finding out what we bring to the table.”

She continues, “And right out of college, you’re applying for all these jobs, you’re getting all these rejections of people not even looking at your application. ... It just feels like even though this may be a corporate setting, there’s such a personable and genuine feel to the company that stands out a lot. A lot of things are moving online and people are turning their cameras off and human interaction isn’t as prevalent as it once was. I really like that this company prioritizes [connections].”

Perhaps the biggest takeaway isn’t that Gen Z is looking for the latest and greatest technology or for a place where they can live on their phones and be plugged in 24/7. Instead, many of them are desperately seeking human connections, and want to find that in their place of work. They want to find somewhere they can learn and grow, where they can be part of something bigger than themselves, and feel like what they do matters. They want to speak with real people, not just screens. Maybe what the industry needs to do to hire and retain tomorrow’s talent isn’t going more high-tech, but rather, it needs to get back to the basics.