Revolution is a big term. You think of history lessons, France, things like that. But when it comes to young people, “Generation Z”, you can say: They have started a small revolution – in the entire world of work. “They are putting their stamp on the job market,” says Julian Stahl, labor market expert at the job portal Xing.
What exactly this stamp looks like was the focus of the SZ economic summit in Berlin on Wednesday. And because the topic is an emotional one, because it’s about the future of Germany as a business location, it gets pretty loud at times. “The labor market is changing in a revolutionary way,” shouts employer president Kampeter, as if he were at a demonstration and not in the Adlon Hotel in Berlin. Annahita Esmailzadeh from Microsoft Business replies to the emotional speech that she doesn’t know why he’s making such a fuss about it. She just said exactly the same thing.
Cherry picking on the labor market
But everyone on stage actually agrees: young people cannot all be lumped together. The job market itself is also significantly different from what was normal for other generations. While it used to be an employer market, it is now an employee market. This means applicants can choose where they want to work. Generation Z knows this very well, they can’t put up with everything anymore – and they can get away with it. Young people want home offices, flexible working hours, sabbaticals and of course the four-day week, preferably all at once. “The boys are much more confident in formulating their expectations,” says Human Resources Director Sybille Reiß from Tui. “One generation might be puffing themselves up too much.” But work is not unimportant to Generation Z. She just thinks that there is a life outside of work. Reiß is convinced that everyone benefits from this attitude, bloated or not.
Generation Z is often better educated than all previous generations, says labor market expert Stahl in a video call. Part of this good training is often the ability to question critically. “A blunt: ‘I’ll tell you now what you should do’ doesn’t work with young people.” This behavior of Gen Z would often lead to a lack of understanding among older employees, says Stahl. You often do what you are told – after all, in the past you would simply be fired. In the next few years there could be even greater generational conflicts within companies, “there is a certain potential for friction.”
However, there are also many examples where you can see that when they work together, it works perfectly. Prejudices would then be reduced. Tui board member Reiß, for example, is also coached by younger employees. “It’s always unusual for a moment, but then I realize that I can learn a lot from Generation Z,” she says. Christoph Straub, CEO of the Barmer health insurance company, has also had young people explain the Internet to him. “I no longer feel like familiarizing myself with any Microsoft products without support.”
Looking for “meaningful work”
Companies like Barmer, Microsoft and Tui now have a big task ahead of them: According to Stahl, they have to create a working atmosphere in which young people are valued and have the feeling that they are “working meaningfully”. Almost all sectors would have to put in the effort. But companies with monotonous jobs in particular will have an increasingly difficult time in the future, says Stahl. A good corporate culture and understanding bosses are also important to Generation Z, which can prevent young people from quitting after just one year. “Young people are less loyal,” confirms Reiß from Tui.
Above all, the trades have to “put in the effort,” says Hannes Zacher on the phone. He is a professor of work psychology and is often asked by those in the craft industry: “What’s wrong with young people? Why doesn’t anyone want to get up early anymore, why doesn’t anyone want to work hard anymore?” Then he always asks back: “What’s going on with the craft?”
From Zacher’s point of view, the employers were simply resting too much. For years the motto was: The young people will come, after all they need work. “The narrative: ‘The young lazy ones’ has been around for thousands of years,” says the industrial psychologist. And: “The older ones are sometimes jealous too.” Because now, thanks to the shortage of skilled workers and demographics, young people can choose their jobs. We should therefore stop “picking on young people” and instead ask ourselves how work can be made more attractive.
Employer President Kampeter sees it similarly: “We have to make an effort, we can’t choose the young people,” he shouts on stage. Finally, it would not only be the younger workers who would have demands; “I find this statement discriminatory.” In his eyes, the generations are not that different in their values and beliefs.
Professor Zacher is also convinced that young people actually demand sensible things. For example, you no longer want to be exploited by the company. “We shouldn’t look at Generation Z with cliché glasses,” says Zacher, alluding to terms like “Generation Whiners.” Companies need to understand that there is only one young generation. “But unfortunately stereotypes sell well.” And picking on young people is much easier than actually changing something. Zacher has a dream: When he retires, he wants people to stop talking about generations so much. Zacher is 44 years old. So there are still a few years left.