Generation Z is the first generation to have grown up without knowing what life was like pre-internet. They’re online, and they’ve never used a paper map, a CD player, or even seen a floppy disk. They have more access to information (and misinformation) than any previous generation, and they take things like one-click shopping for granted.

It’s important to align those differences with what the Z Generation wants from work. Their fundamental differences from other generations reflect in what they want from the workplace and employers. And by 2030, 30% of the global workforce will be Gen Z. So what exactly do they want?

Clarifying Generation Z

Gen Z is largely considered to be people born between 1997 and 2012. Many are already in the workplaces of today, and they’re not wasting any time when it comes to disrupting existing business models. They don’t want to work in the same way that older generations do, and they’re more willing to make career or employer changes to reflect what they want from their lives.

So let’s see what they’re changing and how the workplace will need to evolve to engage and retain the Gen Z workforce.

The Hybrid Workforce

You might assume that Gen Z wants to work entirely remotely. That is the impression in business blogs across the internet. However, the reality is very different. While they might lean towards more of a work-from-home role, they don’t only want to work from home.

In a research study by Cloudbooking and YouGov, the Gen Z ideal work environment is not what you’d expect. It’s a widely held belief that Gen Z is 100% digital native, willing to work from anywhere as long as it’s virtual. But only 11% of the Gen Z workers questioned in The Future of Work: 8 Trends in Workplace Transformation Report said they would prefer full-time work-from-home situations.

Gen Z wants to remain embedded in a traditional work environment, largely because of the developmental and social elements of those workplaces. So organisations that make bold decisions about going fully remote need to make sure they base those decisions on quantifiable data rather than assumptions.

A Better Salary

You might assume that every generation wants a better salary, but for Gen Z, it’s not about being obsessed with money. Instead, it’s because of a very understandable concern about the economy and their unique approach to personal wealth. Remember, many members of Gen Z grew up in the wake of the 2008 global crash and the subsequent global recession.

So not only have they grown up with the first-hand experience of economic uncertainty, but they’ve also witnessed the stress millennials have had to face in terms of expenses like student debts. So they know they need to make as much money as possible to stay safe. They doubt they will ever hit key economic milestones such as buying a home or retiring — they just want to survive.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

So a combination of in-house and remote work combined with a good salary are the keys to attracting a Gen Z workforce. But another factor will determine if an organisation can attract that talent. Gen Z wants its employers to care about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). And they’re very savvy about which employers are only paying lip service to it.

A survey by Tallo found that the majority of Gen Z (67%) have witnessed or experienced discrimination in a workplace setting. That number is even higher when asked about witnessing discrimination in schools or colleges. And they won’t tolerate it. In fact, 25% of respondents to the Tallo survey said they would decline a job offer if a recruiter failed to use their preferred pronouns.

The Job Hopping Generation

It’s always been more common for younger generations to spend more time bouncing between jobs. However, Gen Z takes it to extremes. Not only are they more than happy to move to a new employer, but three-quarters of Gen Z will even change their career path. And they do so for perfectly valid reasons, such as finding a new role that matches their interests/values, better pay, or the opportunity to upskill.

LinkedIn’s Workforce Confidence survey clearly shows that Gen Z is a “take-charge generation” and has ambitions.

Source

Some startling statistics were revealed in the LinkedIn Workforce Confidence Index research. The pandemic changed how Gen Z views work, and they are now prepared to switch jobs at a rate that’s 134% higher than pre-pandemic levels. Gen Z is much more likely to work multiple jobs at once than the average. So they won’t just be quick to find new work, they’ll find multiple roles at once if needed.

The Importance of Upskilling

A joint study between Amazon and Workplace Intelligence revealed that Gen Z would be more than happy to stay in a job role as long as they’re given access to skills development. But if that development is not available, then they’re ready to quit. That previously mentioned job hopping is largely down to a lack of upskilling opportunities in their current position.

Gen Z (and to a slightly lesser extent, millennials) want to learn. And they’re actively seeking positions that help them develop the skills they need to get higher-paid work in the future. They use LinkedIn Learning more than any other demographic, because they see skills development as the most important factor in career advancement.

For organisations that want the best of the Z Generation, offering the resources to learn more will need to be a priority.

Employers and Gen Z

Multiple studies have come to the same conclusions, and the findings are surprising to many employers. Gen Z is as resilient and flexible as it comes, but only when a career benefit is involved. The draw toward hybrid learning, mainly based on the need for upskilling, and a demand for anti-discriminatory workplaces, is hot on the agenda.

Generation Z won’t sit still and won’t accept a status quo that leaves them stranded for long in the same position. They’re constantly looking for new opportunities, and there’s none of the fear that older generations had when moving to a new employer or a new career.

From a better work-life balance to a more welcoming workplace, Gen Z has many demands of their employers. And as the number of workers from the Z Generation can only grow, employers need to be ready to adapt, or they will lose out on what might be the most interesting generation the workplace has ever encountered.

Microsoft Office has long been the backbone of many businesses, helping them to plan, pitch and calculate their way to success. Its latest iteration is the Cloud-based Microsoft 365 – and if you aren’t using it, you’re missing out on a whole host of developments. 

Microsoft 365 has many of the familiar trappings of the old Office suite, but comes with new benefits, new software and fresh opportunities. Here’s a quick look at everything Microsoft 365 has to offer – and how using it to its full potential could help to transform your business. 

What is Microsoft 365? 

Microsoft 365 is the new name for what used to be called Office 365. The name change is due to the expansion of 365 beyond Office applications such as Word or Excel. This includes business-oriented software such as Lists and Forms, as well as apps such as Teams and OneDrive, which play such a crucial role in the new world of remote working.

While the main connotation of 365 is obvious – owing to its role in daily life – it’s also a way to set the new Office suite apart from the old one. Where Office was previously static software that you installed on a computer and updated periodically, Microsoft 365 is now a Cloud based platform, where the software is hosted online.

What this means in practice is that all Microsoft 365 apps can now be accessed from your browser, without having to install them (although this is still an option for business customers). Files can also be saved to the Cloud and worked on in real time, allowing you to access and collaborate on documents from any location or device.

In many ways, Microsoft 365 is an ideal introduction to the power of the Cloud. Moving from an older version of Office to Microsoft 365 allows you to retain the familiarity and functionality of the software, while also gaining access to a range of new productivity tools. This makes it ideal for transitioning from office work to remote work, or maintaining a hybrid of the two.

What are the benefits of Microsoft 365? 

The most obvious benefit of Microsoft 365 is in the transition to cloud computing. Instead of needing to install the software on every computer, all of the 365 apps can be accessed online across devices. As files are constantly being saved and uploaded to remote servers, this eliminates the risk of files being lost due to hardware or power failures, or being stranded on a machine that otherwise can’t be accessed.

Whether you are using the software in a browser, as a mobile app or as a traditional piece of computer software, you’ll benefit from constant software updates and shared storage space. Admin tools allow you to manage access to these files, giving certain users permission to view and edit files, and enabling different parts of your organisation to work on files together.

More specifically, the software in the Microsoft 365 suite provides a whole host of opportunities, with tools to improve productivity in almost every area. Teams allows you to communicate and schedule tasks remotely, Outlook allows you to access your emails and calendar from any location, and Word and Excel allow you to produce and share professional documents and spreadsheets.

Transforming your business with Microsoft 365 

Microsoft 365 is an ideal way to upgrade from previous versions of Microsoft Office, and to work more effectively across multiple locations. However, seeing Microsoft 365 as just a more modern implementation of Microsoft Office is understating how much it adds, and what a transformative effect switching to Microsoft 365 could have on your business.

Be more organised

Organising files can be a complicated business. Documents often get worked on by one person, then emailed around. This often leads to a scenario where there are multiple copies of a file out in the ether, with no obvious sign as to which is the most up-to-date. Files can also easily get stuck on one person’s computer if they are away for any reason, or lost to a software or hardware error, making it difficult or impossible to retrieve them. All of this costs time and ultimately money, and can have a significant impact on your bottom line.

By using Microsoft 365, you can ensure the integrity of your files, and benefit from a clear version history. Instead of multiple copies of a file being passed around, cloud storage allows multiple users to work on the same file, logging which changes have been carried out by who. This way you can easily access your files whenever you need them, see what has changed, and even revert back to a previous version if required – all of which should save a significant amount of time.

Work together, wherever

Cloud storage opens up a range of possibilities, making your business more flexible and more agile. While it’s possible that your employees can remotely access files on their workstations, or on a local network, these files are still vulnerable to be overwritten or lost. Different versions are also easily confused, leading people to work on the same files in isolation from one another, wasting time and forcing messy mergers later on.

Microsoft 365 enables multiple users to work on a single file simultaneously, and see the changes others are making in real time. Users can make changes and leave notes for others to see, make suggestions, and save without fear of overwriting someone else’s work. With seamless Teams integration, users can also share files in public or private channels, and talk to each other over audio or video calls as they work. This synergy between Office software and the communication tools within Microsoft 365 is an ideal way to embrace home working, or to improve your remote working setup if you are experiencing productivity issues.

Secure your files

Microsoft 365 doesn’t just help your employees to find and collaborate on files – it also prevents the wrong people from doing the same. 365 allows you to set up different tiers of file protection for different projects, ranging from baseline access to sensitive and highly sensitive data. By making files only accessible to certain accounts – and keeping them entirely within the Office ecosystem – you can prevent accidental leaks from emails, and protect against malicious access.

The admin and user controls provide substantial depth while also remaining simple to use. External sharing controls allow for individual files and folders to be shared with approved individuals, including limited guest access to folders and teams. Elsewhere, Microsoft Defender for Office 365 provides a comprehensive scanning solution, ensuring that all files, attachments and links in OneDrive, Teams, Outlook and more are safe to access. Document encryption meanwhile provides the utmost protection for highly sensitive materials, ensuring that they cannot be accessed outside of the confines of the software environment.

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Microsoft 365 is both so big and so ubiquitous that it often blends into the background. Its role in most of our daily lives means we can often take it for granted, failing to make the most of its unique features and all the software it has to offer. By taking the time to explore the full software package and reassess your use of Microsoft 365, you could unlock hitherto dormant benefits – making your business even more productive.

Sota is one of the UK’s leading independent IT companies, providing professional IT support in Kent, cloud computing, cyber resilience, connectivity, and unified communications. Having worked with countless businesses over the years, they are experts in their field, ready to advise and offer tailored solutions for each and every company.