Gen Z in L&D - Ashorne Hill

Gen Z in Learning and Development

Gen Z is taking on the working world by force. This age group have seen notable change throughout their lifetime with rapidly advancing technology, rising educational expectations, and navigating a global pandemic. As the first years of Gen Z enter the professional field, it is apparent that they seek further guidance and support from their educational providers and employers as 70% feel unprepared for the future world of work.[1] So, what does this mean for Gen Z’s future in the workplace, and how can learning and development programmes help? In this article, we discuss how influential Gen Z is in the workplace and explore 6 ways that learning and development can be adapted to equip Gen Z learners with essential human skills.

Who is Gen Z?

Gen Z is the most diverse generation born from the late 1990s to the early 2010s with a hunger to succeed in their professional careers. Their passion for inclusivity and diversity encourages people from divergent backgrounds, races, and sexualities to collaborate and share experiences that creatively impact the world of work. However, with the pandemic limiting their development of critical business skills and face-to-face interactions in the workplace, it seems Gen Z need a little more support. According to a LinkedIn report, 53% of Gen Z employees value learning for career success, demonstrating that Gen Z does see the importance of learning and development.[2] Their willingness to tackle new challenges and overcome obstacles is a prominent trait that has developed from the uncertainty of their futures, but Gen Z have shown they are ready to take risks and learn along the way.

Gen Z in the Workplace

The workplace is constantly evolving, with Gen Z playing a pivotal role in this change. It is reported that 94% of business leaders avoid hiring Gen Z employees as they perceive them to be unprepared for the workplace, however by 2030, 30% of the global workforce will be Gen Z.[3] These statistics highlight the shift that is happening as Gen Z enter the workforce, so it is time for organisations to provide them with the necessary learning tools. This generation is the one leading organisations into the digital age as they have been heavily influenced by the advancement of technology for most of their lives. As AI and new technologies start to transform the workplace dynamic, Gen Z have immense potential to help lead organisations in navigating the rise of a technological future. It is essential that education providers and employers are adapting their learning to appeal to Gen Z and equip them with the right skills to thrive in the workplace and in their professional careers.

6 Ways to Adapt Learning and Development for Gen Z

Digital Learning Platforms

Gen Z spend most of their time online due to the significant impact technology has had in their lives. Having digital learning platforms is a great way to keep Gen Z learners engaged and motivated due to its flexibility. Digital learning platforms also have interactive elements in the form of quizzes, videos, games, and animations which mimic real-life situations and provide instant feedback for learners to see how they are performing and where they can improve.

Personalised Learning

Gen Z is practical and realistic, so having learning content that aligns with their own needs and challenges will see a higher level of engagement. Having learning strategies that mirror real-life problems and solutions helps Gen Z learners see how they can adapt and develop

Be Flexible and Adaptable

This generation predominantly enjoys being independent and flexible as it enhances their engagement and productivity. Harnessing flexibility and adaptability into learning and development, through online and virtual learning experiences, enables Gen Z to retain information and complete tasks at their own time and pace.

Promote Career Development

Gen Z is extremely ambitious and career-focused with a passion to succeed. It is important to align learning and development programmes with their aspirations and future objectives to show them how they can reach their goals. Through mentoring and coaching during or after their learning, Gen Z will feel supported and motivated to develop their careers and take on the professional world.

Inclusive Learning

It is universally known that Gen Z is the most diverse generation of our time. As such, this generation prefer to have learning environments which harness equality and inclusivity for all its learners. Facilitating a safe and inclusive learning space allows Gen Z to feel engaged and motivated during their development.

In-Person Interaction

Though Gen Z are well-versed with the digital world, they still desire to have in-person interactions and human connections. Providing face-to-face sessions and experiential learning activities helps Gen Z learners retain a sense of reality without having to sit behind a screen. This also helps them to connect with others in a social setting which is what they have been missing due to the global pandemic.

Learning With Gen Z at Ashorne Hill

At Ashorne Hill, we have developed transformative learning for early talent individuals with the incorporation of virtual classrooms, psychometrics, digital learning, interactive activities and more to help learners reach their full potential. Our passion to help Gen Z in the workplace resonates through many of our learning programmes, particularly with our Core Skills Programme at JLR. We designed this programme to equip recent Graduates with essential human skills as they enter the working world which they can take away into both their professional and personal lives.

One of our Gen Z Graduates, Rizwan Alam, praised the learning he experienced with us stating that “Ashorne Hill helps people understand their limitations so you can expand on them in the professional world.” Our Core Skills Programme is critical in helping recent JLR Graduates, who are mostly Gen Z, to realise their own human potential and to bridge the gap between academia and the ever-changing working world.

Ashorne Hill constantly seeks new ways to provide interactive and innovative learning styles that meet the needs of all our learners. For years, we have developed and provided individuals, at all stages of their careers, with influential learning experiences that cultivate critical human skills and help shape futures for endless success in the workplace.

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Article written by Ashorne Hill’s Victoria Sparkes

References

[1] Perna, Mark C. “74% of Millennials & Gen Z Think They Can Build Better Skills at a New Job.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 1 Nov. 2022, www.forbes.com/sites/markcperna/2022/10/31/74-of-millennials–gen-z-think-they-can-build-better-skills-at-a-new-job/.

[2] “2024 Workplace Learning Report: LinkedIn Learning.” 2024 Workplace Learning Report | LinkedIn Learning, learning.linkedin.com/resources/workplace-learning-report. Accessed 15 Apr. 2024.

[3] “Workplace Strategies to Maximize Zoomers’ Potential.” HiBob, 12 Mar. 2024, www.hibob.com/guides/challenges-with-gen-z-in-the-workplace/.