Here’s why companies are rapidly firing Gen Z employees

Many companies have fired Gen Z employees just months after hiring them, and some business owners said they are reluctant to bring on recent college graduates because of concerns about their work ethic, communication skills and willingness to do the job. , according to a new survey.

Six in 10 employers said they have already let go of recent college graduates this year, while one in seven said they are likely to refrain from hiring new graduates next year, according to a survey conducted by Intelligent.com. .

Nearly 1,000 business leaders participated in the Intelligent.com survey, the results of which were first reported by Newsweek.

“Many recent college graduates may struggle with entering the workforce for the first time as it can be a stark contrast from what they’ve been taught throughout their educational journey,” the top education adviser said in the report. and career development at Intelligent, Huy Nguyen.

Nguyen said business owners were wary of hiring those born around the turn of the century because they “were often unprepared for a less structured environment, the cultural dynamics of the workplace and the expectation of autonomous work.”

“Although they may have some theoretical knowledge from college, they often lack the practical, real-world experience and soft skills required to succeed in the work environment,” Nguyen said.

Unlike their older counterparts, Gen Z suffer from the public perception that they are chronically limited by short attention spans, a penchant for laziness, and an insistence on a strong work-life balance—a byproduct of growing up in a digital world.

Younger workers are also seen as more likely to be “triggered” and galvanized by social media-driven political and social campaigns that can disrupt work flow and create headaches for their bosses – especially in light of the unrest national evidenced in recent years.

In the survey, 75% of companies reported that some or all of their recent college graduates were unhappy.

Half of employers said Gen Z workers were more likely to lack motivation, while 39% said they lacked communication skills, the survey found.

Nearly half (46%) said Gen Z workers lacked professionalism at work.

Some experts blamed the education system for “failing to prepare students for real-world jobs”.

“Education today emphasizes theory over practice. Of course, learning Greek mythology is fascinating, but if you don’t learn it, how does that prepare you to communicate effectively in a corporate meeting or demonstrate professionalism? No,” HR consultant Bryan Driscoll told Newsweek.

Others said these generalizations about Gen Zers are wrong.

“Most of these stereotypes are ingrained in culture for every generation, and the short torch is passed every 20 years,” Jessica Kriegel, chief workforce and labor strategy at Culture Partners, told The Post.

Kriegel said millennials — those born in the early 1980s and who grew up just before the advent of smartphones — were considered “problem children” not long ago.

Now, Americans have “turned their collective judgment on the next target,” Kriegel told The Post.

Instead of fixating on the date of birth of potential employees, business leaders should dig deeper, according to Kriegel.

“In reality what makes a great worker is not their generation, but a set of other values ​​and beliefs that we draw from our experiences throughout life,” she said.

Scott Baradel, CEO of Dallas-based B2B digital marketing firm Idea Grove, told The Post that he has hired many Gen Z employees.

“I have no hesitation about Gen Z employees,” Baradell said.

Baradell said he was not at all put off by the perception that Gen Z was too demanding.

“If anything, their desire for flexibility and purpose makes them more engaged and driven,” he said.

“They don’t just want a job – they want to make an impact, and that’s a huge advantage for any business.”

Baradell said businesses that shun Gen Z employees “are missing out on the next generation of talent that can push them forward.”

Karla Trotman, owner and CEO of Pennsylvania-based electronic contract manufacturing firm Electro Soft Inc., agreed with Baradell, telling The Post that businesses should accommodate Gen Z workers by offering benefits such as reimbursement tuition, flexible paid leave policies, hybrid. working environments and health care coverage that includes their physical and mental well-being.

“Manufacturing needs to specifically hire Gen Z workers to survive, and we shouldn’t hesitate to hire them, but we should appeal to them properly,” Trotman told The Post.