Six years from now, in 2030, the last members of Gen Z will be old enough to enter vocational training. Entry-level and young talent already comes primarily from this group today. How do we plan to handle the shift? This post shows how to meet digital natives from the HR perspective.
Gen Z – people born between 1997 and 2012 – can get a bad rap at times. They are said to be more sensitive, to be absent from work more often due to illness, and to have less “grit” than previous generations. It is a fact that people ranging from 24 to 29 years of age stand out in the DA Psych Report for 2023 (page in German). Young women miss 10.3 days of work a year for mental health reasons, and young men are not far behind, at 6.5. However, one of the reasons for this is increasing online connectivity, which has brought greater awareness of mental health and a general destigmatization. Even without a final explanation, companies still need to learn how to work with this group.
Flexible working, working from home, workations – what used to be standout benefits are now requirements for many applicants. And they are mainly reserved for digital jobs. But there is a huge amount of variety in digital work. The conditions, from differences in home office setups to scheduling, can vary widely. Digital work also comes with specific health risks, such as those related to asynchronous collaboration, the higher levels of proactivity required to maintain social ties, and increased presenteeism. Now more than ever, there is a need for an accurate picture of the relevant circumstances – and to manage employees’ health at a distance.
So how to bridge the gap? Microsoft has expanded the range of options available for your health management with Viva Insights. Trends across the organization relating to work habits allow companies to spot warning signs early on and zero in on ways to strengthen mental health. Continuous reports also enhance the visibility of your successes. For end users, personal statistics are visualized in a personal dashboard. In addition to a feedback effect, the app also supplies prompts in the flow of work and simplifies the building of healthy team standards and routines around resilience.
Do you want to focus even more on employee health?
Make a no-obligation appointment for an envisioning session with our employee experience team and get to know the benefits of Viva Insights.
