Strategies for Retaining Generation Z Student Employees

The workplace function of Generation Z is a research focus as young people born between 1999-2006 move into postsecondary life. Gen Z characteristics seem to impact interactions in the workplace. In the past, students in the Library Informatics Department stayed until they either graduated or needed to devote time to internships. Informatics supervisors observed a decrease both in job interest and persistence among Gen Z students. They wondered if these factors were related to personal communication reduction with the internet, social media, and Covid pandemic. The department staff studied Gen Z characteristics and adapted departmental procedures to adjust to their preferences. Even though Gen Z employees cope somewhat differently from other age groups, they respond to the same motivations as other generations have desired: mentorship, relationship with supervisors, communication, and acknowledgment of the value of their work.