Gen Zs' approach to life and work is forcing companies to alter their employee-engagement strategy. People who were born between 1981 and 1996 (millennials) and between 1996 and 2010 (Gen Z) have different values and priorities. So, the churn is inevitable.
The wave of workspace transformation has impacted the logistics industry as well. Being digital natives, Millennials and Gen Z have the ability to reshape the logistics narrative by adopting digital and technology-led interventions. Their grasp of digital technology and aptitude to embrace new ideas have spurred innovations in the logistics industry. The logistics players are aggressively focusing on attracting millennials and Gen Z by showcasing career growth opportunities in supply chain management, warehousing, freight forwarding, etc. The globalized nature of the job profiles and continued collaboration involving teams belonging to varied cultures and geographies have motivated a number of millennials and Gen Z to join the logistics industry. However, the synergy between the logistics industry and Gen Z will strengthen further if the industry makes an earnest effort to internalize its values and mindset.
Here are a few ways through which this new breed of the workforce is influencing and transforming the workspace.
- Upskilling and reskilling: Unlike baby boomers and Gen X, the millennials and Gen Z value lifelong learning. Their zeal for continued learning is evident from the fact that apprenticeships or internships have long been a part of their college or higher education days. The majority of the millennials and Gen Z complement their educational qualifications with real-life work experience. With them joining the workforce, upskilling and reskilling to reconfigure and redirect careers has become a norm.
The shift in the workspace due to the pandemic has fueled that urge to learn among Gen Z even further. According to LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2021, Gen Z learners watched 50 percent more hours of learning content on LinkedIn in 2020 as compared to 2019 and 76 percent of the Gen Z learners believe learning is the key to a successful career. What's more, 83 percent of the Gen Z workforce want to learn skills to perform better in their current role. So, workplace productivity is bound to get a boost from this agile mindset. - Remote working: The pandemic impact accelerated the remote working arrangement and, according to the Future Workforce Report released by a US-based freelancing website Upwork, 73 percent of all departments will have remote workers by 2028. The trend signifies that millennials and Gen Z managers are open to the idea of remote working and not hesitant to allow their team members to operate remotely.
- Prioritizing mental and physical wellness: Although millennials and Gen Z professionals aim to excel in their respective careers, they don't want to achieve success at the cost of health and wellness. Happiness in personal life also ranks higher on their priority list. Hence, they look for an inclusive workplace ecosystem that offers them the flexibility and liberty to take a break to rejuvenate, honor family commitments and invest time in maintaining mental and physical wellbeing.
- Hiring more gig workers: As the pandemic has made remote working a new normal, millennial leaders have made freelancers or gig workers an integral part of their team and workplace ecosystem. Working with freelancers offers them access to professionals with diversified proficiencies without overstretching the budgetary provision of the company. With Gen Z's participation growing in the gig economy, synergy is becoming stronger between new-age leaders and gig workers.
Going forward, millennials and Gen Z are going to disrupt the conventional rules to develop a fluid workspace. Thanks to their strong grasp of digital technologies, they will develop a more open space work environment that will promote flexibility and remote collaborations. This metamorphosis goes well with the new-age logistics discourse which is dynamic, inclusive, and lean in nature. Changing the game is an enthralling experience for them.