A Growing Number of Employers Are Avoiding Gen Z Workers In Favor of Older Workers
Perhaps it was only a matter of time...
Employers seem to be tiring of Gen Z workers and their antics, opting instead to hire older workers, according to a survey published in December.
The Intelligent.com survey of “800 U.S. managers, directors, and executives who are involved in hiring” found that “recent Gen Z college graduates are struggling with many aspects of professional life making them less desirable to hire.”
Employers offer older workers better pay, increased benefits to avoid Gen Z college graduates
According to Intelligent.com, for many employers, hiring Gen Z workers is less desirable than hiring older workers and many are offering more to older workers to avoid hiring Gen Z workers.
These employers are willing to implement a variety of different tactics to avoid working with recent college graduates, including offering more benefits to attract older workers (60%), paying higher salaries to attract older workers (59%), letting older employers work remotely or in a hybrid format (48%), and being willing to hire an older employee who is overqualified for the position to avoid working with someone younger (46%). [Emphasis added.]
More trouble than they’re worth?
Among other findings, nearly two-thirds of surveyed employers said that recent college graduates are “entitled” and 58 percent said that “they get offended too easily and are overall unprepared for the workforce.”
“Nearly half of employers, 47%, say they’ve fired a recent college graduate,” noted Intellgent.com’s writers.
While there has been much written over the last few years about Gen Z’s expectations in the workplace, it appears some employers are tiring of having to cater to younger workers.
For example, Forbes explained last year that Gen Z workers have five divergent perspectives than their older counter parts.
Empathy
Mental health support
Work and personal identity
Training and job readiness
Reward and recognition
“The typical Gen Zer is entering the workforce on their own terms, demanding change with a new sense of boldness not seen in previous generations,” Business Insider (BI) claimed in 2022.
“Young 20-somethings are delegating to their boss, asking for mental health days, working less once they've accomplished their tasks for the day, and setting their own hours,” BI added.
In addition, Gen Z workers are overwhelmingly (nay, notoriously) more pro-union than their older counterparts, and many of the “salts” used by unions in the more high-profile union campaigns over the last few years have been college educated.
Though unstated and unlawful, this—among the myriad other issues identified—may be another reason some employers are beginning to avoid hiring Gen Z workers.
Demographics & Labor Market Shortages
With labor market shortages easing as baby boomers retire, there are less Gen Z workers to replace the talent boomers brought to the workplace.
As a result, the talent pool among Baby Boomers is large enough for some employers to desire them over their problematic grandkids.
“More Americans are working into their 60s and 70s because of longer life spans, financial incentives to retire later, and the need to make ends meet,” reported the Washington Post last year.
For many employers, according to the Intelligent.com survey, paying a premium for older workers is more desirable than dealing with Gen Z workers and the issues they bring to the workplace.