Really different from the Generation Y and Generation Z attitude to such basic recognition?
- Words of appreciation
- Quality time
- Gift giving
- Courtesies
- Physical touch
In recent years, the media has focused on the issues of the millennial generation (Generation Y), as they have been caught up in the fast-paced world of Generation X, alongside the rapid development of the digital age. In the workplace, they have become the flag-bearers of the technological rush, transforming the landscape for future generations.
So there is no question that Generation Z, which is playing an increasingly important role on the employee side, is the new focus of employer challenges.
The time for negative motivation is over!
Many of the managers born before 1984 are still smiling today at the demands of "young people" or the difficulties of fitting into a more "traditional" workplace.
Why should I praise my employee every day? Why should I waste my precious time making him feel good at work? He gets paid to work!
If you've heard similar stories, you've probably been lucky enough to have a manager who wasn't hired for merit or leadership qualities.
How to motivate Generation Z?
The answer is both extremely simple and complex: help them to succeed!
To do this, we call on a revised version of Gary Chapman's classic (The Five Love Languages), The 5 Languages of Workplace Appreciation:
Have you never met the 5 love languages?
According to Chapman, love language is the way a person expresses and experiences love. He compares it to foreign languages: when two people with different languages meet, communication between them is difficult or impossible. The solution to this is to learn each other's language and constantly practice it on the other (motor metaphor).
The success of the book was that it drew attention to the importance of personal motivation in an age where the effectiveness of traditional tools could no longer achieve the same effect. However, interpretations of principles that worked well for Generation Y can certainly no longer be true for Generation Z!
5 languages of recognition at work for Generation Z
There are also clear differences in generational characteristics, leisure activities, media use, consumption and work. Let's see how these look according to Chapman's dimensions:
1. Words of appreciation
In this case, the power of words is more than deeds. Special importance should be given to individual and group recognition. Some people may remark, with malice towards Generation Z, that "well, should I praise you every day for existing or for coming to work?" No! That would be an obvious misrepresentation of the truth.
Our task is to raise awareness of the place and methodology of recognition much more than in the past. Generation Z likes competition if it is fair and transparent. This gives them the space to excel, which can be immediately followed by well-deserved rewards.
You would think that if Generation Y was a lover of emails and chats, this would be even more important for Generation Z. Various research prove that Generation Z prefers face-to-face conversations and that this is where they can really express themselves.
2. Quality time
Generation Z are more impatient than their predecessors, for example, they enter the world of work sooner than the endlessly academic Generation Y and they want to achieve results faster.
For employees who prefer quality time, Chapman suggested that managers spend more time with the team, listening to their opinions and giving them feedback.
For Generation Z, this clearly pushes this kind of recognition towards personal conversations and collaborative work. Impatience makes joint meetings and big-hearted speeches boring for young people and demotivating for them.
If we want to spend these quality times with our staff in a valuable way, we should give them tasks, small milestones to achieve, and then, meeting after meeting, they can tell us about their achievements, which we can reward with new shared reflections and new challenges.
3. Gifting
Perhaps the simplest, but also the place where the biggest mistakes can be made, is acknowledging with a gift. Just as in the language of affection we see an ill-chosen gift as an own goal, the same is true in the workplace.
As Generation Z is highly entrepreneurial and keen to make their mark on the world around them, gift-giving can be a great way to turn the fruits of their labour into assets. Give them tasks that they can contribute to the running of the company or even strengthen our brand! Imagine how happy our 22-year-old Gabor would be in the office if he arrived at work one morning wearing the company T-shirt he designed, and then his boss told the others that they could have it if they liked it.
But don't give gifts without a reason: it's important that the reward you receive is recognition and linked to some kind of achievement.
4. Favours
Today's changing working environment allows for home-office, extra holidays or flexible working hours. Excessive leave leads to inertia, so as a manager it is important to find a motivating balance between these.
Here are two tips for a good workplace favour:
Create an environment where your staff can come to you with their problems quickly and easily. Be understanding, empathetic and provide them with the right opportunities. You can make this not a burden by listening and talking to them and offering alternatives for different life situations in advance. That way they will feel that they can count on you!
If you see that your colleague is in a bad mood, stuck on a task, don't just help them in the role of the tell-man! Break the problem down into several parts, and have him or her take on a sub-task where he or she can see that your help extends to real action.
5. Physical touch
While in Chapman's original description, physical touch was a kind of actual pat on the back, for Generation Z it can be effective to develop a shared body language or small gestures of appreciation while respecting their intimate sphere.
The issue of physical touch in the workplace motivation is always a step-by-step process, where you have to pay close attention to the reactions of the employee and the environment. A congratulatory handshake releases a very different positive hormone in both of you than a handshake. Sitting down with your colleague and discussing a problem in confidence, and then putting your hand on his or her back at the end of the conversation to emphasise that you are always there when they need you, can deepen the trust needed.
No one-size-fits-all motivational solution
Overall, you cannot impose one language or another on any generation. The conclusion of the theme is that every leader must find the language (or the best combination) of his or her colleagues and use it in the right way for the common good.
If you're looking for a solution for your company that can nurture ongoing motivation through mini-interactions, where you can customise the types of rewards and personalise the recognition, you've come to the right place.
Learn about A The world of Beeward.
