Good morning!
Gen Z has gained a considerably negative reputation in the workforce.
Three-quarters of managers say their “Zoomer” employees are more difficult to work with than other generations, according to a ResumeBuilder.com survey from April. Similarly, 40% of business executives surveyed in July by Intelligent.com, a platform that ranks higher education programs, believe recent college grads are unprepared for the workforce. Zoomers are allegedly so inept at soft skills that major consulting firms are offering young workers specialized training to help them develop non-verbal communication, storytelling, and presentation abilities.
But Zoomers are hungry for guidance. Around 83% of Gen Z respondents say having a workplace mentor is crucial to their career, according to Adobe’s Future Workforce study, published in September 2023.
A new learning series from cloud-based talent-development software provider and online learning platform Cornerstone aims to help young workers develop necessary people skills. The video collection, called the DNA learning series, features short-form, vertical videos—similar to a TikTok—that address a single question or concern a young worker may face in the workplace. At the end of each video is a short quiz that the viewer answers. Companies that are customers of Cornerstone’s Learning Management System platform can access the training through a subscription to its “Content Anytime” offering, and either have employees register or assign them trainings.
“What we're seeing and what research is telling us now is that there are difficulties that they [Gen Z] face to the quote-unquote traditional corporate environment,” says Carina Cortez, Cornerstone’s chief people officer. “I know my kids love the TikTok format, and their attention span is usually about that long. These quick-hit [lessons], I think works really, really well.”
Some examples of video lessons include:
— “Hey guys,” which offers advice on how a worker can address her discomfort with her manager addressing the team as “guys.”
— “Communicate across differences,” which helps workers be mindful of their colleagues' different communication styles.
— “Own your professional voice,” offering guidance on communicating professionally and being taken seriously.
According to Cornerstone, “Communicate across differences” is currently the top-performing course it offers, garnering 45,000 registrations and a 99% completion rate in 2023. While the series is catered to digital natives, older employees can also learn things about Gen Z in turn.
“You now have so many different generations that have had different ways of operating,” says Cortez. “Having that human connection, being able to have that one-on-one interaction, that's what's gonna make the difference. It's just being able to be open to that conversation.”
Paige McGlauflin
paige.mcglauflin@fortune.com
@paidion
