FORT SILL, Okla. (Feb. 11, 2016) -- Young emerging workers are mobile, digitally savvy, socially conscientious, entrepreneurial and problem solvers, who want to be mentored as they build their own career marketability while working for transparent organizations, said Dr. Krystal Brue, Cameron University Adult and Continuing Education assistant professor.
In less than four years, Generation Z (those born from 1995 and forward) is projected to make up more than 30 percent of the global workforce, and 22 percent of the U.S. workforce, she said.
Human resources managers, including Department of Defense leaders, must use strategic approaches if they are to attract the most talented in the emerging workforce.
"The new generation is coming and they have a new philosophy," Brue said. "You really do have to understand the globalization and mobility dynamics, and demographic shifts that are happening in the workplace in order for you to remain competitive."
Brue was the speaker at the field artillery commandant's onsite conference here Feb. 4. Her presentation was titled, "New Models of Work: Managing talent through leadership initiatives."
She addressed a group of 40 senior Army and Marine officers and command sergeants major. One of their tasks at the onsite was to generate recommendations to the Field Artillery School commandant and chief of FA on how to recruit and retain the best and brightest field artillery Soldiers.
Brue began by speaking about leadership, which she said some researchers claim is the most important element of an organization's success.
NEW LEADERSHIP STYLE
A new approach is transformational leadership, where leaders have the time to grow and develop.
"Leaders need time to research and read and understand, and collaborate and talk to other people," she said. "If we don't have that we're going to be ineffective. It makes us better leaders."
Transformational leaders need to model, mentor and help develop emerging leaders by doing things with them. "When emerging leaders no longer have to fight for respect, then they can really focus their energies on the organization."
Transformational leaders also focus on a new standard of success, which includes recognizing the impact that employees' cultures have on the organization. They also stimulate workers intellectual curiosity, value lessons learned from humility, and create a work environment that embraces change (even big ones) and different work philosophies. Unless leaders surround themselves with people who have a different philosophy, even a contrary perspective, they will not see the whole picture, Brue said.
CHANGING WORKFORCE
Mobility, globalization and demographic trends are something Army leaders are going to see in their troops, Brue said.
More people live outside their birth countries than ever before. If they were all pooled together, they would make up the fifth largest country in the world, she said. "The younger generation is wanting to move. They have an appetite for working aboard."
About 69 percent of young people in North America, Australia and Asia want to go to work in other countries, she said.
Globalization is a huge impact on HR talent strategy, Brue said. "Corporations are having to look outside of their (countries') borders, specifically for some technical skill sets."
There are major demographic shifts happening, too. About 80 million baby-boomers will be retiring in the next 20 years, and there will be some Generation Xers (born 1965 to early 1980s) in that as well," Brue said.
GEN Z
As a group, Gen Z will be more educated than any previous generation with one out of two Zers possessing a four-year college degree. It's a necessity now, and many of the jobs they will fill haven't even been developed yet, she said.
Gen Z will be the last generation in America where Caucasian is the majority race, Brue said. Multi-racial children are the fastest growing youth population in the United States, up more than 50 percent since 2000.
What does Gen Z want in an employer?
Continuous learning, mentors, constant feedback (not an annual performance review), leadership roles; and to be able to achieve financial independence, to build their career capital (skills) and the opportunity make a difference, Brue said.
The DoD mission does have qualities that are attractive to the emerging workforce, including its worldwide locations, global missions including humanitarian aid, problem solving, leadership and professional development opportunities, the ability to make a difference, and selfless-service values, said Brue and the leaders in discussion.
Brue said she tells young people to pursue work that they enjoy, and to seek ways to turn that into a career.
"They are going to be working for the next 40 to 50 years," she said. "It becomes much more passion-driven if you're working in something that you enjoy, rather than just a job."
Find a mentor; it's essential for your success, she said. "Seek out individuals who can provide you with insights and perspectives, because your perspective is only one, but you need to develop others."
She also tells them to adopt a philosophy of being a life-long learner because learning doesn't end with school.
"You're going to be learning, changing, developing and growing throughout your career," Brue said.
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