Understanding the Snapchat, Smartphone generation is essential for building highly effective contact centre teams according to Daniel Mayer at Calabrio
The worldwide director of J Walter Thompson’s Innovation Group, Lucie Greene, famously referred to Gen Z or Gen Zers as “millennials on steroids” . Born in the late 1990s to the 2010s, this Snapchat, Smartphone generation are the first true digital natives (having never known a world without the Internet) and they are about to enter the workforce. Just as you thought you had Millennials covered, along comes another demographic to add to the mix.
As contact centres grapple with the demands of round-the-clock, multi-channel communications, employers need to keep one step ahead with a relevant recruitment strategy and innovative Workforce Management (WFM) infrastructure to match. It’s time to understand what Gen Z wants from work, if they differ from Millennials and how to make them part of an efficient, highly motivated contact centre.
When job website giant Monster teamed up with global research firm TNS to find out what it takes to attract the Snapchatting, Smartphone addicted, video streaming generation, the results were surprising:
Growing up in an era of change means that Gen Zers are also prone to fierce competitiveness and independence as a survival mechanism. They want to know what the rules are and that they are fair. They also want to be judged on their own merits, showcase their individual successes and need regular recognition for their efforts and performance.
So how do Gen Zers differ from their slightly older counterparts? Are they just “Millennials on Steroids” or are they completely different? When it comes to the workplace , Gen Zers differ from Millennials in four ways. They are:
Rather than fear the arrival of another dynamic to the already complicated contact centre environment, employers should focus on the WFM areas that bring out the best in Gen Zers and benefit all staff, whatever their age. Therefore, make the following your top priorities:
Be prepared to embrace staff from all generations using the latest WFM technology and you’ll be rewarded with a high-performing, multi-generational contact centre that lowers attrition rates and recruitment costs and leads to satisfied customers and healthier profits.