Even though Generation Z is the most digitally native generation, a survey by Ten Spot revealed that 54% of Gen Z employees are becoming unproductive in work from home settings. Many Gen Z workers also suffered from mental health and skill development issues while working from home as they had trouble adjusting to their new work environment.
Some Gen Z workers might have started their careers as remote workers or have been forced to work from home after only a few months in the office. They might need guidance from their managers on managing and structuring their schedules to improve productivity.
The younger workforce generation has just entered the workforce in entry-level jobs where their superiors normally supervise them. Working on-site allows newer employees to build trust and develop rapport with their coworkers, seniors, and the management, allowing people to progress their careers. Without being able to establish themselves properly,
Below are some of the challenges that Gen Z workers have when working remotely and how they can overcome them:
Boredom
About 48% of Gen Z workers admit that they’re getting bored from working from home. One possible reason is that the employees can’t interact with their coworkers. Humans are social creatures, and they’ll need to connect with others to have a healthy working experience. One solution is to hold virtual social events so the Gen Z employees can bond with others and build trust and rapport with their peers.
Another reason why people can get bored with their current work is that they feel neglected. Before the pandemic and remote work, Gen Z workers were supervised and learned new office skills. Because people are now working remotely, employees can’t learn new skills for further professional development.
One good way for employers to overcome this challenge is by hosting virtual events to create opportunities for social engagement and continue training the employees. The employees themselves can look for hobbies or online games where they can bond with their coworkers.
Mental Health
Generation Z is currently known as the loneliest generation, even though they are constantly connected in social media. The change of work settings did not make things any better for the Gen Z workers because now they’re lonely working at home. As mentioned above, Gen Z workers won’t have anyone to talk to unless they meet through video conferences, but they can experience Zoom fatigue doing so.
Out of all the generations that witnessed modern technology develop, Gen Z grew up with it and integrated it into their everyday lives. Not even the millennials who spearheaded the technological advancements had the same experience as Gen Z with social media platforms and media consumption. As a result, Gen Z people have become the loneliest people as they spend more time online.
Fortunately, Gen Z is also the leading generation that’s open to seeking help with their mental health and well-being. Gen Z employees might be the loneliest generation, especially during the pandemic when they’re forced to work from home, but they’re more likely to look for help than other workers.
Suppose the employee won’t look for help themselves. In that case, the employers will need to provide a support system to provide mental health benefits and be open to listening to and approaching their struggling employees. Training employees to manage work and personal stress and anxiety is also an excellent way to support employees and overcome the mental health challenge.
Productivity Issues
Many people working from home easily get bored and distracted, leading to lower productivity among employees. This is the case for many Gen Z’ers who are more likely working their first jobs post-college.
Employers have no control over the level of distraction present in an employee’s workspace at home, and it is the burden of the employee to focus on their jobs. However, it doesn’t mean that employers can’t do anything to help their employees become more productive. First of all, employers must ensure that their employees have a decent office setup. Not everyone can afford to get a PC and the necessary peripherals, especially a potential Filipino virtual assistant who can have a hard time securing a decent workstation for themselves.
Another thing that employers can do to potentially improve employee productivity is by monitoring and tracking their activities through applications like Hubstaff.
No Skill Development
Before the pandemic and the subsequent shift to work from home setups, the employees were supervised and trained by their team leaders and managers. When people were forced to work from home, they also lost the training and supervision needed to develop their skills and improve their work quality.
Without enough proper training in an office setting, it will be difficult for the employees to offer the best virtual assistant services that a VA company otherwise advertises. To mitigate the challenges of developing the employees’ skills, the employers can task their team leaders and managers to monitor the people they’re in charge of and mentor them in whatever they need.
The Gen Z employees themselves can opt to enroll in online classes to learn new skills and develop them, especially since they’re more knowledgeable on what sites to go to.
Conclusion
Even though every generation is experiencing difficulties with the current remote work setup, Generation Z is the most affected. This is because they have not adjusted well to being employed until they were forced to work remotely by the pandemic.
Many Gen Z’ers reacted negatively to the news that they will be working from home as they prefer to work in a work environment allowing face-to-face interactions with their coworkers. This is likely because their overexposure to technology leads to their desire to make meaningful connections in person.
Employers need to support the Gen Z’ers to empower them and give them the necessary experience to become valuable assets in the workforce.
Sources:
https://www.ibmadison.com/whos-had-the-hardest-wfh-adjustment-gen-z/
https://allwork.space/2021/02/why-remote-working-is-a-challenge-for-gen-z/
https://www.siliconrepublic.com/advice/gen-z-response-to-remote-working-tallo