Homey comforts for Gen Z: job flexibility is crucial. Photo Credit: Adobe stock/Antonioguillem
Brands such as Chipotle and JetBlue have been vocal about using their
existing employees as part of their talent recruitment campaign. The
intention is to come across as authentic and genuine and thereby more
appealing to Gen Z. Can such a strategy work for the events industry?
Natalie Crampton, founder and managing director of Dubai-based events
agency TEC, says the agency has adopted a similar approach. “We always
give interviewees the opportunity to go for a coffee or explore the
office with any employee they like, except for anyone involved in their
hiring process,” she said.
“This gives the interviewee the opportunity to ask those questions
about working at TEC that you might not want to ask in a formal
interview. They can ask informal, culture-related questions – about
after work drinks or office politics, for example.”
Image appeal with strong values
Gen Z have a stronger desire for purpose and social impact and are
drawn to companies that align with their values and which prioritise
sustainability, diversity and inclusion. For the events industry,
recruiting from this talent pool can be challenging.
The events industry is traditionally focused on entertainment and profit; companies looking to attract more Gen Z talent will need to adapt their image to appeal to these value-driven individuals.
Lorela Chia, founder and managing director at events agency Gr8 Dreams
Being tech savvy
Gen Z, being more tech-savvy are accustomed to remote work and
virtual experiences. “Traditional events industry roles that are heavily
physical and laborious may seem less appealing; a real effort to
integrate technology, innovation and sustainability into operations is
needed to pique their interest,” said Chia.
Stephy Chan, senior marketing manager responsible for overseeing
CTM's brand marketing and communications in Asia, said: “Investing in
technology is another imperative for the travel industry when engaging
with Gen Z. This generation expects access to the tools and resources
necessary for efficient and effective work. Ensuring they have the
technological infrastructure they need not only enhances productivity,
but also demonstrates a commitment to staying current in a rapidly
evolving industry.”
Flexible working conditions
When relocating Gen Z, besides looking at compensation alone. Dawn
Wu, manager, Global Mobility, Uber said: “They are looking for highly
developed mental experiences to move them on to whatever they want to
do.”
When it comes to moving physically things, instead of wanting to
shift their entire home to a new country, Gen Z tends to go with as
little as possible, so for budgeting, Gen Z usually will not use the
entire relocation budget because they “go with the flow”, said Wu.
By that, Wu elaborated that they are gunning for the experience and
the job and cultural exposure, so whilst traditional assignments do work
to a certain extent, having this extra benefit of job flexibility is
crucial - to first let them engage in short term projects overseas, so
they are given a choice to decide after a short stint if they want to
relocate there.