Around a quarter of childcare staff are members of Generation Z so it’s vital that managers know what makes them tick. Charlotte Goddard finds out

It’s not a precise science, but if you were born between 1997 and 2012, you can be classed as a member of Generation Z. Around a quarter (23%) of staff in private day care settings are under the age of 25, according to the government’s 2022 survey of early years providers. Some of the older members of Gen Z may already have progressed in their early years career, but others will be just about to enter the workplace.

Given the workforce issues faced by the early years sector, knowing how to target, recruit and retain this pipeline of new practitioners is vital for nursery managers. “You don’t want to miss out on Generation Z in your workplace, but you have got to understand them in order to get the best from them,” says Imogen Edmunds, chief executive of Redwing Solutions, which offers HR support to early years organisations.

To employ someone, first you have to find them. Seven in ten (71%) of Gen Z social media users in the UK check Instagram daily, 68% say they go on TikTok every day and the same proportion visit YouTube, according to data company Statista. On the other hand, less than half (46%) check Facebook every day and only a third are on Twitter daily.

Nurseries looking to target younger people should think about building their presence on less traditional social media channels. “Just because you always look for jobs on Indeed doesn’t mean Gen Z are going to do that,” says Edmunds. “If a nursery hangs out on TikTok or Instagram and says ‘can we tell you about our vacancy?’, your immediate reaction as a member of Gen Z would be ‘they don’t just want a hire, they want me as a hire.’”

Managers need to bear Gen Z’s communication style in mind when offering jobs, or they will lose them to a competitor, Edmunds warns. “In 2023, speed is of the essence if you are recruiting,” she states. “There is no point phoning up a Gen Z and saying ‘I would like to invite you in for an interview’. Chances are they will see an unknown number on their phone and think ‘I don’t know who that is, so I’m not going to answer it.’”

A WhatsApp message is more likely to gain a response. “If you wait for them to return your call, someone else will take the opportunity to use a different method to reach out to them, and you will lose out.”

Wellbeing support is increasingly vital for all members of the workforce, but Generation Z are perhaps more likely to expect it. “If you want to employ Generation Z, you employ everything that goes along with Generation Z, and that could be more instances of mental health-related conversations than you were previously used to,” says Edmunds. “It’s time to get in your mental health ambassadors, your mental health first aiders, and to look at what you can do to set yourself aside from other employers.”

While there are broad claims to be made about the characteristics of Generation Z, a good manager will get to know the individual, as not all young people are going to respond to the same management style or display the same characteristics. “Some young people lack confidence, while others might be overly confident and think they can do everything,” says Samantha Warburton, HR and finance manager at Portland Nurseries.

However, research does indicate that one thing that’s important to Generation Z is a job that will give them opportunities to broaden their skill set. “In inductions, for example, you might look at giving them an understanding of the broader organisation, not just their own role within it,” says Edmunds. “They are looking for a broad experience, so when they move on they have a lot of tools in their tool box for their next job.”

Warburton engages Gen Z with a careers map which she shows to students at school careers days. “They can see the different ways they can progress their career, whether that is specialising in SEND or becoming a nursery manager,” she says.

Research shows that Generation Z is more driven by ethics and values than previous generations, although more recent surveys reveal that salary is becoming increasingly important post- pandemic. A Bright Network survey of 3,846 students and graduates found their top three criteria when considering a job were salary, a positive attitude to promoting mental health and wellbeing, and a strong stance on equality, diversity and inclusion.

To target Gen Z, nursery recruitment ads need to emphasise the difference early years practitioners can make to children’s lives. “Do what the Princess of Wales does, and bang on about the importance of early education, and the rewards it offers,” advises Edmunds.

Young people are less likely to have experience of the workplace through Saturday jobs and work experience than previous generations, so may need more support in developing workplace skills. School students responding to a 2019 Barclays Bank survey said one of the main reasons they didn’t have a part- time job was the need to concentrate on schoolwork. The pandemic reduced opportunities for part-time work and work experience: a 2021 survey from the Confederation of British Industry found around half of UK employers had cancelled work experience placements because of Covid-19.

On the other hand, Generation Z is more likely to have a ‘side hustle’, often involving online channels. The Barclays survey found around 670,000 14 to 21 year olds regularly make money through digital avenues, for example by buying and selling products online. Managers may find that young people have a lot to contribute in areas such as entrepreneurialism, creativity and technical ability. “You can learn so much from people from a different generation and we should be open to that by harnessing their talents,” says Warburton.

Of course, while getting up to speed on Generation Z is important, don’t forget there’s a new age bracket biting at their heels. In a few years the first members of Generation Alpha will be entering the workforce, and that’s a whole new ballgame.

Find out more about HR and people management with Imogen Edmunds, including how to attract and retain good staff during a recruitment crisis, at the Nursery Managers Show at NEC Birmingham, 30 June – 1 July 2023