Gen Z: New expectations, old prejudices?

Gen Z has a reputation for being lazy and not very resilient while at the same time having high expectations of their employers. Claudia, as HR manager, what is your experience of the younger generation in the workplace?

Claudia Schaer: I often encounter these prejudices and, to be honest, I feel they are unfounded. I think it’s unhelpful to stereotype entire generations. The generation effect should not be confused with the age effect. Certain topics are often simply more important to a 20-year-old than to a middle-aged person. The historical context also shapes social values and the importance of gainful employment. This has a different meaning for people today than it did 50 years ago. It’s not only Gen Z, so people born between 1995 and 2009, who are increasingly looking for alternative forms of employment, but other generations, too.

Florian Bucher: The prejudices are not accurate in general – but they may be true in some cases. There are some who are highly motivated and show lots of commitment and drive. But at the same time, I also see a growing number who are not quite as enthusiastic about work. This is not necessarily a sign of laziness, but rather of misconceptions about the working world. I would therefore describe this group as being more disillusioned.

Ying-Ling Dang: This ‘young people are lazy’ cliché has existed in every generation. I think that has more to do with age than specifically with Gen Z. What concerns me more – and I agree with Florian on this – is the sense of insecurity that many of my peers feel when entering working life. We live in an incredibly fast-moving world. The question is whether it’s still worth investing the effort in a career if financial security is not guaranteed. Some put everything into continuing education and their professional career. Others take a more cynical stance and don’t believe that such work-related criteria are worth much any more.

‘The question is whether it’s still worth investing the effort in a career if financial security is not guaranteed.’

Ying-Ling Dang, software developer at bbv

Do you also see other reasons for this divide?

Bucher: Many trainees come with the expectation that they will immediately be involved in challenging projects and allowed a great deal of flexibility. But training is also about learning the basics, and that often means hard work. Some are disappointed when they realise that they still have a long way to go before they can get involved in exciting projects.

Schaer: I think it’s normal for young people to have high expectations of their profession. The world has changed and the work environment has to adapt. Many young people today also realise that there are alternatives to the classic 9-to-5 model. Social media in particular reinforces this attitude. And in turn naturally influences their expectations.

How does bbv meet these demands?

Schaer: We consciously focus on flexible working hours, home office options and sabbaticals in order to cater to the work-life balance of the younger generation. This is how we try to fulfil these new priorities. Provided that they are compatible with customer commitments, of course. In order to retain employees in the long term, you also need to ensure that young employees remain motivated. You do this by providing them with a clear development plan.

Ying, were or are these points crucial for you when looking for a job?

Dang: Flexible working models were a nice-to-have for me. What was much more important for me, however, was the personal professional development that Claudia mentioned. My greatest fear is to stagnate. With IT, I have found a specialist field that not only allows you to continue developing, but forces you to in order to remain relevant and be able to do your job well. bbv also sets aside time for me for personal development, which I really appreciate.

Bucher: At our company, trainees can learn a lot because they work directly with experienced software engineers who are themselves actively involved in projects. We support the trainees with their questions, share both the positive and challenging aspects of our profession and prepare them well for their future. And after their training, we encourage them to gain new experiences outside our company so that they can broaden their horizons.

‘Compared to the past, work has to be meaningful. There has to be a clear reason for young employees to do something.’

Florian Bucher, vocational trainer at bbv

Do you think that the IT sector remains a male domain?

Schaer: Unfortunately, deeply rooted role models continue to influence career choices. The perception that the IT sector is a very technical and programming-heavy field is still widespread. The image of the computer scientist as an introverted, uncommunicative person who does nothing but sit in a dark room in front of a computer and code stubbornly persists …

Dang: … I have to admit: That’s how I had imagined it. (laughs)

Bucher: But the reality is quite different. Communication accounts for 50 percent of the job of a computer scientist. It’s about understanding the customer’s needs precisely. It’s essential to ask questions, draw conclusions from them and see the bigger picture. We simulate such customer meetings in our vocational training programme. Personally, I’ve also noticed among the younger generation that more and more women are entering the IT sector, or at least showing an increased interest in it.

Schaer: I find it exciting that communication, creativity and teamwork, which are often seen as ‘female’ qualities, are just as essential in IT. These factors should be given more attention in order to encourage more women to pursue careers in IT.

Dang: There’s a fine line, however, between trying to make the IT sector more attractive in general and explicitly promoting women. I have the feeling that for many women, being specifically addressed in educational programmes is even off-putting and therefore counterproductive. After all, you don’t want special treatment. Though it remains unspoken, overly forced integration can also trigger self-doubt as to whether you’re actually achieving your professional goals because of your own professional expertise – or just because of your gender.

A tough nut to crack for companies like bbv?

Bucher: Performance counts – nothing else. We want the best people, regardless of whether they’re male or female. That’s the only fair way.

Dang: That’s exactly how I perceive bbv. We are here to do a good job – and to become better software developers. This also involves a keen sharing of knowledge. People help each other. As a young software developer, my ideas are always welcomed.

So the age difference is not an obstacle?

Dang: Well, as a more inexperienced person in the professional work environment, I am perhaps more concerned with simply absorbing what is offered to me. But I don’t perceive a strict hierarchy. People are still treated as equals.

Bucher: I started my career at bbv on the Young Professional programme and am now a vocational trainer – so I know both sides. Back then, I was able to benefit a lot from the experienced developers. Not least because they deliberately allowed me to make mistakes that I could then learn from. Now that I’m on the other side, I still find the interaction with the young professionals brilliant and valuable. They are fresh out of university, have a different view of things than I do and bring new ideas to my work. This is extremely helpful in overcoming one’s own preconceptions.

‘A company that uses outdated technologies finds it difficult to establish itself as an attractive employer.’

Claudia Schaer, Lead HR at bbv

Is it easy for the younger generation – the digital natives – to work in IT? They are considered to be particularly tech-savvy. Florian, you’re smiling.

Bucher: I am a millennial, and our generation was always considered to be quite tech-savvy. Outside of bbv, however, I don’t see this as being the case with all of my colleagues of the same age. There, too, I see some apprehension when it comes to using computers. Interestingly, Gen Z is no different. The smartphone – with touch display and swiping – is the technology of choice for them. When it comes to computers, how they work and classic IT tasks, I sometimes see certain gaps in knowledge in younger people as well. Of course, some are also adept at using a computer.

Dang: For the younger Gen Zers, the computer is already practically obsolete. They haven’t experienced this technological development themselves – and therefore have little connection to a computer and its underlying logic.

Do companies have to take this development into account?

Schaer: I cannot speak for other industries or companies. In my view, however, it is important to be able to offer a modern workplace with new technologies and work tools – and not just for younger workers. A company that uses outdated technologies generally finds it difficult to establish itself as an attractive employer.

Dang: I agree with that. At the same time, however, the choice of technology needs to be carefully considered. I can well imagine that employers are tempted to follow new developments and trends almost blindly. That’s why it’s important to invest resources in researching and evaluating new technologies, while at the same time continuing to maintain tried-and-tested technologies – especially in software development.

Meaningfulness in innovation – and otherwise?

Bucher: In my view, yes, work has to be meaningful these days. There must be a clear reason for young employees to do something and it’s important that they are valued for it. We also attach great importance to this at bbv.

Schaer: For me, meaningfulness means making a positive contribution to society through my work. And to work in an environment that is consistent with one’s own values. These criteria are met particularly in IT, with its pronounced capacity for innovation. We contribute to the technological advancement of society.

Dang: Absolutely. I can really make a difference here – be it through innovative solutions or by developing products that improve people’s lives. It motivates me to be part of an industry that is constantly changing and has the potential to have a positive impact on society.