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BELLEVUE, Wash., Sept. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Nintex, the global standard for process management and automation, today released a new study, "The Gen Z Effect on the U.S. Workplace," that explores the career drivers and values of the country's largest generation, which faces record levels of student-loan debt on graduation.

Nintex's research shows marked differences between the workplace's freshman class, Gen Z, and their Millennial predecessors. While polling company Gallup dubbed Millennials the job-hopping generation, Nintex found that Gen Z doesn't want to follow suit. Sixty percent of Gen Z expect to remain at their first job past the one-year mark, with 71% of those planning to stay more than two years. And company leaders share that expectation: A majority of decision makers (59%) expect Gen Z employees at their companies to stay well past the two-year mark.

Employers looking to earn Gen Z's loyalty will need to ensure HR programs are in place to recognize fledgling employees for their early workplace contributions, including offering prompt promotions. The majority of Gen Z (53%) anticipate a promotion within one year of starting their first job — not out of generational entitlement, but because of economic concerns. Six of 10 Gen Zers graduate with debt; they face ballooning costs of living in major cities; and they worry about a major economic downturn.

"Gen Z is a driven generation with clear career goals," says Nintex CEO Eric Johnson. "To retain and grow Gen Z employees, company leaders will need to instill modern HR practices and nurture strong workplace cultures that support in-person collaboration and meaningful work."

The complete U.S. findings are available in an e-book at https://www.nintex.com/the-gen-z-effect-on-the-us-workplace/.

Additional highlights from the report include:

• Gen Z wants face time, not FaceTime. Nine out of 10 Gen Zers want in-person check-ins with their managers, while a mere 4% want virtual check-ins. Nintex found weekly, in-person check-ins to be the optimal cadence both for employee happiness and productivity.
• When in doubt, turn to Gen Z for tech expertise. Gen Zers are your company's resident tech experts — something they and their managers know. Companies are responding positively to Gen Z's tech aptitude by proactively adopting technology and tools suggested by Gen Z: Some 80% of decision makers said their company has adopted a technology or tool because it was suggested or requested by a Gen Z employee.
• Gen Z is afraid AI and automation will cost them their jobs, and this fear holds them back from fully embracing these technologies. Fifty-seven percent of Gen Z is concerned about AI and automation affecting their job security, and 23% are very concerned. Companies should position AI and automation as a partner, not a competitor, and a tool to augment, not replace, people.
• Decision makers are out of touch with Gen Z priorities. Company leaders think that, after salary, work flexibility (the ability to work remote, flexible hours), work-life balance and a company's tech stack are Gen Z's top priorities when choosing their first post-college job. In reality, Gen Z ranks company culture, company values and potential for career growth as their top motivators outside of salary.

Nintex's Gen Z Effect on the U.S. Workplace study provides statistical evidence that the newest workplace generation will elevate current and future workplaces if given the opportunity for growth, recognition, and advancement. It will be imperative for decision makers and managers of Gen Z employees to invest in their incremental career growth, cultivate a culture of improvement, and build an empowerment narrative around AI and automation.

"Through a combination of tech aptitude, pragmatism and collaborative spirit, Gen Z has the DNA to drive next-generation enterprise efficiency," said Johnson. "But companies must provide them with an environment to grow — and an opportunity to work with AI and automation, rather than have them loom as threats."

Nintex published country-specific Gen Z study findings for New Zealand and Australia earlier this year and will do the same for the United Kingdom later this fall.

Media Contact
Kristin Treat
Nintex
kristin.treat@nintex.com
cell: +1 (215) 317-9091

About Nintex
Nintex is the global standard for process management and automation. Today more than 8,000 public and private sector clients across 90 countries turn to the Nintex Platform to accelerate progress on their digital transformation journeys by quickly and easily managing, automating and optimizing business processes. Learn more by visiting www.nintex.com and experience how Nintex and its global partner network are shaping the future of Intelligent Process Automation (IPA).

Study Methodology
The study by Nintex was conducted by Lucid Research in March 2019 and consisted of two surveys. The first was completed by 500 current and 500 future Gen Z employees in the United States. All Gen Z respondents were between the ages of 18 and 23. Those that qualified for current Gen Z employees were graduates of a four-year university degree program who now have a job where they use a computer for 5+ hours a day. Future Gen Z employees were current enrollees in four-year university degree programs who will actively seek full-time employment upon graduation, or graduates of a four-year university degree program who are actively seeking full-time employment.  The second survey audience comprised 500 enterprise decision makers in the United States. To qualify, respondents had to work at a company with 250+ employees, be at a management, VP/Director or C-Suite level, and were directly involved in choosing or helping their organization to implement new technology, including buying/selecting new tools.

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SOURCE Nintex