How To Make Your Workplace Gen Z Inclusive Without Hurting Traditional Culture

Through their fearlessness, access to global, progressive standards, and different priorities, Gen Z individuals are inspiring an elevated form of inclusion in the workplace.

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Let us recognize the pivotal role of Gen Z in reshaping workplace culture. Gen Z refers to individuals born between 1995 and 2010. Many feel that they are paving the way for a more inclusive, equitable, and empowering work environment. Read on to understand what sets apart the Gen Z crowd, and how their involvement can make our workplace culture better. Smita Shetty Kapoor, CEO & Co-Founder of Kelp, shares insights on how we can look up to Gen Z to inspire inclusion in workplaces.

Embracing Diversity and Inclusion

Gen Z is championing diversity and inclusion like never before. Only recently have workplaces begun to acknowledge gender beyond the binary, and Gen Z champions this enhanced understanding. Gen Z individuals seek to join organizations that are equal opportunity employers, that have equitable policies, and are inclusive in their practices. This women’s day, take a leaf out of the Gen Z playbook and demand the diversity and inclusion you seek from your employer. If you are not getting it, take another leaf from the playbook, and don’t be afraid to look elsewhere.

Flexible Work Arrangements

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote work, and Gen Z is at the forefront of embracing flexible work arrangements. A report released by Deloitte found that 74% of women employees prefer remote or hybrid work models, due to reasons of work-life balance and having to juggle multiple responsibilities outside of work, but only half have access to it. Interestingly, a survey by PwC revealed that 75% of the Gen Z workforce would prefer to work remotely at least part-time. By championing and advocating for flexible work options, Gen Z is challenging traditional notions of productivity and helping everyone, especially women, normalize a new way of working, which puts more power in the employee’s hands.

Prioritizing Mental Health and Well-being

A Deloitte study of millennial and Gen Z mental health and the workplace revealed that Gen Z places a high value on mental health and well-being, where a large percentage of Gen Z employees believe employers should address mental health in the workplace. They also were more likely to avail workplace workplace-sponsored mental health support services. This focus on mental well-being and the normalizing of therapy and counseling can change the entrenched perspectives for women across generations. Women have historically been more vulnerable to discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace which can cause greater incidences of stress, anxiety, and burnout.

Advocating for Gender Equality

Claudia Godin’s work on the gender pay gap got her the Nobel Prize in Economics last year. So the world has acknowledged that the problem exists. But to bring lasting change from the new understanding, we look to our younger generation to pave the way. According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, 69% of Gen Z individuals believe that addressing gender inequality should be a top priority. From demanding equal pay to challenging discriminatory practices, Gen Z is driving conversations and initiatives aimed at achieving gender parity in the workplace. 

Embracing Technology and Innovation

Gen Z is the first generation to grow up in a fully digital age, and they bring a deep understanding of technology and innovation to the workplace. This digital fluency is reshaping how work is done, and creating several new possibilities to streamline processes, enhance collaboration, and drive innovation. How is this relevant to women? For example, in Indonesia, it was found that women-owned e-commerce businesses contributed to 35% of total e-commerce revenue (compared to 15% from offline commerce). This shows that there are still biases and obstacles in the brick-and-mortar world that can be challenged and broken down by embracing technology, its powers, and possibilities. Gen Z is shaping a more dynamic and connected workplace culture that empowers women to thrive in diverse roles and industries.