Dive into how to best hire, train, and motivate some of the younger team members in a restaurant. Provide pointers on what may resonate best with Gen Z, like technology tools.
Believe it or not, the number of Gen Z workers is slated to surpass the Baby Boomer workforce this year! Both generations include around 17 million workers in the U.S. workforce, with Gen Z workers on the rise. How exactly does that impact the restaurant industry? As more Gen Zers begin to — or continue to — work in restaurants, managers and leaders need to know how best hire and train this cohort of employees to keep them engaged, motivated, and performing their best day-in and day-out.
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the best tips for hiring Gen Z workers and, more importantly, how to best train this tech-forward generation. Let’s get started!
Born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s, Gen Z is the first generation of “digital natives” who don’t know life before the internet. While some may negatively stereotype this generation as plugged in online, but disconnected in the real world, there’s research that proves otherwise.
According to the research of Roberta Katz, a senior research scholar at Stanford who conducted a years-long study to find out what matters to Gen Z and why, Gen Z inherently has unique characteristics that make them a wonderful, creative addition to the workforce. Here’s what she says we can expect from this new generation workforce.
Because they’ve lived in a world where the answer is a simple Google search away, Gen Z approaches work very logically. They work best when they understand why something is done the way it is done — and they aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo if it doesn’t make sense.
As the restaurant industry undergoes a technology evolution, Gen Z is an amazing asset to help push technology initiatives forward. They’re unafraid of new technology — in fact, they expect change. They’ve grown up in a fast-paced, always evolving world of technology. Plus, their pragmatism makes Gen Z quite adaptable. Since they’re always searching for the “why” behind the way things are done, they’re not afraid to try new things that challenge the status quo.
In addition to their pragmatism and adaptability, Gen Z values collaboration. While the stereotype of this generation is their disconnection in real-life relationships, that perceived idea could not be farther from the truth. They’re socially connected — especially online — and could be your largest asset in keeping your internal restaurant newsfeed buzzing with collaborative ideas and engagement.
One of the best ways to attract highly motivated Gen Zers is by using modern recruiting techniques. Gone are the days of door-to-door resume drop-offs. These days your online presence matters to both customers and future hires. Here are a few ways you can attract Gen Z to work with your restaurant brand:
Once you’ve hired on new staff members, it’s important to make sure your onboarding and ongoing training practices are as modernized as your recruiting practices. Here are some ways to ensure Gen Z employees are engaged during the training process:
Once your team has been hired and trained, the most important thing you can do is motivate your employees to encourage them to stick around. Here are a few ways you can empower Gen Z team members at your restaurant:
Incorporating these tips into your hiring, training, and motivation strategies will not only attract top Gen Z talent but also foster a productive and engaged workforce in your restaurant. By embracing technology and adapting to the preferences of this generation, you’ll set your restaurant up for success in the digital age. Remember, understanding and catering to the unique needs of Gen Z employees is key to building a thriving restaurant team for the future.
500 Technology Drive, Suite 200
Irvine, CA 92618
