Stormers of the Norm – The Gen-Z Corporate Take-over
Recently I watched a rugby match where the Stormers, literally walloped another seemingly strong team. Even before the match, the excitement was pulpable and if I remember well, discussions in many South African restaurants and pubs were spirited and very partisan. Most people in Cape Town spoke in favor of the other team.
When the match begun, the stormers behaved like they were blind and deaf to all the impediments that worked against them. They got in with plenty of wind and mind, and even before the match started, they kept the shout; “We are URC champions!” They went in as a force and got out with the desired results. I too was perplexed.
That was a URC miracle.
The youth in Africa, specifically the Gen-Z, are not just an age group. They are a mental, unstoppable force that can only be likened to something atomic in weaponry. And aside from their career demands that are raffling norms in HR practices, they are also transforming the organized patterns and structures that have enhanced artificial comforts in the workspace.
My friend Ben tells a story of a job interview he held with a certain perceivably clever young lady, who even after being quite highly ranked to take up the position, asked a very awkward question to an already concluding panel: “What is the average age of employees who work here?” And based on the answer she received; she decided right there during the interview that she did not want an opportunity there.
“With respect and gratitude, from your interview questions, this company feels old and stuck. Yes, I need a job but not here. So please, don’t call me if I get shortlisted. But if you hear of a more open-minded organization, looking for someone like me, send them my details.” She requested and left.
A young accountant I knew recently quit her job simply because Fridays at the office felt like Mondays.
“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for future!”
What does that quote even mean? Do we even have the faintest idea of the future our youth need. Far too long, we have been preparing our children for future we don’t know anything about.
But like the Stormers, against all odds, the Gen-Z are like a bubbling caldera, ready to erupt a miracle. And they are no longer requesting for space. They are taking it by force.
More and more, discerning organizations are building data driven decision making structures that directly address the many unspoken issues that the Gen-Z force harbors.
Get it right and track the transition. Many highly productive organizations have focused on increasing engagement by the youth by simply deploying tools that provide information.
Let us know, how CISF Wise can be of help. Email insights@cisfwise.org
