How to Cultivate a Catholic Work Culture by Leveraging Gen Z’s Strengths
9 Things to Consider to Leverage Gen Z Strengths.
Gen Z is entering the workforce full speed ahead. And everybody is talking about it.
A recent survey found that 74% of managers and business leaders reported that Gen Z is harder to work with than previous generations. The top complaints are that GenZers lack work ethic, aren’t up to speed on technical skills, and are too easily offended.
Alongside some critical feedback, however, Gen Z is also being noticed for their desire for meaning in their work, their emphasis on work-life balance, and their love for collaboration.
The Gen Z quest for meaning in what they do suggests that they believe labor to be a way of expressing their humanity.
Sound familiar? A recent SENT blog post 5 Signs You’re Putting Your Worth in Your Work recalls St. Pope John Paul II’s words in Centesimus Annus, “Work thus belongs to the vocation of every person; indeed, man expresses and fulfills himself by working."
The bottom line? How we work should express our human dignity and safeguard the human person.
If you’ve hired some Gen Z team members lately, consider how you can leverage their strengths to cultivate a Catholic culture in your company.
Offer coaching & learning opportunities
Previous generations focused on job security. To Gen Z, that isn’t as important. Instead, they seek jobs that enrich their minds, skills, and souls. Gen Zers desire personal development opportunities in their careers.
What would happen if you prioritized learning opportunities available to your new employees who are brimming with talent? Take a note from Pope Francis and consider a few ways to implement more opportunities for personal development in your company.
“Work should be the setting for this rich personal growth, where many aspects of life enter into play: creativity, planning for the future, developing our talents, living out our values, relating to others, giving glory to God.” - Pope Francis, Laudato Si
We each have a unique skill set to offer through our work. As a leader, it’s important for you to cultivate your team’s talents.
Why? They’ll grow in their imitation of God by cultivating their skills.
Consider…
✔️Funding your team to attend a professional conference.
✔️Providing 3 months of professional development courses.
✔️Offload some of the ideation surrounding personal development in your company to your Gen Z team members
What other ways could you offer more personal development?
Strive for more balance in the workplace
Even more than previous generations, Gen Z understands that work, even meaningful work, isn’t enough to fulfill the individual.
Gen Z aims to balance friends, family, faith, and downtime along with work.
Work is essential to our human dignity.
However, the Catechism reminds us that “work is for man, not man for work” (2428).
Work leads to other goods: time for family, friends, prayer, leisure, and rest. It’s not the end goal.
Building a Catholic work culture requires looking at the whole person. Not just the one in the office.
Consider…
✔️Encouraging your team members to work more efficiently rather than around the clock
✔️Cultivating respect for family life through how you handle time off surrounding marriages, growing families, vacations, unexpected family events, etc.
✔️Have your Gen Z team members plan team socials
Keep collaborating
Gen Z is used to collaborating online, which transfers to their work style in the office, too. Gen Zers are generally very comfortable sharing ideas and working with others to solve problems.
In Catholic social teaching, the principle of solidarity is exercised when the work of each person uplifts the community in service of the greater good.
St. Teresa of Calcutta reminds us that “together, we can do something wonderful.”
Looking to restore cooperation between employees and upper management? Your resident Gen Zer’s philosophies might be the key to success.
Consider…
✔️Adding group working spaces in your office.
✔️Encouraging your employees to have group brainstorming sessions.
✔️Finding ways to connect your various teams routinely, perhaps tapping into your Gen Z team members’ suggestions
Not far from the truth
This generation’s focus on personal growth, balance, flexibility, and collaboration in the workforce seems to align with many Catholic principles for dignified working conditions and relationships in work.
How will you foster your Gen Z teammates’ strengths? How will you use their perspective to build a better work culture for all your employees?
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