Gen Z forces firms to take diversity & inclusion seriously

Diversity and inclusion policies are a must for firms that want to hire Gen Z, confirmed a study by Tallo.

“Jobseekers have stressed the significance of diversity and inclusion for decades. But Gen Z could be the generation that really forces employers to take this issue more seriously than they ever have before,” confirmed Tallo’s CEO and Co-founder, Casey Welch. 

According to the virtual platform, 69% of Gen Z respondents would “absolutely” be more inclined to apply for a job if recruiters/materials reflected an ethnically/racially diverse workplace. But 1 in 3 would turn down a job if they thought they would be treated unfairly due to their gender, ethnic or racial identity. One in four said the same would apply to college applications.

PREFERRED GENDER PRONOUNS

Interestingly, 88% of Gen Z respondents said that potential employers should ask candidates about their preferred gender pronouns. Yet only 18% reported that a recruiter or potential employer had ever asked them. In fact, 25% of Gen Z applicants said they would decline a job offer if an employer did not use their preferred pronouns.

“Gen Z’s views on inclusion take gender into consideration in a way that may feel completely foreign to older generations,” pointed out Welch. “This demonstrates the need for a diverse workforce and recruiting team that naturally understands these realities. The bottom line is that companies and colleges are leaving millions of qualified applicants out of their acquisition pipelines by not communicating – and practicing – a commitment to diversity and inclusion. If you’re in the business of recruiting Gen Z, you need a diversity and inclusion strategy. And you need it now.”

RESPONSE TO COVID-19

Tallo’s research also suggests that today’s job candidates are closely watching how organisations responded to Covid-19. Around 93% of Gen Z who self-identified as Black highlighted a company’s response to the pandemic as important. Around 89% of Hispanic/Latino also rated this as important to them, followed by 84% Asian and 67% White respondents.

Similarly, race impacted how Gen Z members felt about a company’s response to social issues. Around 72% of Hispanic/Latinos said a company’s response to social issues was very important. Approximately 68% Asian, 67% Black and 59% White respondents agreed. Click here for more information.

High school students are also urging corporate America to stamp out economic and racial inequality, as reported earlier