But first...
How to Hire Gen Z Without Losing Your Mind
(or Your Culture)
Gen Z is here and depending on who you ask, they’re either a breath of fresh air or the start of a workplace apocalypse. But what if it’s not about “them” at all?
What if the problem isn’t Gen Z, but how we’re hiring them?
From this episode of Family Business Breakthroughs, we dig into what’s really behind the buzz (and the backlash) about hiring Gen Z. Based on a viral Yahoo Finance article titled, “Bosses are Firing Gen Z Grads Just Months After Hiring Them,” host Jim Berner unpacks the disconnect and offers three powerful, practical hiring strategies that work in any generation.
A Wake-Up Call for Hiring Managers
Here’s the deal: You can’t blame an entire generation for a few bad hires.
And yet, some employers are doing just that, citing issues like tardiness, unprofessionalism, and poor communication as reasons they’re hesitant (or outright refusing) to hire Gen Z workers again.
The truth? The problem isn’t generational. The problem is bad hiring processes.
- Sending your core values to candidates before the interview
- Asking value-based questions (e.g., “Tell me how you explain a complex topic to someone with no experience”)
- Using a scoring matrix to rate how well each candidate aligns with each value
You can’t find what you haven’t defined. Inspired by Patrick Lencioni’s The Ideal Team Player, Jim outlines a simple but powerful step: create a list of hard and soft skills for the role.
Hard skills = the non-negotiables (e.g., data analysis, project management, programming)
Soft skills = the traits that shape your team (e.g., humility, hunger, emotional intelligence)
Not every candidate will have everything. That’s okay!
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What skills must they walk in the door with?
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What can you train them on?
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Where can you stretch if their values aren’t a 10/10?
The article cited complaints about Gen Zers being late, dressing inappropriately, or using unprofessional language.
But here’s the real question: Were expectations ever clearly set?
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What your standards are (and why)
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What behavior is expected and not tolerated
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How your core values actually look in practice
Hiring Gen Z isn’t the issue. Hiring without clarity is.
When you know your values, define your must-haves, and set clear expectations early, you build a team that thrives, no matter their age!
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Evaluate values
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Identify essentials
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Set the standard
It’s that simple!
Want support refining your hiring process? Meridian works with family businesses every day to build better teams with lasting legacies.
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