Explore three essential strategies to hire and retain Gen Z talent in the restaurant industry, ensuring a thriving, diverse workforce crucial to your business's success.
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September 23, 2024
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Confused? Well, you might not be Gen Z.
Generation Z is one of the most talked about age groups of all time. And for good reason – with a significant portion of their developmental years spent in a global pandemic, Gen Z certainly has a point of view on life that is second to none.
You might be wondering: but why does this matter to me? I don’t really need to know what my kids mean when they say they’re coming out of “brat girl summer.”
Whether or not you personally understand brainrot, understanding Gen Z is crucial to your restaurant’s success in staffing and retention.
With 1 in 3 Americans getting their first job experience in a restaurant, studies have shown that Gen Z now makes up 49% of food service workers.
And as more members of Gen Z age into the restaurant workforce, it’s important to create a recruitment strategy that has their best interests at heart.
A multigenerational workforce isn’t a preference – it’s a given.
Without taking Gen Z into account, you’re shutting the tap off to a significant number of qualified candidates. Given that 62% of restaurant operators report not having enough employees to meet customer demand, a healthy flow of applicants is a necessity.
In this article, we’ll dive into 3 actionable strategies to hire and retain Gen Z talent in the restaurant industry.
Before we get started, it’s important to get a clear understanding of exactly who Gen Z is.
Gen Z is defined as anyone who was born between 1997-2012.
This means that in 2024, the youngest members of Gen Z are 12 years old, and the oldest members are 27.
In comparison, Millennials are defined as anyone born between 1981-1996. This includes anyone between the ages of 28-43 in 2024.
Now that we’ve established who Gen Z is and why a Gen-Z centric hiring strategy is crucial, let’s get into the nitty gritty of what you’re going to do.
To attract Gen Z applicants, you’ll have to craft a job that ticks all of their boxes.
In a study by iHire, 49.7% of Gen Z respondents reported that flexibility and work-life balance were extremely important in their next job.
49.2% reported that a positive working environment was crucial.
A competitive salary ranked third in importance, with 47.4% of respondents indicating that it was extremely important to them.
This goes to show that while a competitive salary is certainly a must for Gen Z’s, it’s not enough without a working environment that aligns with their values. Additionally, a great company culture is important, with 60% of Gen Z ranking coworkers as top motivators of daily work.
Gen Z’s are also highly committed to diversity, inclusion, and environment awareness. 51% of Gen Z would accept a lower salary to work for an environmentally responsible company, and 62% of Gen Z see increased diversity as good for society.
Now’s a great time to take a step back and assess your company values. Providing statistics on diversity and regular DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) training are great practices for transparency. Sharing clear-cut explanations and next steps of company environmental responsibility is a productive way to stay accountable.
Along with work-life balance, Gen Z appreciates healthcare and benefits. With 58% of Gen Z reporting burnout in 2024 (up from 47% in 2020), prioritizing mental health is crucial. Providing in-house mental health support or a great healthcare plan are actionable ways to help.
Additional perks, such as providing free lunch at work, can be a fun incentive. According to a study by Compass Group and Mintel, 72% of Gen Z workers reported that an onsite cafeteria would motivate them to join a company.
Leverage your status as a member of the restaurant industry. Free meals at your location and partner restaurants, and friends and family discounts are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to attractive perks.
We’d be remiss to leave out the growing need for student debt assistance. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, “Not only are Gen Zers more likely to hold student debt, but they also tend to have higher balances.” Gen Z’s reportedly have an average of $20,900 in debt, 13% more than millennials.
Take Chipotle, for example. They’ve rolled out a new 401(k) matching program specifically for employees making student loan payments. This program enables them to save for retirement while also managing debt.
When hiring Gen Z, remember that you’ll be getting an employee who may be at the beginning of their career.
By sharing career growth opportunities at the beginning of the interview process, Gen Z employees can get a sense of how they can grow with your brand over time. This boosts morale, loyalty, and retention.
Now that we’ve given you all of the context, let’s boil it down. To attract and hire Gen Z employees, you’ll want to prioritize:
If you haven’t already, consider tailoring your employee packages with these factors.
If these are already aspects of your brand, ensure that you’re clearly stating them in job descriptions in language that resonates with Gen Z.
There should be no question in a Gen Z candidate’s mind that your restaurant is one they want to work at – for the long haul.
Gen Z and technology go hand-in-hand. Affectionately called “Zoomers,” Gen Z have spent most of their lives online.
In order to appeal to them, you’ll need to exhibit technological savvy. After all, 26% of Gen Z would be deterred from applying to a job with a lack of recruiting technology.
But don’t worry – this doesn’t mean that you need to become the next Duolingo. A study by Yello indicated that the top 3 ways that Gen Z finds jobs are through referrals, job boards, and company websites.
While social media is still an important tool, your first line of attack should be optimizing your existing website and job descriptions. Remember: 56% of Gen Z wouldn’t finish a job application if the company’s recruiting strategy is outdated.
Ensure that your entire company website is up-to-date. This includes your “About us” section, locations, blog, and more.
Gen Z candidates will likely click around to see if your brand is the place they want to be. Don’t deter applicants by having your company values page lead to a 404 redirect.
To attract Gen Z candidates, you’ll have to speak their language. Their professional language, that is.
Gen Z appreciates bite-sized content, clear communication, and feedback from hiring managers.
Rewrite job descriptions to appeal to a Gen Z population. Clearly state all of the benefits, timelines, and expectations, with an emphasis on the factors listed above.
Keep messages succinct and to the point, leave out the formal tone, and lay out the whole hiring process from start to finish. Provide touch points with hiring managers and feedback after each round of the process–a few minutes or sentences is sufficient.
If this sounds uncomfortable to you, don’t worry. Using Generative AI for the initial steps of the hiring process is a great way to save time and personalize communication
According to Gartner’s 2024 Hype Cycle report, “GenAI [also]…has the potential to provide enhanced personalization in candidate UX and reduce recruiter intervention due to chatbot handoffs.”
While you’ll eventually transition into in-person interviews, using AI to help with the vetting and scheduling process will save you time while ensuring that your Gen Z candidates are getting the type of communication they desire. It’s a win-win.
Speed is a key way to secure qualified Gen Z talent.
With an attention span of a little less than 8 seconds, Gen Z thrives on instant gratification and rapid interactions.
When it comes to a hiring timeline, 17% of Gen Z job seekers expect a job offer less than a week after their first interview.
70% of respondents reported that an under-two-week interview process could greatly improve their interview experience.
In a competitive labor market, speed is in your best interest as well. Responding to applications within 2-4 hours is a great way to beat out the competition and secure the talent that you want.
But what happens if an applicant responds to a job listing at 2 a.m. on Saturday night? Naturally, you may only see it on Monday morning.
Utilize a tool like LANDED’s AI-powered text assistant to respond to applications within 15 minutes using personalized messaging, a strategic conversation flow, and advanced scheduling capabilities.
This means you start your Monday with a calendar full of vetted interviews, and Gen Z applicants enjoy the immediate satisfaction of progressing with a job they’re excited about.
At the end of the day, Gen Z’s want to be respected at a company that supports their identity, values, and goals.
In many ways, this is not too different from what employees of any generation want from their jobs.
While specifics may differ, relating to Gen Z candidates and employees with empathy and respect is the key to creating a healthy, lasting employer relationship.
And considering that Gen Z’s are being promoted into management positions as often as Boomers are, evolving your hiring strategy now means you’ll set yourself up for staffing success in the long run.
If you’re interested in optimizing your recruitment process to secure qualified and motivated Gen Z talent, our team is here to help.
