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- are gen z in a situationship with their jobs?
are gen z in a situationship with their jobs?
and why your talent keeps ghosting...
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Howdy HR friends!👋
Hope you’re all having a great start to the week!
Today we’re pondering if our Gen Z employees are really in a "situationship" with the company. No cap. Bet! (Am I doing it right?)
No time to hang around, let’s spill the tea…
🚦Coming up
In today’s edition
💔 When Your Gen Z Talent Is "Just Not That Into You": Understanding the workplace "situationship" phenomenon
🗳️ The Break Room: How is your organization responding to Gen Z's "situationship" approach to employment?
📚 Human Readsources: Amazon's controversial return-to-office mandate, exciting career opportunities in the space industry, and the growing importance of pay transparency in today's job market.
💭Opening thoughts
We thought this was a long term thing…
With 58% of interviewed gen Z employees viewing their jobs as temporary arrangements, and nearly half already planning their exit within a year: this is a trend that demands our attention.
How do we shift our focus from reactive damage control to proactive relationship-building?
Because it’s on us to create compelling reasons for Gen Z talent to envision a future with the organization.
That’s a “W” for everyone involved.
For easy reading
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🧠Let’s unpick
💔 When Your Gen Z Talent Is "Just Not That Into You"
With Gen Z viewing their jobs as temporary arrangements and an average tenure of just 1.8 years, companies are facing unprecedented turnover costs and knowledge gaps.
This isn't just youthful restlessness; it's a shift in how an entire generation views their relationship with employers.
Job for life? More like a temporary fix until the next, better thing comes along.
The financial impact isn’t to be understated though.
Beyond the obvious recruitment costs, there's the productivity drain. Because as we all know, new employees take months to reach full efficiency.
Even more concerning, 30% of Gen Z workers have "ghosted" employers, quitting without notice and leaving teams scrambling. According to research, "commitment issues are cited as a bigger retention problem than compensation", challenging the traditional "just pay more" solution.
So maybe it’s time we rethink our entire talent approach?
Starting by implementing transparent career pathways, flexible scheduling and expanded mentorship programs.
Remember, Gen Z aren’t disloyal- they’re simply just waiting for employers to prove they're worth committing to.
The question is: are you relationship material?
You can read more at...
👀Too long didn’t read
TLDR
Gen Z workers view jobs as temporary "situationships" with 58% planning quick exits, forcing companies to rethink retention through transparency, clear advancement paths, and flexibility rather than just higher pay.
Today’s edition is also presented by
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🎬Lights, camera, action!
Takeaway and try
🗣️ Start asking the "commitment scale" question in your next round of 1:1s with Gen Z employees, then actually implement changes based on their "what would make it a 10" responses.
🛣️ Create visual career roadmaps showing multiple growth paths within your company. Gen Z needs to see possibilities beyond their current role to feel there's a reason to stay.
⏱️ Implement flexibility that matters, not just remote work but control over when and how work happens. Gen Z prioritize this over traditional perks.
👥 Pair every Gen Z hire with both a peer buddy and a senior mentor in their first 90 days to build the relationship connections that combat the "situationship" mindset.
☕The break room
What’s your take?
📚Additional reading
Human Readsources
🏢 Amazon: Relocate to Hubs or Resign (HR Grapevine) - Amazon demands staff relocate to hubs or resign.
🚀 Gen Z Could Earn Six Figures Exploring Space (HR Grapevine) - AI will create space exploration jobs with six-figure salaries.
💰 Pay Transparency Becoming New Business Reality (HR Dive) - Cultural shift and regulations drive employer adoption of pay transparency.
That’s it for today.
Thanks for reading to the end and we hope today’s edition sparked some new ideas for your workplace! 🧠
We know you’re super busy and really appreciate you saving some room for us in your inbox 😀
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