John Kenney, CEO, Cotney Consulting Group
Recruiting Gen Z workers into the roofing industry might be a walk in the park compared to luring Millennials into the fold. Still, contractors need to know the ins and outs of hiring those born between 1997 and 2012. Unlike Millennials, who are considered by many to be entitled and job jumpers, Gen Zers are more interested in stability, a breath of fresh air for employers.
With a shortage of tradespeople coming into the industry and with so many nearing retirement age, employers must figure out and turn some of their focus to Gen Z. The leaders in this age range are already graduating college and heading to jobs. There are 72.8 million of them and many are hands-on, entrepreneurial and financially prudent.
After all, Gen Z is very different and in attractive ways. That means they are more likely to find construction and roofing work more appealing than older Millennials. Know the difference to attract this generation successfully.
Millennials were brought up by Baby Boomers who wanted to protect them from suffering and to know their value as a worker. Unfortunately, Gen Z came up in an economic crisis where parents struggled to pay their bills, especially when the economy went south during the Great Recession of the middle 2000s. Because of that economic crisis, Gen Z children are grateful to have jobs and tend to be far less entitled, which is excellent for the roofing industry. Still, they are not going to work for low wages. The COVID-19 pandemic added a new spark, with people changing their work-life balance and expecting to get paid what they deserve for the training they have.
Gen Z workers put money and job security at the top of their priority lists. Like Millennials, they want to make a difference in the world and make it better, but surviving and thriving takes precedence. Gen Z employees are more willing to stick around longer in a job to get the pay and security they desire. Those who take these priorities seriously are the contractors who will get the largest group of Gen Z employees.
When working to recruit this age group, discuss opportunities. Figure out what your best value propositions are and move them forward. For example, while Millennials are more concerned with making a difference in the world than how hefty their paycheck
is, Gen Z wants to hear about salaries and benefits and their opportunities for advancement.
They are a more traditional generation than Millennials, so they are eager to get more traditional benefits, including health
insurance and a 401k. Some older managers may embrace this familiarity, but companies would be remiss if they don’t develop
a more substantial incentive to promote loyalty. So, plan to pay them more and give them more opportunities if you want them to
stick around.
Focus also on giving them a career path or listening when they tell you the course they wish to travel. For example, Millennials worked to advance their career paths faster, laying the groundwork for Gen Z. This younger generation will continue to seek fast
advancement, which should be based on performance rather than how long they have been on the job. To them, it should not matter if they’ve been with your company for a month or five years.
Offer Gen Z employees or job candidates several experiences they can learn at once. Most want the opportunity to fill multiple roles. Gen Z seeks out customization, with most preferring to write their own job descriptions rather than being expected to follow a more generic path. In addition, they want to customize their own plan rather than having someone else write it for them.
Figure out a way to offer Gen Z multiple career paths and expose them to as many roles in the company as possible. For example, consider rotation programs and cross-training. That will give Gen Z employees more confidence that they are assets to your company and have more flexibility.
Unlike Millennials, Gen Z also expects to receive mentoring from more experienced workers since their parents have hammered home the message that they can learn a lot from others. Being the newest or youngest employee, they know they have to start at
the bottom but can quickly move forward. They want to seek common ground with their managers and coworkers. They feel lucky to have the job and are willing to work their way up.
Gen Z, again unlike Millennials, plans to make an impact at work. They have already disrupted the country’s education system by realizing just going to college is not necessarily their only choice. That gives roofing an in with this generation.
Offer them promising careers and good salaries and they’ll get on board. They want to create security for themselves at a younger age and are willing to work for it. Many start feeling the pressure in high school, so roofing companies need to develop ways to partner with high schools to get on students’ radar sooner.
The use of technology is also more vital with this group and there is plenty of technology moving into the roofing industry, which is a plus. Gen Z members are “digital natives,” having grown up with tablets, smartphones and social media. That is the norm for them.
Expect Gen Z to develop even more innovative ways to use technology in our industry. A vast majority of them say technological sophistication impacts their interest in specific companies. So, the youngest generation of workers will be the technology authority, which is a real plus for roofing.
Gen Z will bring an entrepreneurial spirit, constantly looking for better procedures, processes and ways to uncomplicate systems. They will look for ways to be more efficient, bringing the DIY mentality to work with them. This generation is a motivated group and one that will help solve the roofing labor shortage and move the industry forward.
John Kenney has over 45 years of experience in the roofing industry. He started his career by working as a roofing apprentice at a family business in the Northeast and worked his way up to operating multiple Top 100 Roofing Contractors. As CEO, John is intimately familiar with all aspects of roofing production, estimating and operations. During his tenure in the industry, John ran business units associated with delivering excellent workmanship and unparalleled customer service while ensuring his company’s
strong net profits before joining Cotney Consulting Group. If you would like any further information on this or another subject, you can contact John at jkenney@cotneyconsulting.com.
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