"Gen Z is the first generation to grow up in this increasingly connected world," says White-Ivy. "The modern-day smartphone was likely already in their parents' hands when they were born - thanks to BlackBerry. Their baby pictures were likely posted on social media, and they attended school remotely, while entertainment, social interaction and even dating were completely transformed by technology. They've lived their whole lives in a connected world and see its power.

"They also see when it goes wrong and how bad actors can negatively impact people's lives through cyberattacks and data breaches. That's where BlackBerry comes in. We're at the forefront of creating a secure and connected world, a mission we know our young employees proudly support."

White-Ivy says questions from Gen Z candidates are targeted around understanding the company's culture and making sure they'd be contributing to meaningful and impactful work. On the culture side, the questions are about work-life balance, work arrangement flexibility and company social events. On the work side, it's about specific projects, the level of collaboration between teams and the opportunities available for development and growth.

"We see that Gen Zs want organizations to support them on their career journey and to know that the organization cares as much about their career development as they do," says White-Ivy. "Our Gen Zs tend to be more vocal and self-advocate for their career growth. They are curious and continuous learners who've grown up in a time where information on almost anything was readily accessible to them.

"We want to meet our learners where they're at and how they're most comfortable learning. Our programs are designed to do just that - to be accessible to our employees wherever they are in their career journey and support them along the way."

A recent LinkedIn Employee Well-being Report put opportunities to learn and grow as number one on what Gen Z wants in an organization's culture. Ubisoft Canadian Studios starts the learning process with Warmup - a nine-week onboarding program that includes hard and soft skills training as well as culture orientation. All students and new grads are also paired with a mentor to provide one-on-one support on career development.

Louis-Pierre Sarrazin, director of talent development and organizational evolution at Ubisoft Montréal, says graduate students enter Warmup based on their programming expertise and their interest in working for Ubisoft, a leader in global game development. They're not selected outright for a specific position in a specific team.

"It's only after they've gone through the Warmup experience that they're placed in a team," says Sarrazin. "By then, the employee and the organization have had the opportunity to better understand the employee's strengths and identify the available opportunities that are best aligned for their profile and aspirations."

Sarrazin says the program aims to create an environment where it's safe to make mistakes and learn - without interference from performance objectives.

"It's a question of focus," says Sarrazin. "By allowing graduate students to invest 100 per cent in their development during their first nine weeks, we ensure that we create the best conditions for success for the rest of their journey.

"We also explain how to address different situations in the workplace, what to expect from others, what will be expected of them and to promote the kind of mindset that leads to success and growth - like how to react and leverage tough feedback. By being better prepared to address some of the most defining moments of an early career, we provide the key ingredients to reduce anxiety and increase resilience."

Alan Bouchard, director of people and culture at Aboriginal Peoples Television Network Inc. (APTN) in Winnipeg, says Gen Z isn't afraid to talk about their mental health, which has helped reduce the stigmatization around it. He says APTN offers excellent benefits for psychological services, including a new benefit they're introducing for intermediate and long-term care.

"We have to be trauma-informed and approach everything with the spirit of truth," says Bouchard. "I am Métis so I feel it and hear it and understand where our young folks are coming from after over 400 years of loss and colonization.

Our elders tell us that we need to think seven generations ahead and we're still on that path of healing and recovery, so there is an added layer of support and understanding that has to come in when we're working with Indigenous individuals."

In the recruiting process, Bouchard says candidates typically ask about workplace culture. Flexibility is a big issue, especially after the pandemic. Currently, APTN requires folks to come into the office two days per week, which most candidates are happy to hear. More critically, they want to ensure that they're going into a workplace that is caring and going to meet their needs.

"This generation is very culturally aware," says Bouchard. "They know about equity, diversity and inclusion and that's very important to them. They really want people to be treated fairly and consistently.

"We hear a lot of Gen Zs say, I want to do a 'vibe check' -- that's their vernacular - when they're questioning us about our culture. What am I walking into? Candidates want to know who they're going to be dealing with on a day-to-day basis and if that's going to be a good personal fit."

He's also noticed that Gen Z will leave an organization quickly and abruptly if they're not happy, especially if an organization isn't meeting their needs.

"Because they're a very fast-paced generation, they want to keep moving and trying new things," says Bouchard. "If they see an opportunity, they're going to go for it. That makes things a lot trickier for employers because we want to retain."

With respect to learning and development, the younger generation wants things to be online, interactive, entertaining, technical, fast-paced but also fun.

"Gen Z doesn't see learning as a one-shot deal," says Bouchard. "It's almost like scrolling on TikTok. They want it quick, easy and repetitively. While they want corporate training, they don't want lengthy full-day sessions. In reality, we can probably get a good chunk done in one or two hours, so that's where I'm going forward with our training. They're telling me, just give me the information - be brief, be bright.

"What they want is reasonable. They're bringing a lot of value with their perspective."

– Diane Jermyn

This story appeared in the official announcement magazine for Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2024), published on January 23, 2024, and distributed online in The Globe and Mail. All rights reserved.