In a world where everything’s going digital, the need for tech-savvy talent in the defence sector and central government is huge. The government’s push to use AI to cut costs and boost efficiency is a big deal. But getting Gen Z, the digital natives, on board is still a challenge.

Research by PA Consulting and McKinsey reveals a significant gap in awareness and interest among those aged 13-27 regarding careers in government and defence. This highlights the need for a strong employee value proposition that speaks to Gen Z.

What Gen Z Wants

The research found four key things that matter to Gen Z:

• Flexibility
• Mental health and wellness
• Ethical practices and value alignment, and
• Variety.

These are crucial for creating roles that attract young talent.

Showcasing Career Variety

Gen Z loves diverse career opportunities and the chance to try different roles. However, almost half of the Gen Z respondents didn’t know about the wide range of roles in government and defence, such as AI specialists, cybersecurity experts, policy advisors, and project managers. Closing this knowledge gap is the first step to attracting young talent. It’s also important to highlight career progression.

Over a third of Gen Z respondents think the sector offers chances to develop a variety of skills and clear career paths. Investing in training programs and promoting these opportunities can make careers in government and defence more appealing.

Highlighting Meaningful Work

Meaningful work is a big motivator for Gen Z. The research found that many respondents believe roles in government and defence make a positive impact on society. However, there’s a need to better communicate how these sectors tackle global challenges and contribute to a safer, more sustainable future. For example, the government’s AI and digital transformation initiatives aren’t just about efficiency; they’re about improving public services and enhancing national security. Sharing success stories and case studies that show the positive impact of these initiatives can help align the sector’s values with those of potential recruits.

Promoting Flexibility and Wellness

Flexibility and a good work-life balance are top priorities for Gen Z. Yet, only a small percentage of respondents felt that the government and defence sectors offer flexible working conditions. There’s a clear opportunity to build more choice and control into these careers, such as remote work options and flexible hours.

Mental health and wellness are equally important. Creating a culture that prioritises mental health and provides a supportive environment can make a big difference in attracting and retaining young talent. This includes fostering psychologically safe workplaces where employees can learn from mistakes and develop the right behaviours.

Implications of Delayed Evolution

If these changes are implemented too late, the consequences could be significant. The government and defence sectors may struggle to attract the necessary talent to drive digital transformation, leading to a lag in technological advancements and efficiency. This could result in higher operational costs and reduced effectiveness in addressing national security and public service challenges.

Moreover, failing to meet Gen Z’s expectations for flexibility, mental health support, and meaningful work could lead to high turnover rates and low employee engagement. This would not only impact productivity but also damage the sectors’ reputation as desirable places to work, making it even harder to attract future talent.

The tech sector has seen similar consequences when changes were implemented too late. For instance, 70% of digital transformation projects fail to meet their goals. Companies like Nokia and Kodak are prime examples of what happens when businesses fail to adapt. Nokia, once a leader in mobile phones, lost its market share because it didn’t keep up with smartphone innovations. Kodak, despite inventing the digital camera, failed to capitalise on it and was left behind as the market shifted to digital photography. Implementing change when it comes to current and future generations is no less critical, so change is paramount.

The Way Forward

Attracting Gen Z talent is crucial for driving digital transformation in government and defence. This requires a strong employee value proposition that increases awareness of opportunities to this market as well as sharing success stories that the positive impact roles in government and defence can bring.

It’s important to emphasise variety, flexibility, and meaningful work with robust training programmes as well as a supportive culture.

The message is clear – move away from traditional hierarchical career paths and embrace dynamic, fluid career journeys. Above all, communicate the breadth and scope of roles available and the real impact these roles have on both a local and global scale.

By implementing these accountability actions with measurable outcomes, we can ensure that the strategies to attract and retain Gen Z talent are effective.

Get in touch

Would you like to chat about this topic further? Don’t hesitate to reach out to Nick Walrond or Mollie Hatton to find out more and continue the conversation.

Nick Walrond – Managing Director – [email protected]

Mollie Hatton – Head of Talent Consulting – [email protected]

Have you ever wondered why your younger colleagues prefer instant messaging over phone calls?

Or why team members from earlier generations can be hesitant to embrace the latest software?

As the average lifespan increases and retirement ages rise, today’s workforces are becoming increasingly age-diverse. This presents unique challenges for leaders aiming to get the most from their people, but also a huge wealth of opportunities.

Let’s explore them…

The Strengths of an Intergenerational Workforce

An intergenerational workforce offers numerous benefits, chief among them being diverse professional perspectives.

Each generation is shaped by different cultural, economic, and technological contexts, which influence their attitudes, work styles, and problem-solving approaches.

Looking at each of the different generations, I believe some of their key strengths are:

Baby Boomers

Born between 1946 and 1964, this generation brings a wealth of experience and what I like to think of as a strong work ethic. This can lend itself to offering valuable insights into long-term strategic planning and customer relationship management.

Generation X

Born between 1965 and 1980, this is a generation known for its adaptability and resourcefulness. In my opinion, they excel at managing change and navigating complex challenges, making them excellent problem solvers who can bridge the gap between the more traditional Baby Boomers and the tech-savvy younger generations.

Millennials

This is a generation born between 1981 and 1996 and are often thought as being adept at using technology to enhance productivity and communication, a useful strength in any team. They are typically values-driven and seek employers who align with their personal beliefs and priorities, such as social responsibility and environmental sustainability.

Generation Z

The youngest generation currently in the workforce and born between 1997 and 2012, this is the first truly digital native generation. They value diversity, inclusion, and work-life balance, and they often look for employers who provide opportunities for professional growth and flexibility which is a key skillset and outlook to complement many teams.

Challenges of Managing an Intergenerational Workforce

While a multigeneration workforce brings with it many strengths and opportunities, I think it can also present a few challenges if not managed appropriately.

A few of these challenges might be:

Stereotypes and Bias

Age-based stereotypes can create significant barriers to collaboration and productivity. For example, assumptions that employees from the Baby Boomer generation are resistant to new technologies or that Gen Z employees lack the experience to make critical decisions can lead to misunderstandings and hinder teamwork. I believe it’s essential to actively work against these stereotypes and encourage an environment of mutual respect and understanding.

Communication Styles

I think it would be fair to say that different generations have varying communication preferences. Those from earlier generations may prefer formal, written communication such as emails, while Gen Z employees may favour more informal, instant messaging apps or collaborative platforms like Slack. Understanding these preferences and finding a middle ground is crucial for effective communication.

Varying Expectations

Different generations may have different expectations regarding career progression, work-life balance, and job security. For instance, Baby Boomers might prioritise job stability and long-term employment, while Millennials and Gen Z may focus more on career development opportunities and flexible working conditions.

Strategies for Leveraging Intergenerational Talent

So if we want to harness the strengths of having an intergenerational workforce, what are some of the strategies that businesses can employ to better leverage this varied talent, and ensure that everyone can be the best they can be in the workplace?

Creating a Culture of Respect and Inclusion

I strongly believe that fostering a culture that values contributions from all age groups is critical. This can be achieved by promoting diversity and inclusion initiatives that specifically address age diversity, or even encouraging mentorship and reverse mentorship programmes where employees from different generations can offer their insights and help bridge the generational divide.

Inclusive Communication

Adopting a multi-channel communication strategy can help to facilitate effective communication across generations. This could include combining traditional face-to-face meetings and emails with digital tools such as video conferencing and instant messaging. By providing multiple communication options, organisations can ensure that all employees have access to the information they need in a format that suits them.

Flexible Work Arrangements and Development Opportunities

Offering flexible work arrangements, such as remote working options and flexible hours, can accommodate the diverse needs of an intergenerational workforce. Additionally, providing a range of professional development opportunities, from traditional training sessions to online courses, ensures that employees of all ages can continue to learn and grow within the organisation.

Integrating Age into Your DEI Strategy

Recognising age diversity as a critical component of overall diversity initiatives ensures equitable practices that acknowledge and value the contributions of all age groups. This means developing policies that not only prevent age discrimination but actively promote age diversity as an asset. By doing so, companies can create a workplace culture that genuinely values and utilises the strengths of an intergenerational workforce.

Conclusion

In today’s increasingly age-diverse workplace, I believe that organisations that successfully manage and leverage an intergenerational workforce can gain a significant competitive advantage.

By recognising the value of age diversity, companies can then foster a culture of inclusivity and mutual respect, which can both enhance employee satisfaction and even drive innovation and productivity.

When you acknowledge and value the unique strengths and perspectives each generation brings, organisations can build stronger, more cohesive teams that are better equipped to tackle the challenges of the modern business landscape.

If you have any thoughts on this topic or questions on how you can implement any of the strategies discussed, please do get in touch: [email protected]

As part of our partnership approach, Sanderson Government & Defence are pleased to offer a variety of training opportunities and services to our clients. Most recently, our Head of Talent Consulting for G&D Mollie Hatton provided training to one of our reputable technology company clients.

In order to continue striving to attract diverse talent to their organisation and ensure they minimise bias and ensure a fair selection process, this client recognised a need within their talent community to increase awareness and familiarity around inclusivity, and more specifically inclusive recruitment.

What was the aim of the training and what did it cover

In order to unpack these topics, Mollie focused her training session around four key objectives and topics:

Psychological Safety Awareness

The training session educated participants in the importance of creating a psychologically safe environment during the recruitment process while encouraging an open dialogue, active listening, and empathy.

Mollie covered the impact that this can have on candidate experience as well as highlighting some strategies for creating a safe interview environment and how you can learn from mistakes.

Understanding Communication Styles

Mollie gave participants the opportunity to explore different communication styles including assertive, passive, aggressive and helped them to understand the impact each of these can have on candidate interactions though role-playing scenarios to practice adaptive communication.

This session also provided strategies for adapting communication styles to connect effectively with candidates from diverse backgrounds and recognised the importance of respecting diverse communication practices.

Navigating Multigenerational Organisations

The training discussed the varying opportunities and challenges of working with a multigenerational team as well as highlighting the value of diverse perspectives and experiences.

Mollie guided participants through tactics to leverage generational strengths and how to bridge any gaps through training and mentorship and reverse-mentoring.

Mitigating Bias in Recruitment

Mollie raised awareness of the different unconscious biases that can affect decision making such as affinity bias and confirmation bias.

During the session participants were also introduced to evidence-based strategies to minimise bias at each stage of the recruitment process such as structured interview techniques, blind resume screening and diverse interview panels.

Conclusion

The training session was huge success with participants coming away more confidence and awareness around how to create an inclusive recruitment environment and process plus practical strategies, tips and advice to future proof an inclusive workforce at their company.

Next steps

If you’re interested in conducting a similar training session at your organisation, the Sanderson team are here to help.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Mollie to discuss a training programme relevant to you and your company.

[email protected]

Would you like to hear more from Sanderson and learn about the work we do? You can sign up to join our mailing list here for a variety of updates, access to our market leading salary benchmarking data, white papers, reports and blogs PLUS our latest news and event invites.

On Thursday 18th of July our Regional Director, Daniel Simmonite and Vicky Weir, from Sanderson’s Manchester Office partnered with with Ward Hadaway and their employment partners Caroline Shafar and Laura Darnley to deliver a General Election webinar discussing the key HR changes businesses can expect to see in line with the Employment Rights  and Equality (Race and Disability) Bills as set out in the King’s Speech.

If you missed this webinar, you can listen to the recording where we cover the discussion points below, along with practical tips for businesses to navigate this period of change.

Watch a full recording of this General Election Webinar here. 

Here is a summary of the key discussion points:

• Ban on Exploitative Zero-Hour Contracts: Ensuring fair employment terms by prohibiting exploitative contracts without guaranteed hours.

• Day-One Employment Protections: Granting immediate unfair dismissal protection from the first day of employment (although probationary periods will be permitted).

• Ban on Fire and Rehire Practices: Preventing dismissing and rehiring employees on less favourable terms.

• Day-One Statutory Sick Pay (SSP): Legal requirement to pay statutory sick pay from the first day of employment and removal of the lower earnings threshold.

• Flexible Working by Default: Establishing flexible working arrangements as the standard for all employees.

• Protection for Maternity Leave Returners: Making it unlawful to dismiss a maternity leave returner except under specific, justified circumstances.

• Trade Union Recognition Reforms: Implementing changes to trade union recognition and negotiating rights.

• Equality Legislation: Introducing the Equality (Race and Disability) Bill. Mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for large employers.

• Extend Equal Pay Rights: New right for employees to bring equal pay claims based on ethnicity and disability, not just gender.

Listen to the full recording here

Would you like to hear more from Sanderson and learn about the work we do? You can sign up to join our mailing list here for a variety of updates, access to our market leading salary benchmarking data, white papers, reports and blogs PLUS our latest news and event invites.