Interpersonal comms | Does Gen-Z have the necessary skills to work, and does L&D need to catch up?

Gen-Z are somewhat unique in the workplace. They’re socially conscious, tech literate, and they are one of the most entrepreneurial youngest generations to have existed.

However, joining the workforce in the middle of, or after, a global pandemic meant that they’ve had a very different work experience to their older siblings or parents. And because of this, many employers are saying this generation lacks the necessary skills to be successful in the workplace.

According to a study from The Open University, 58% of employers report a mismatch between the skill level of young people and what’s expected of them in the workplace.

A similar percentage of employers (51%) attribute this low skill-level to a lack of work experience. What does this actually mean? As young people would have attended university, graduated, and entered the workforce at roughly the same time as the generations before them.