Gen Z has entered the workforce, seemingly leaving behind a wake of frustration and confusion. How exactly should HR leaders best manage the youngest generation, whose new challenges range from quiet quitting to increased activism?
Natasha Patel, head of people operations for Yuvo Health, has thought strategically about Gen Z—implementing targeted initiatives to get them on board, and keep them there. But they are far from her only focus when it comes to employee support. Patel spoke with StrategicCHRO360 to share her best practices for leadership succession, psychological safety and addressing burnout.
With Gen Z being one of the most diverse generations to enter the workforce, how are you updating your employee experience to attract and retain your Gen Z talent?
Gen Z can be both a challenge and an opportunity for people operations leaders as they work to align organizational practices with the expectations of this new generation. This younger workforce tends to be more proactive in advocating for change and is more likely to address issues that previous generations may have approached more cautiously.
At Yuvo Health, we’ve identified four key strategies to attract and retain Gen Z talent:
Flexible work schedules and time-off policies. We require employees to be online only during four core hours on business days, maximizing flexibility beyond that. This criteria accommodates different productivity patterns throughout the day. Additionally, we offer an unlimited vacation policy and 30 days of sick leave per year, recognizing that personal needs vary, and mental health days are crucial.
Focus on DEIB. Our organization is incredibly diverse. Our senior leadership team intimately understands the importance of collaboration, while respecting individual experiences. We’ve also partnered with The Darkest Horse, a minority and women-owned think tank that stewards leaders, innovators and communities through a process of equity-centered experiences. Through this collaboration, we’ve developed a community of practice in which all employees participate, enhancing a collective learning and development around diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
Career development and growth opportunities. Our employees have direct access to decision makers, working closely with directors, vice presidents and even C-Suite executives. This engagement provides ample career development opportunities, enabling employees to work on projects from inception, make mistakes and learn. We prioritize promoting from within, offering significant growth potential.
Mission-driven work. Our company’s mission is central to everything we do. Our employees see the direct impact of their work on underserved communities, which drives us to constantly improve and make a meaningful difference.
Organizations often promote their high performers into leaders, sometimes with little to no leadership training. HR leaders are the ones that end up inheriting the problems that arise from this practice. What are some proactive steps you are taking to set up new leaders for success?
Having personally experienced the challenging transition from being a top performer to taking on a leadership role, I have been deliberate in finding ways to make this journey smoother for others.
To create an environment where new leaders feel empowered and supported, we foster transparent expectations and a feedback-driven culture. We clearly define the roles and responsibilities of new leaders and set specific, measurable goals that align with their objectives.
We provide new leaders with a roadmap outlining what’s expected of them, cutting through the confusion and paving the way for their success. We hold regular meetings where leaders can discuss expectations, ask questions and receive guidance to ensure everyone’s on the same page with their mission.
We promote open, honest communication across all levels, creating an environment where continuous improvement is paramount. New leaders should be trained to give—as well as receive—constructive feedback, creating an environment where continuous improvement is embraced. We host regular feedback sessions to discuss progress, tackle challenges and celebrate wins.
By emphasizing transparent expectations and a feedback-driven culture, we can ensure new leaders have the clarity and support they need to thrive in their roles.
What are ways you support psychological safety within your organization?
Psychological safety is essential in the workplace. Beyond promoting transparency and a feedback-driven culture, one of the best ways to support psychological safety is through open conversations with our team. Whether managers are speaking with someone who reports to them, or a teammate with whom they work closely, asking the right questions can help reveal how they both work best.
Here are some questions we use: How do you like to receive feedback? How do you like to deliver feedback? How can I tell when you’re stressed? How do you like to be recognized? What work energizes you? What type of work drains you?
When new members join our team, our managers ask these questions during their first one-on-one meeting. For longer-tenured employees, our managers are encouraged to weave these questions into ongoing conversations and check-ins.
By asking these questions, we create a supportive environment where employees feel safe to express themselves and share thoughts. This approach builds stronger relationships and promotes a culture of innovation and growth. We prioritize making sure everyone feels seen, valued and heard.
What are programs or initiatives you’ve implemented to address burnout or prevent burnout within your organization?
Addressing burnout is something we’ve been focusing on across our entire organization. Our team is enthusiastic about achieving our goals, but we also emphasize the importance of prioritizing personal health. We already offer flexible work schedules, generous time-off policies and ample sick leave, but it’s easy to forget these perks in a remote-work setting. So, we’ve started rolling out some initiatives to help prevent burnout.
First, we have implemented the “Work Hours” feature in Google Calendar. This tool assists in managing availability and establishing clear expectations regarding work schedules for others. We encourage teams to block out time on their calendars to set boundaries, which ensures meetings are scheduled at times that work for everyone, while also respecting breaks, focus time and personal commitments.
We’ve also embraced the concept of a temporary “company-wide shutdown” because many of our team members confessed that returning to a mountain of work after a holiday break gives them anxiety. We recently implemented our first “shutdown” recently, and the response was overwhelmingly positive, so we’re planning to make this a regular initiative.
Lastly, we’re in the process of launching “no-meeting” workdays to tackle Zoom fatigue and give everyone a chance to get more work done. These ideas are still fairly new to our organization, but we’re confident they’ll help our team stay happy, healthy, and set up for success.