"I was expecting this week to be boring" - Gen Z, Work Experience and Enticing the Next Generation into Payroll!
Welcome back to Payroll Perspectives; normally, Natalie Lloyd pairs up with me to bring you valuable insights and strategies to help you build high-performing payroll teams and drive business success; this week, Natalie is joined by our guest writer, my very own daughter, Eva Day. 🤩
“Hi, I'm Eva and This past week I've spent my time away from school and instead experienced my first time in an office environment! It's different from what I had expected especially being used to school environments and classrooms. At school I chose as my GCSE options: Business studies, Geography, Spanish, Art and Drama. A good mix between creativity and studying. I like to think of myself as creative and hardworking, which will hopefully help my career in the future!”
This week, Reader, we’ve switched things up. by utilising the unique perspectives of a 14-year-old on her work experience with JGA to help us all understand how we can entice the next, new and younger generation into the world of #Payroll!
Let's Turn Back the Clock
Natalie Lloyd wants to us turn back the clock to reminisce about our work experience weeks to understand what we learned and how they shaped our futures.
Reader, I am sure you must remember your work experience week. If you do, please share your memories with us in the comments!
I worked as a caddie for a week with a PGA Golf Pro. I cannot say it prepared me for work, an office environment, or " real life"—although I did have a lot of fun! However, Natalie had a very different experience!
Natalie describes herself as a "super-shy, 15-year-old" who did all she could to avoid work experience week altogether! That was until her school found her a placement with a local hairdressing salon. (Considering Natalie has a slight phobia of other people's hair, this meant that she would be working inside her worst nightmare!).
Fortunately for Natalie, on her first day, she was told the Salon was closed for two days and to turn up on Wednesday morning. However, that was the same day Natalie was getting her braces fitted, so the Salon kindly gave her a third day off to ‘recover’. 🤓 Then, Thursday arrived, and Natalie says she turned up, "face full of metal", dreading the next two days, only to be greeted by a wonderful stylist, Sam, and a grumpy manager, Tracey.
Thankfully, Sam took Natalie under his wing and told Tracey there would be no hair-sweeping or tea-making. The next two days became about artistry, colour, and getting to know clients!
Sam introduced Natalie to his clients, and she learned to ask open questions about what they wanted, what made them feel good, and what inspired the change. (as well as the standard hairdresser line of “Have you got any nice holidays booked this year?”)
Natalie quickly learned how to hold conversations, how to encourage people to be confident in their abilities, and the importance of listening and understanding clients. She also learned that bringing creativity and fun to her work keeps things fresh.
15 Years Later
So, 15 years later, I am introducing my 14-year-old daughter, Eva, to the team for her week of work experience at JGA Recruitment Group. I am hopeful that the team will inspire Eva just like Sam inspired Natalie all those years ago,
I wanted Eva to discover that working in an office doesn't have to be boring. I wanted her to learn how all the different people and teams come together like cogs in a machine to provide a coherent outcome. I was also hoping Eva might be inspired by the team's passionate work in building a sustainable and planet-conscious business with a nurturing and supportive culture at its heart. I won't deny it; I also wanted Eva to be proud of what I have built, what I do, and our services. I would love Eva to return to school feeling inspired by the team she has worked with and for the varied work we do. I want her to wax lyrical about the company's fantastic culture at its core, to understand why we are recognised as a "Great Place to Work".
I also wanted Eva to have fun, so when the opportunity arose for her to join me on a client visit to Victoria, London, she jumped at the chance! It also provided us with some great daddy-daughter time, which we utilised by booking "after-visit" tickets to see "Wicked the Musical" (which was fantastic BTW)!
However, Eva spent most of her time with us at JGA with Natalie, so I will let Natalie take over from here to share what Eva learned and what we discovered from the experience as a business.
The first observation I learned was…. I am OLD 😂
It turns out I’m not as ‘down-with-the-kids’ as I thought. Having Eva in the office made me see things from the point of view of Gen Z, and talking with her made me realise just how important it is for companies everywhere to adapt and understand the values of younger generations.
While Eva might not be ready to pick a specific career path, she has certainly thought about what’s important to her when she begins her career journey. She’s currently doing a GCSE in Business Studies and was raised by two passionate and successful business owners. So, it’s no surprise that Eva (and many others of her generation) knows what she wants from her future employer.
Based on my conversations with Eva, it’s clear that today’s young adults are looking beyond just a payslip. They want fulfilling work, a healthy work-life balance, not to mention a salary that will support them as they enter adulthood during a cost-of-living crisis!
Young adults are looking beyond just a payslip.
Gone are the days when a good salary was enough to attract and retain talent. This generation—and those that follow—want more, and frankly, they deserve more. Gen Zers have distinct priorities and career goals that set them apart. So, it was eye-opening to have Eva in the office to tell the team exactly what makes younger generations tick and how we, as talent partners, can work with our clients to ensure a career within their organisations is appealing to future generations!
During the week, Eva worked closely with the JGA team, covering marketing, brand design, recruitment, customer success, and accounting (not her favourite bit!) to get a good idea of all areas of the business and how our team collaborates to deliver a seamless service every time!
“To be completely honest, I was expecting this week to be boring however it certainly wasn’t what I had expected. The office was very friendly and has a good work balance, shared between working and being communal and sociable. As my Dad normally works from home he's often on his own working hard on his computer which never really appealed to me, however the office life is very different. There are frequent meetings with other colleagues, and everyone works as a collective by helping each other with clients and candidates. In the future, I realised that I want to work around others and be a part of a team, I learnt this from this week in the JGA Head Office.”
One of the most eye-opening things was how deeply Gen Zers care about sustainability and ethical practices. Eva expressed that working for companies with a strong sense of social responsibility wasn’t just a preference but a dealbreaker.
Social responsibility isn't just a preference—it's a dealbreaker.
This goes beyond environmental consciousness; it's about aligning their professional lives with their values.
Eva showed a solid interest in our Greenify package, our "Planet Positive Recruitment Solution" that provides our clients with a carbon-neutral recruitment service. She also asked many questions to learn more about JGA Recruitment Group 's journey to becoming a certified B-Corp! 🌿
Eva taught me that Gen Zers want to work for organisations committed to environmental protection, fair labour practices, and ethical sourcing. I learned my own bias here, as I had never expected someone so young to have such a strong opinion and understanding of environmental issues caused by businesses.
One thing I did note: companies that don’t prioritise these values are at a huge risk of alienating the most significant percentage of working individuals passionate about making a positive impact! It’s clear that it’s time for change!
Eva says: “In my opinion, I think it’s embarrassing working for a company which is destroying our planet. For me, I wouldn't work for a company that doesn't care for our planet and sustainability, as we only have one earth, and it must last for our many future generations. I know that Gen Z is more aware and have a stronger connection with sustainability and saving our planet than maybe other generations; however, companies that ignore this are not only missing out on employees and customers but also creating problems for our planet in the future.” 🌍
Growing up post-covid…. Flexibility is key!
Today, younger generations are known for their desire for flexible work arrangements. They value work-life balance and seek employers who offer remote work options, flexible hours, and the ability to manage their time effectively. The traditional 9-to-5 office job is a no-go for Gen Z, and they’re showing they can be more productive, successful and creative outside of the old Henry Ford way of working.
And no, it’s not a ‘lazy teenager’ thing. It's about people taking control of their lives and integrating work seamlessly. Smart companies are adapting to this new reality by offering flexible work arrangements and promoting remote working options – with some even introducing a 4-day work week, work-from-anywhere options, and so much more….
I asked Eva why flexibility is so important to her, here’s what she had to say:
“I like the idea of flexible working hours and days because it gives people more freedom in their work, such as if I decided that I wanted to work in a cafe one day, I have the flexibility to do my work there. It's also great for childcare and maybe any other issues with coming into an office every day.”
Cost-of-Living vs Cost-of-Happiness!
Then comes the all-important topic of cost of living vs cost of happiness!
While financial security is essential in 2024, today’s teens aren’t solely driven by money. Eva emphasised that a role had to be personally rewarding and align with her interests for her to consider it. This means they want to find meaning and purpose in their work.
We had a great conversation in the car after an ice cream break. Eva asked about my journey and how I went from hospitality to recruitment.
The truth?
I wanted to ensure my next step was a job where I could still make others happy.
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It all started when I trained as a chef in my teens – I wanted a job where I made people happy every day… and it’s no secret that the way to most people’s hearts is through their stomachs! 👩🍳💖
Working in restaurants was great; they were full of happiness because, let’s face it, you only go out for dinner for something good! Whether it’s a date night, family dinner, birthday or just a Wednesday-night treat, going out for dinner always puts a smile on your face, and it’s even better when the food is incredible.
As my career progressed, I entered wedding catering, where my input contributed to the best day of people’s lives. Every day that I went to work, I knew I’d be creating a memorable experience for not two but hundreds of people who were there to enjoy an experience with the happy couple.
And then… the lockdown hit! No events, no weddings and no external caterers.
And, of course, the F word. FURLOUGH.
Sitting at home every day wasn’t for me, and my one hour of outside exercise didn’t exert all the energy I had, so I needed something to focus on… This led to me studying HR. After all, the people element of my job always brought me the most joy!
After the best part of 18 months away from work, I suddenly realised that losing my weekends and evenings to go back into hospitality was a firm no for me. Time with my family and friends was far too important, so I decided to find a new path. Hello, recruitment!
Goodbye hospitality, hello HR & Payroll recruitment!
People thought I was mad, but there was a reason behind it! I needed a job where I could still bring people joy, and landing someone a new job, a big pay rise, or solving our client's problems was going to be a great way to do that.
Thankfully, I secured an interview with JGA Recruitment Group, where Steve Yardley, Tom Croughton, and Abu Choudhury showed me how important offering a stand-out service is. The foundations of our recruitment practices lie in honest, open, and regular communication with candidates and clients.
I was delighted to find a role where I could use the skills I learned from Sam all those years ago to listen to candidates and clients, understand their needs, and provide a solution to improve their lives.
Over three years, I built up my client base, became a trusted name in the industry, and helped countless individuals and organisations find their perfect matches.
The next step came when I took on the Global Customer Success Manager role earlier this year. I ensured every single experience was positive and that I could work with our clients daily to ensure things kept improving as JGA Recruitment Group grew globally.
It was great to show Eva that money is important, but finding a role aligned with my values was just as key for me.
Companies need to create environments where employees feel valued,
Companies must create environments where employees feel valued, challenged, and empowered and have that personally rewarding element. Offering opportunities for personal and professional growth, such as mentorship programs, skill development workshops, and career progression plans, can significantly enhance job satisfaction and retention among employees of any age.
“In the future I want to do something that I enjoy, and something that reflects who I am as a person. A role that can be sociable and to be in a part of a community in the workplace. I would like to find a job that can be creative and something that I don’t dread every morning.”
On Thursday, Eva joined the JGA team for some recruitment workshops we regularly hold as part of our industry-leading academy programme because we’re never too old or experienced to learn something new!
Attracting Gen-Z Talent
Eva discussed her views on attracting great talent. Gone are the days when companies could get away with vague job descriptions and long, monotonous hiring processes. Eva mentioned how much she values open and honest communication and was very clear that salary transparency is crucial during recruitment.
Eva mentioned how she and her friends would be put off by an advert with no defined salary and considered it a lack of respect for their time and interest. It's simple - being upfront about compensation demonstrates respect and allows candidates to make informed decisions – even for those just starting in the working world.
“I think it’s important to know the salary because sometimes it’s the whole reason you get into a job. As much as I think the salary is important, I also think that a well-written job description and an overview of other benefits that the job offers is also very important. If the information is not clear, then I’m going to lose interest. Many of my peers also express that salary is a huge thing as they begin to plan their futures.”
So, that’s a wrap-up of our work experience week. I call it ours because I learned A LOT from having Eva here, and it was eye-opening to see things from a much younger person with such a strong business mind.
My Learnings from Eva's Work Experience Week
As Global Customer Success Manager, I’ve decided to kickstart a project to help our clients move beyond outdated hiring processes and embrace new working methods. As employers and recruiters, it’s our responsibility to listen, adapt, and create work environments that resonate with this generation’s values.
Companies can do a lot to attract and retain this talented pool of individuals, from prioritising sustainability to embracing flexibility to building meaningful careers. By creating workplaces where Gen Z can thrive, businesses can unlock a world of innovation, creativity, and success for decades!
So, a massive thank you to Eva for inspiring me this week. I’m looking forward to welcoming her back soon and will keep an eye on that Forbes 30 under 30 list in the coming years for Eva’s name! I doubt she’ll be breaking barriers once she starts her career!
This week was a massive eye-opener for me to stay with the times! We’re all chasing the ever-changing industry updates, but staying on top of talent trends is just as important!
Where to go from here?
Many of my connections know how strongly I feel about supporting younger generations into the workforce, and previous conversations with Emily Cocking ACIPP (Payroll Manager by 22!!) and Victoria Thatcher ChMCIPP, among many others, have sparked some exciting upcoming projects to ensure JGA Recruitment Group can help Gen Z take on payroll as a career path. Watch this space! 👀
Suppose you’ve made it this far (thank you!) and have read this thinking, “My business could do with a fresh perspective.” Consider speaking to local universities and younger people or welcoming a work-experience student into your team for a week. In that case, what Gen Z knows about running an efficient organisation is amazing!
If you’re looking for an inclusive way to recruit new payroll or HR talent for your team, contact JGA Recruitment Group today.
We act as strategic partners, working with your HR & Talent teams to elevate your capabilities and contribute to your long-term success.
At JGA, we pride ourselves on providing a world-class client and candidate experience. This means we’re dedicated to finding the BEST fit for your requirements and securing a skillset that adds value and contributes to a vibrant and diverse team.
Book a call today to discuss your specific needs with us.
And for more information on how we do it, check out our previous editions of “Payroll Perspectives” which gives insights into our top secrets to securing the best talent, and where you can find a copy of our JGA Blueprint!
Please stay tuned for more valuable content from our new "Payroll Perspectives" newsletter!
Best regards,
Natalie Lloyd and Eva Day
Useful Payroll Resources:
Director at Baby Sensory Limited
6moWhat a great job Eva - love your creations, work ethic and values! 😀
Director UK & EMEA - Securing Top Payroll & HR Talent for Businesses - Reward 300 Member ⭐
6moI did my weeks work experience at HSBC. She won't remember this but I had Andi Constantinides mentor me that week. I was naturally anxious going into that week however she made me feel so at ease and supported me with every task. It is amazing the impact people can have on you even during such a short period and that moment stays with you.