PEOPLE & CULTURE

By FedEx | First published: March 6, 2024   Updated: January 15, 2025

Sourcing the right talent is crucial for business success. With the needs of the global workforce changing, check out our guide to attracting and engaging millennial and Gen Z employees.

• Gen Z and millennials are beginning to dominate the workforce, particularly in Asia Pacific.
• In 2025, small businesses and large corporations must find new ways to attract and engage both demographics.
• Career coach Cindi Wirawan explains what makes each generation different, and the recruitment strategies to help win over new talent.

Gen Z. Millennials. Are you clued up on their fundamental differences? Both generations are starting to overlap in the workplace, and employers are learning that both demographics are very different. 

Studies predict that millennials are set to make up 75% of the global workforce by 2025. And of the current 1.8 billion millennials around the globe, 1.1 billion (over 60%) live in Asia. It’s clear their influence on society and the workplace is increasing. With the oldest millennials now 43, many hold senior positions or are established business owners and entrepreneurs.

Millennials are the ‘last generation’ to remember a pre-digital world, whereas Gen Z, born 1997 to 2012, were raised by tech. This impacts everything from social interaction to consumer and lifestyle habits, as well as skillsets and behavior in the workplace.

With hiring and sourcing the right talent critical to business success, employers and their HR teams are under pressure to understand the DNA of both Gen Z and millennial workers.

What benefits do each bring to the workforce? How can businesses appeal to Gen Z and millennial talent? We had a chat with Cindi Wirawan, a career coach working with millennials and leaders across Asia Pacific, for her recruitment strategies.

In your experience coaching millennials, what do you think are the benefits of hiring millennial employees?

Cindi Wirawan: The millennial generation is tech-savvy, adaptable and versatile. They value diverse experiences, bringing unique skillsets and perspectives to various roles within the workforce. Millennials can work independently to come up with creative solutions or ideas, using technology to be more productive. 

Since many of them grew up during the tech-boom era, they understand and can use both traditional and digital methods and approaches. They’re in the sweet spot, compared to Gen Z and Gen X who are mostly one or the other.

What are the differences between Gen Z and millennial employees?

Millennials value roles that provide a sense of purpose and offer career growth opportunities. Typically, they won’t remain in a position solely out of loyalty, and are more inclined to move on if professional needs aren't being met.

Gen Z-ers display a more independent, entrepreneurial spirit. Many have had side hustles before or after they start working officially. They prefer to tackle challenges on their own, and prioritize a solid income and stability before taking risks with their careers. 

While both generations value diversity and sustainability, Gen Z expects the brands they work for to showcase these upfront. Gen Z-ers also have more intuitive tech skills and prefer digital communication. Some are less confident making phone calls for work. Both generations expect hybrid, flexible work, as well as using digital platforms like Teams to collaborate.

Millennials are motivated by work-life balance and flexibility, such as work-from-anywhere benefits, meaningful work, and career development opportunities. Gen Z employees, on the other hand, are more likely to be motivated by factors such as purpose, stability, and financial security.

What are the most common mistakes employers make when hiring millennial or Gen Z employees?

Not recognizing what truly motivates a millennial candidate can lead to a poor fit between the job and their aspirations. The result is usually a lack of engagement and high turnover rates. Understanding and aligning with their drivers during the hiring process is crucial.

Sticking to old-school recruitment strategies, like focusing heavily on educational degrees instead of skills and experiences, or not hiring in a diverse and inclusive manner, can be a turn-off for millennials and Gen Z-ers. 

Both are attracted to DEI-first companies who take a modern, forward-thinking approach. They’re often seeking opportunities to do meaningful or value-driven work that benefits society or the planet.

What’s the secret to retaining Gen Z and millennial employees?

Help them grow - or watch them go. If you’re looking to engage the younger workforce, think growth. Growth doesn’t just mean climbing up the career ladder for the next position or promotion. 

It can mean giving them more exposure, leadership opportunities, or involvement in a passion project. You can also provide educational learning and development, assign a mentor, or offer relocation opportunities. 

Younger employees need to stay engaged throughout their career, so managers need to be trained and equipped to do this. Help them explore career pathways and opportunities based on their interests and goals.

Be creative with how you motivate them. They’re attracted by flexible hours, options to work from anywhere and wellbeing days (a day off to focus on their mental health and wellbeing), or perks like birthday leave.

Help your teams understand how their work fits into the big picture. It’s important that they see purpose in what they are doing, and feel the impact they are making, even if it’s admin work. 

If you try to understand them, engage them and give them a reason to stay (everyone has different reasons - you’ll need to ask the right questions), they will stay. But you’ll have to earn their loyalty.

What are your tips for attracting Gen Z and millennial talent?

Right from the job application stage, Gen Z and millennial candidates can suss out the culture and values of a company. They’ll even draw conclusions based on the tech platform used for applications and how intuitive it is to apply for a role. 

Use digital platforms and social media to promote job openings, and brand yourself as an employer of choice. For example, show them what a day in the life of an employee is like through a TikTok video. Consider using video interviews, instead of in-person interviews, for the first few rounds to accommodate their preferences.

One big mistake is over-estimating a candidate’s desire for the job, and underselling the role and company to them during the hiring process. Unlike previous generations, where the employer has the upper hand and job offers are most likely to be accepted, Gen Z and millennials have multiple options.

They see themselves as free to choose the best, most appealing job opportunity. Failing to sell them the opportunity based on their career goals and values might lead them to turn down a job offer.

Finally, make sure to showcase that you value diversity and inclusivity during the recruitment process. For example, avoid asking personal questions about their health conditions, family background and race.

What are your predictions on hiring and workplace trends in 2025?

AI will dominate and change the way we hire and work. Companies will hire more for skills than qualifications. This is due to how fast skills are changing with technology, outsourcing and resource optimization efforts.

With AI skills like prompt engineering increasingly in demand, it’s the talent with the agility to learn and upskill themselves who will have the edge. With apps like Microsoft Copilot now being rolled out across all Microsoft apps, those who are quick to adopt new tech will be the most sought-after talent.

As for the AI technology that helps make our work more productive, millennials and Gen Zs will use it more and more. They’ll also be attracted to employers who encourage the use of AI for work and avoid employers who are slow to adopt and adapt to AI.