How to attract and retain Gen Z staff

In just six years, Generation Z will comprise more than a quarter of the Australian workforce — come to the NextGen Breakfast Forum to find out all about the Gen Z workforce.

In just six years, Generation Z will comprise more than a quarter of the Australian workforce.

Born between 1995 and 2009, making them between the ages of 8 and 22 now, Gen Z are not ‘mini millennials’ and have some quite different characteristics to their older counterparts.

“How to attract and retain this next generation in the workforce will be at the core of the NextGen Breakfast Forum on Friday, 29 March,” said Mark Dingley, Chairman of the Australian Packaging & Processing Machinery Association (APPMA), which is presenting the innovative event as part of Packaging and Processing Week 2019.

“With manufacturing’s fundamental economic conditions improving, having the right skilled workforce in place will be critical to business success. Attracting the next generation into your workforce is the first step. The second is clearly retaining and motivating them, so your business gains maximum value from their unique skills set.”

Speakers at the NextGen Breakfast Forum are business-leadership experts drawn from different industries. All are from organisations leading the way on best practice around utilising the next generation in the workplace.

Dingley said, “Part of the forum is a discussion panel, so with the speaker diversity and expertise, this session will bring some great insight into what makes Gen Z ‘tick’. The panel will bring deep awareness about this next generation’s employment expectations, motivations and goals, counteracting the comments we often hear in the media that the younger generations are more interested in smashed-avocado toast than in developing a solid job and career.”

Confirmed speakers for NextGen Breakfast Forum include:

• Host David Willey, who has worked with some of the world’s biggest brands and is the founder of Growth Tank, an organisation that specialises in understanding Gen Z and millennials.
• Peter Hammer, MD of Marketing Scientist Group, who works with some of Asia Pacific’s largest media and marketing businesses, helping them make evidence-based decisions to drive growth. He conducts regular research on younger generations around advertising, media consumption, lifestyle insights and spending habits.
• Nick Randall, Chief Revenue Officer of TRIBE, a self-serve app that connects micro-influencers with leading brands, creating powerful one-to-one campaigns. Nick is an experienced business leader with more than 20 years in senior marketing and media roles, including podcast start-up Whooshkaa, Macquarie Media, Fairfax Radio Network and Southern Cross Austereo.
• Chau Tran, Digital Manager of Step Change, a strategic marketing agency delivering step changes in business and people. Chau specialises in automation, developing multichannel journeys and optimising the client experience. With a wealth of experience in leading global work streams, Chau has worked with a range of clients across industries of varying sizes. Prior to joining Step Change, Chau worked for Deloitte working major clients across Australia and also the United Kingdom.
• Julie Duncan, Talent Acquisition leader for PwC Australia, specialises in strategic workforce planning, talent acquisition strategy, innovative sourcing, early ID programs and employer branding. Julie has re-engineered the recruiting and global mobility functions for PwC and designed a contingent workforce solution in response to changing workforce needs.

Dingley said, “While the older members of this generation are just in their early 20s now, by 2025 Gen Z will make up 27% of the Australian workforce. It’s vital that we understand how to harness their interests and skills to truly drive Australian manufacturing, and that we understand it now.”

The NextGen Breakfast Forum will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday, 29 March, alongside AUSPACK and as part of Packaging and Processing Week 2019. Spaces are limited. To register, and for more information, please visit https://www.auspack.com.au/young-leaders-forum-breakfast/.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/kasto