The industry is changing rapidly, with PE, AI, and offshoring in the picture as long-time fixtures here to stay. But also, GenZ has officially entered our industry, bringing fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and a tech-savvy edge to their entry roles. However, many firms are discovering a critical challenge: a significant number of these young professionals struggle with foundational communication skills and business etiquette practices. This disconnect can lead to frustration, misunderstandings, and even premature terminations. I have read articles saying that some firms are even letting GenZ employees go within weeks of hire!
Rather than seeing this as a fault of GenZ, I would invite you to view it as an opportunity to improve how you onboard and develop your youngest employees. By equipping GenZ with the skills they need during their first 90 days, companies can reduce turnover, foster long-term loyalty, and create a more cohesive workplace where the skills you hired them for will truly shine.
Here’s how employers—especially accounting firms—can solve this problem with intentional onboarding and skill development programs.
GenZ professionals have grown up in a world dominated by digital communication, wherein they learned to discern online presences, but not real-life ones as often. Much of their schooling took place online, and much of their recreational pursuits too. Texting, social media, and emojis are second nature to them, but they may not have had as much practice with formal communication or professional business norms. Additionally, the disruption caused by the pandemic meant many entered the workforce with fewer in-person experiences to observe and learn workplace etiquette. Add to all of this that many of us have moved to hybrid workplaces and you have a recipe for some real challenges in onboarding for brand new GenZ professionals.
While their technical skills and creativity are often excellent, gaps in areas like interpersonal communication, email etiquette, and workplace collaboration can hinder their success in the near term. But let’s not throw out the baby with the bath water! All is not lost! Instead, let’s show GenZ what we need them to understand fast and implement consistently.
It is worth mentioning that selecting candidates should be as exacting as possible. What does that mean? Be honest with what you really want in new hires. What are the parameters for flexibility? What are the hours requirements? What soft skills are expected to be already there or quickly acquired? Be truly authentic about what the job requires and what the culture is really like at your firm. I’ve taken jobs in my life where I was told a completely different story about what I would do what was expected of me and how I would be supported in my role. Most of us have been there in our history, and it’s a lousy place to be for both employers and new employees.
An effective onboarding process is more than just handing new hires a laptop and reviewing company policies. It’s also a lot more than developing technical skills as fast as possible to do client work. It’s very possible that most of us did not receive any formal development help when we were starting out. So, it might seem so fundamental to us, but it’s a different world for a lot of GenZ professionals than the one we grew up in. So, it’s a chance to set expectations, instill confidence, and teach the essential human skills that will enable GenZ employees to thrive.
A structured onboarding program tailored to their unique needs should:
Offer practical training on writing clear emails, handling professional conversations, and effectively navigating meetings. This should include the opportunity to practice these skills in a safe, low-risk environment (in other words, not “on the job,” where people in your firm could lose confidence quickly in observing new hires learning these basic skills.
Provide specific guidance on norms like punctuality, attire, and how to handle constructive feedback. Establishing workplace expectations that include what could be uncomfortable conversations avoids having to deal with challenges in behaviors once they happen. We have to assume that new hires have not had the exposure to the way in which complex organizations full of people work.
Facilitate mentorship opportunities and create spaces for open dialogue between GenZ and more experienced colleagues to build trust and understanding. Really good onboarding is setting up a web of people to help new hires succeed, so there is always an important element of relationship building that should happen. The strengths of other generations who commit to the work of preparing GenZ will also reap the benefits of GenZ’s unique perspectives and skills every day.
With the right onboarding and development approach, accounting firms can transform what might seem like a liability into an incredible asset. GenZ professionals have the potential to bring unmatched innovation and energy to the workplace, but they need guidance to thrive. What I know for sure is that they are eager to learn, connect, and implement what they need to. The right development now will produce years of amazing results for your new hires.
Let’s work together to build a bridge between generations, one hire at a time.
Contact us today to learn more about implementing this program in your firm! Our 2-day curriculum is the first step in equipping them with the tools they need for success, ensuring that they not only fit into your firm’s culture but help elevate it. I can be reached at trisha@empoweredlc.com.