Insights into how to attract, engage and retain talent from America’s largest generation, what strategies do you need for the next great generation?.

The Gen Z Opportunity

“Gen Z”, comprised of individuals born between 1995 and 2010, is the most racially diverse living generation in the United States, numbering some 61 million people in the United States. The next generation of the workforce will come from less traditional family backgrounds.

Many witnessed their parents struggle through the great recession and subsequently have a lower risk tolerance and greater concerns about the economy in general. Having spent their entire lives with access to mobile and digital technologies, members of Gen Z are wired differently than previous generations. Organizations seeking to attract, retain and grow them as their workforce of the future must take these new realities into account.

While 83% of Gen Z (aged 15 and older) is currently not employed full time, 45% are working at least part time and they will be entering the workforce en masse in the years ahead.

This AHLEF research study provides insights into Gen Z including what motivates them, what influences their behavior, and how they perceive the Hotels and Lodging industry.

Gen Z + Hotel & Lodging

While only 6% of Gen Zers have worked in hotel & lodging, over half of all respondents in our survey – comprising Gen Z and young millennials – indicated interest in a career in the hotel industry.

African American (62%) and Latino (54%) Gen Z and young millennials were particularly interested in working in Hotels and Lodging and were 13% and 8% more likely than white respondents, respectively, to say the industry offers good salary.

Roughly 2/3 of African American, Latino and Asian Gen Z and young millennials believe that the industry has popular companies or brands, has good diversity in the workplace, and offers good benefits and perks.

Hotel and Lodging outranked Restaurant and Retail on key areas important to Gen Z such as pay and benefits, a career they would be proud of, and having socially responsible companies.

Positions that included “manager” in the title were of higher interest to Gen Z and young millennials across demographics perhaps reflecting a desire for higher pay and career growth. Interest in specific jobs in the industry varied widely by gender, with male respondents being >1.5x more likely to show interest in Engineer, Financial Analyst, Security Officer and Bellman roles than females.

The industry attracts interest from both males (52%) and females (53%) offering a potential recruiting advantage over other industries with large gender interest discrepancies such as Technology (-27%), Finance or Insurance (-15%), and Construction (-33%).

Read the full report here.