Amy is President of Benefits and Protection at Principal Financial Group, serving more than 130,000 SMB customers.
Gen-Z is projected to make up 30% of the workforce by 2030 and is already a force of change. They want to work at companies that align with their values, expect flexibility and are using technology in new ways. They are also the first generation that faces a wave of AI progress and investments, and some worry that might displace their entry into the workforce. So, businesses face an inflection point. Will they continue to shape new generations of talent to add to their talent pipelines, or will they point AI efficiencies towards that critical first career step and potentially lose out on developing this next generation of talent? Now is the time to decide, with another graduating class of Gen-Z talent entering the workforce.
The Business Case Conundrum With AI
Whenever I see the agenda for a conference in any industry, AI is prominently featured. Everyone wants to know how companies are using AI for efficiency, operational improvements and to accelerate innovation. And employees are finally coming on board, with 75% using AI in their current jobs. In an economy where the cost of talent is rising and the availability of top talent continues to be tight, businesses are looking to AI where they can. Often first on the list are the tasks that traditionally fall to entry-level employees.
Consider, for example, a recent college grad who takes an entry-level position at a law firm. They are viewing their position as a stepping stone to advancement. These eager individuals are planning to contribute to the company by supporting requests that come to them from the senior lawyers in the firm. They may be scouring procedures or manuals for relevant information that they then distill down for others. This information gathering gives them visibility into the types of customers the organization serves and line of sight into numerous different processes in the company, which are critical to their advancement. On top of that, through these experiences, they’re interacting with more experienced staff who are providing guidance and mentorship along the way. These are sometimes the basic tasks that go to AI—summarizing information, intaking multiple sources and outputting the most relevant steps and crafting customer support emails.
If these types of tasks are being given to AI, what types of skills should businesses be looking for in early talent to build the talent pipeline they need?
Skills To Feed A Higher-Order Talent Pipeline
When I look at young talent entering the workforce, regardless of what type of role they’re coming into, there are a few skills in particular I’m looking for them to demonstrate. And, if not fully there on day one, I want to see their capacity for developing these skills.
Demonstrate excellent critical thinking skills.
Early talent has the advantage of bringing a “fresh eye” to historical processes and business challenges. They should lean heavily on their ability to think critically and bring forward new ideas that could enact change.
Use native digital skills to help elevate the whole workforce.
Gen-Z has been raised with advanced technological capabilities, including AI. Not only are employers looking for them to be tech savvy, but they also feel younger generations are changing workforce dynamics positively, valuing their tech savvy-ness, new ideas and skills and overall positivity and energy. These individuals should be champions of AI in both their own embracing of technology and in how they partner with older generations to use AI.
Show the ability to lead other people.
A skill that is always in demand is the ability to lead other people. With the workforce looking as nuanced as it ever has been, with hybrid/remote, five generations of workers in the workplace and changing employee expectations, having the ability to lead others is a skill that won’t be going out of fashion anytime soon.
A Human-First Approach
AI can certainly play an important role in the evolving workforce, but it can’t fully replace incoming talent. Businesses should carefully consider the skill set they want their incoming talent to bring to the table. They should embrace things like mentoring programs and formal training to provide access to the institutional knowledge newer employees need in order to be productive contributors to the company’s talent pipeline.
At the end of the day, I believe businesses that lead with a human-first approach tend to outperform and outgrow purely financially engineered businesses. Investing in your people and aligning your talent strategy with your technology and business strategies should prove to be a sustainable, purposeful path to growth.
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