The skills gap: Why HR should prioritize Gen Z’s development in 2025
With Gen Z projected to make up one-third of the workforce by next year, HR leaders face a critical challenge: bridging the so-called “soft skills gap” of a group of digital natives who started their careers during the unprecedented workplace disruption of the pandemic.
“Each group is a product of their professional upbringing, and unfortunately, Gen Zs had to experience their early career in a completely upside-down experience of work,” said Jennifer Moss, workplace strategist and author of the forthcoming “Why Are We Here? Creating a Work Culture Everyone Wants,” to be published next month by Harvard Business Review Press. “They have to learn essential skills that weren’t even necessary before — like ‘human skills,’ which is learning how to develop interpersonal and relational skills with non-humans like AI and robots.”
Research by the National Society of Leadership and Success found that only 1 in 4 of 3,000 Gen Zs surveyed believe they know how to network, while the same number don’t feel they are prepared to negotiate. Moss and other experts suggest that is a byproduct of spending too much time focusing on digital relationships and social media, causing their social and relational skills to be underdeveloped.
That said, they possess strong adaptive skills, positioning them to adopt new technology and be more open to change, Moss points out. “They rank high in emotional intelligence [and are] more likely to demonstrate vulnerability, empathy and tolerance,” she said. “They are also more altruistic than other cohorts.”
A study by learning platform Kahoot on Gen Z’s experience in the workplace revealed that young professionals face unique challenges but are also highly motivated to learn and grow.
But while Gen Zs may be confident in sharing their voice with the world on social media, many don’t feel as comfortable when it comes to connecting with their coworkers in real life, Kahoot reported. In its survey of 1,015 GenZ workers, 9 in 10 reported experiencing social discomfort at work, with more than half saying they feel it at least half the time.
“This could present challenges not only for their career advancement, but for the team’s ability to collaborate and share knowledge,” said Sean D’Arcy, Kahoot’s chief solutions officer. “A lack of effective communication and collaboration can also hinder team productivity, disrupt client relations and lead to inefficient decision making.
However, it is important to remember that Gen Z’s working norms are not necessarily better or worse than their predecessors, D’Arcy stressed. “Different generations have their own approaches to work culture, and it is the responsibility of their employers to try and reconcile these differences and get the best out of multigenerational teams,” he said.
Likewise, Annie Rosencrans, people and culture director at HCM platform HiBob, challenges the notion that Gen Z lacks soft skills, highlighting their natural strengths in empathy, fairness and respect. She emphasizes that while they may need development in specific workplace skills like conflict resolution, their openness to growth makes them excellent candidates for training. “Rather than a lack of soft skills, Gen Z offers unique strengths that can be nurtured for workplace success,” she said.
The challenge of a purported soft skills deficit is multifaceted, in fact. Research by Bright Network, a platform that connects job seekers with recruiters, revealed that while 7 in 10 of 14,000 Gen Z students and recent university graduates surveyed feel they are prepared for work, networking remains their biggest perceived skills gap. That disconnect is underscored by employers prioritizing qualities like passion, resilience and problem-solving, while graduates mistakenly believe industry experience matters most.
At Storyby, a tech company where Gen Z comprises half the workforce, HR partner Iryna Mordovets has seen tangible results from prioritizing soft skills development. “We notice that Gen Z workers often face difficulties in developing emotional intelligence, a feedback culture and the ability to listen actively,” she said. Through integrated assessment and development programs, Storyby increased its employee engagement from 64% to 79% within six months.
The root causes of the skills gap are more complex than many presume.
Molly Dennen, founder of Infinitus Learning, which offers fractional learning strategy, observed that Gen Z’s education was shaped during the peak of STEM-focused curricula, a focus that came at the expense of learning rooted in liberal arts. That, combined with the pandemic’s impact on workplace interaction, has created the current predicament.
Meanwhile, Linda Ho, chief people officer at Seismic, a customer support platform, suggests reframing soft skills as “power skills,” explaining, “As tasks become automated, the skills focus will shift to soft skills that accelerate human interaction and collaboration.” Seismic’s learning platform focuses on developing elemental management skills, resulting in higher employee engagement rates, she reported.
At Go1, which provides corporations with learning solutions, the approach to skills training is evolving. “When we create spaces for open dialogue, feedback and peer-to-peer learning, Gen Z workers thrive and team dynamics improve,” said Daniel Hayward, chief customer officer, adding that Go1 has moved beyond traditional compliance training to create more engaging, multi-skills learning experiences.
One solution may lie in cross-generational collaboration as opposed to focusing on Gen Z’s perceived deficits. In her research, Moss observed how the essential skills of different cohorts complement each other. “Perhaps we need to consider blending those skills instead of over-rotating on each generation’s deficits,” she said.
Looking to the year ahead, successful organizations should aim to create an environment that nurtures essential skills while leveraging Gen Z’s unique strengths, stressed James Uffindell, founder and CEO of Bright Network. “Gen Z brings fresh perspectives, adaptability and a hunger to make an impact, but it’s on all of us to nurture their potential,” he said. “Instead of focusing on what they may lack, we need to create the right environment for their growth.”