Gen Z Is Sending a Warning About Post-Layoff Culture and Leaders Should Pay Attention

Most leaders think the hardest part of layoffs is the announcement. Gen Z is proving that’s not true. The real impact shows up afterward, when the people who remain are suddenly carrying bigger workloads, stepping into unfamiliar roles, and navigating a workplace that feels different than the one they signed up for. 

While these workforce changes can take a toll on anyone, Kahoot!’s new Layoff Survivor Survey shows that Gen Z is feeling this shift most intensely. This is not because they lack capability or drive to succeed, but because employees are largely being left without the training or guidance needed to take on new responsibilities, and Gen Z has less experience to fall back on. Nearly eight in ten Gen Z workers say they made a costly mistake or felt unprepared or hesitant to act at work due to a lack of post-layoff training, and most have had to teach themselves how to handle critical tasks. As a result, 72% of Gen Z workers say that they have considered leaving their employer because of increased pressure and lack of support after layoffs.

Organizational leaders should recognize this as an early warning signal. Gen Z already makes up over a quarter of the labor force and is set to become the largest generation in the workforce within the next 10 years. If Gen Z workers fall behind and fail to develop needed skills, or disengage due to lack of employer support, organizations could find it much more challenging in the future to maintain a successful workforce. 

What can organizations and leaders do to support their Gen Z employees after a layoff and invest in the future of their workforce? Start with these three key actions:

1. Equip employees for new responsibilities with training 

Rapid-response training should be made available for all employees taking on new tasks, but this is especially necessary for Gen Z workers, as they generally have less professional experience and skills, as well as less institutional knowledge. They are also likely to have fewer connections at work, making it harder to ask coworkers for help. Gen Z employees who recently joined the workforce may also struggle more with time management and staying organized. Without these fundamental work skills, new tasks and heavier workloads can be even more stressful and overwhelming. 

To ensure all employees are prepared for their new responsibilities, begin a re-onboarding process that introduces employees to their new role and offers training for their required tasks. This also helps clarify responsibilities, which can easily become muddled in the post-layoff scramble and leave important tasks neglected.

2. Design learning to captivate Gen Z 

If the goal is to help Gen Z employees effectively learn, develop their skills, and ultimately improve their performance at work, training experiences must be designed with Gen Z in mind. Sitting through a long day of training lectures and uninspiring slide presentations is not what Gen Z professionals are calling for, and few employees even have time for it, especially with increased workloads after layoffs. 

Instead, boost engagement with dynamic content and interactivity. Spice up presentations with video, quiz questions, and polls. Leverage microlearning — bite-sized learning experiences employees can access anywhere, including on their smartphones, and complete at their own pace. Learning technology now makes it easy to weave learning throughout the work day and engage employees as social media apps and video games do. Experiment with different formats to keep learning fresh and test what works best for your organization’s workforce.

3. Keep the conversation going with regular two-way communication

Communication with employees cannot be a one-and-done event after a layoff. A restructured or reduced workforce is a new workforce, which will need ongoing support and guidance to find a new rhythm and optimize their performance. By making internal communication a regular part of the routine, teams can also keep each update quick and to the point. This helps avoid information overload, which can cause stress and make learning less likely to stick. This is particularly important for Gen Z workers, as they’re often already climbing up a steep learning curve as newer hires at the company and new entrants to the professional world. 

To make the most of employee updates, design them to be bite-sized and interactive. Include space for employees to ask questions, give input, and share ideas. Boost motivation and knowledge retention with gamified quiz questions and leaderboards. Not only do these interactive elements add engagement and help workers digest the information; they can also give leaders valuable insights into employee sentiment, knowledge gaps, and diverse perspectives across the workforce.

While Gen Z employees may need more focused support after a layoff, they also bring fresh energy that can help workforces rebuild and reach new heights of innovation and productivity. By providing learning experiences and communication that resonates, organizations can help nurture Gen Z workers into tomorrow’s thriving leaders.

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Sean D’Arcy is Chief Solutions Officer at global learning and engagement platform company Kahoot!