Knock, knock…

There are officially no more perfect brackets for March Madness. Anyone in the office interested in a redo?

In this week's edition:

• Recruiting and retaining the hottest new members of the workforce: Gen Z.
• Your brand new hire just quit. What’s next?
• Customers want privacy. But also: really great emails.

ZOOM ZOOM

Getting Gen Z on your team

Wait, already?
Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) is starting to flood the workforce. And by 2025, they'll hold 27% of jobs worldwide. Meaning, the time to start taking action is… now. And if you know what attracts, motivates, and keeps Zoomers around, you can reap the benefits they bring to the team.

What benefits?
For one, Zoomers are the first generation to grow up in a completely online world. Having Gen Z employees will help your business navigate and grow with the constantly shifting trends of the digital landscape.

Plus, a lot of Zoomers haven't even graduated high school yet. But the ones who have are brand new at their jobs and looking for opportunities to learn and level up. That opens up cross-training opportunities at your company and gives you the chance to mold your ideal employee.

How do I reel them in?
Here’s what you can offer to attract Zoomers to your business:

• Personalized roles. Because Gen Zers are passion-driven, they want organizations to recognize their individual expression. And ultimately, help them adapt to roles that fit their unique talents.
• Mentorship. Zoomers don’t want to remain stagnant. They’re growth-oriented and constantly looking for someone who can teach them new skills.‍
• Authenticity. Gen Z doesn't care about a world that’s just business. They want to know where the company stands on their values. So, share them with potential job seekers and back them up with your actions.

👉 Find out more about hiring Gen Z.

THE STRUGGLE IS REAL

When your new hire doesn’t work out

“It’s not you, it’s me.”
We’ve all been there. You’re excited — you’ve got a shiny new employee who seems ready to tackle the responsibilities that have been piling up. When all of a sudden, they’re out. And you’re left standing right back where you started: with a job that needs doing and no one to do it.

That sucks.
You’re right, but it also happens more often than you think. A little over 16% of new hires leave within the first week of starting a job. Meaning, there may come a day when you lose an employee early on — if it hasn’t happened already.

What can I do?
It’s better to be prepared than not. That way, if you do lose an employee early on, you won’t be left completely blindsided. Here’s how:

1. Ask for feedback. When a new hire abruptly leaves, it can bring up a lot of questions. So, ask them for feedback on what could have potentially turned them away. Then, you know what to avoid for the next person you hire.
2. Communicate to your team. Your team had plans for your new hire, so you’re all going to need to adjust. You or someone else on your team will have to assume the responsibilities you planned for your new hire — at least until a new candidate comes on board.
3. Find a replacement. Remember that feedback from earlier? Use it to develop a fresh hiring plan. You can avoid losing another employee by making your own processes better.

NO, YOU CAN'T HAVE MY NUMBER

“But you can slide into my inbox…” — Your customers

We’re talking emails, right?
You got it. According to a new study of more than 5,400 people in six countries, consumers are cool with sharing their personal data when it comes to contests, loyalty programs, and email, but are considerably creeped out by marketing tactics that use location-based and retargeting ads.

The 82-page report from Econsultancy found that many of the widely used online marketing tactics by businesses — think: social media ads, banner ads, SMS text messages — lag way behind good ol’ email when it comes to consumer acceptance. In fact, half of those surveyed said they’d purchased something directly from an email newsletter in the previous year.

But…why?
Here’s what’s at play: customers don’t want to be persuaded and pushed into a purchase using “creepy” methods like location tracking and cookie monitoring. After years of data breaches and identity theft, the price for handing over personal information has become really high for them. “Consumers are willing to trade data for personalized experiences, but such trades come with high expectations for both the experience and the ways the brand might use that data subsequently,” notes Forbes.

Oof. My business leans heavily into digital ads. What’s my next move?
According to the report, loyalty metrics are “spiking across the board” for companies that provide an individualized approach to communications, align with consumer values, and treat data with respect. So, speak to your customer on an individual level — let them know how you’re keeping their data safe and personally connect with them the next time you press send on an email.

TL;DR

This week's highlight reel

• Here comes the sun. Last week, the Senate passed legislation that would make daylight savings time permanent in the U.S. starting in 2023. The initiative still needs to make its way through the House, but let’s just say predictions for Ray-Ban/Luxottica Group stocks are looking mighty sunny.
• TikTok gets lit. Book retailer Barnes & Nobles has recently seen their sales spike thanks to BookTok, a TikTok community whose members tag videos of themselves dishing on their favorite books — often in the aisles of actual bookstores. With over 43B views, BookTok’s popularity further cements TikTok as a marketing juggernaut for businesses.
• Supermarket sweep. Last Friday, grocery delivery platform Instacart announced that it would be adding a fuel surcharge to customers’ tabs to curb the rising cost of fuel for its drivers. This follows a similar move by Uber and Lyft in an effort to keep their workforce from permanently canceling their trips.
• All the heart-eyes. A new crop of emojis was released with iOS 15.4 last week. With an eye on diversity and inclusion, the 37-member class of ‘22 features numerous multiracial handshakes and pregnant individuals.

WELCOME TO OUR HOUSE

Around the Trainual watercooler

Chaos theory. Big news on the podcast front! Our flagship show, Organize Chaos, hosted by Trainual founder and CEO, Chris Ronzio, returns Monday, March 28. Look out for all new episodes featuring top thought leaders on their playbooks, people-powered strategies, and the productivity hacks SMB leaders need to take their team to the next level. Don’t miss the next episode drop — subscribe now.