Generation Z: our voice matters!

Young people want flexibility over working hours and the place we work from and for our leisure time to be respected. But unfortunately it’s often not quite as simple in practice as some companies tell us. Working from home is only reluctantly permitted, while unwritten rules often apply to flexitime. That makes it difficult for many young people to strike a good balance between work and leisure.

We, Amina and Fiona, strongly believe that employers should create the right conditions so that employees enjoy going to work. For example, this includes regular breaks to clear your head and to take a moment to reflect. But also training courses which can be completed both on and off the job. Another idea is introducing the 4-day week – especially if the retirement age is raised. Companies should also provide more inclusion workplaces and clearer information about them in job ads. Policymakers can play a role by launching campaigns on work-life balance and providing financial support for training.

Communication is a key part of working life, whatever the industry or type of job. At this workshop we discussed the importance of communication skills at the workplace and the best ways to gain them. One thing’s for sure: strong communication skills can help to avoid or resolve conflicts and misunderstandings at the workplace – but also when contributing and presenting ideas.

That’s why we believe that soft skills, like communication or “being happy”, should be addressed at school – for example, by learning through play – or during apprenticeships at the very latest. Sometimes we also find it difficult to identify phishing mails and other types of fraud. That’s why we think it would be beneficial for Swiss Post and other companies to raise young people’s awareness of these issues and to train them in how to protect against such threats.

Will our current jobs still exist 50 years from now? That’s a question that concerns us all. We, Amina and Fiona, are optimistic about digitization. If routine tasks are performed by robots and artificial intelligence, that’ll leave more time for meaningful projects and personal development.

Successfully implementing digitization in business requires tech-savvy employees who are highly motivated and open to new challenges. But that doesn’t mean all employees need to have programming skills or understand every aspect of IT systems. It’s more about embracing new technology and systems, being receptive to change and continually developing. The future world of work will present many challenges, but lots of opportunities too. We need to embrace change and continually develop to be successful. Companies who rise to this challenge and support their employees can take advantage of the opportunities of digitization and position themselves as pioneers in the world of work of the future.