Push Gen Z Talent Further – The Healthy Way

How can we secure the future of our industry?

When Trin Basra was offered the role of VP executive creative director at experiential agency, Sparks EMEA, she had a clear philosophy: ‘If I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it differently.’ Throughout her career, she’d had to submit to the hallmarks of corporate culture – all nighters, rigid hierarchies, a fear of failure. Taking the reins as a new generation was entering the workforce, she was determined to lead them in a better way.

“Gen z are the future of the workplace,” Trin notes, so we’d better start investing in them. Old school burnout behaviour that will jeopardise talent retention are out; empathetic, mutually beneficial ways of working are in.

“If I'm a leader within my industry, I've got to set an example,” says Trin, “but I've also got to learn from them, understanding their cues and how to bring out the best in them.” That doesn’t mean going soft: “We still must challenge and push them – that hasn't gone away at all – but just because we put up with things in our twenties, doesn’t mean the new generation needs to. They can understand that there are expectations; but they also can be supported in the right way of meeting them.”

Pass the Mic

There are the obvious elements like respecting work-life balance, training, and workshops, but perhaps the most exciting for everyone involved is the opportunity for fresh talent to participate in high-level conversations.

“There has been a legacy of juniors coming to a meeting but not feeling as though they can contribute, but we've opened that up. It's not about doing the mundane jobs, just to get to a certain position, and then you're able to speak. It's giving them a voice now. It’s respect,” Trin notes. “We make sure that they feel comfortable expressing themselves and realise they're bringing something different to the table.”

And they do bring something different. Gen z grew up in a world of rapidly changing technology and communications, and now, they have their finger on the pulse. “It’s important to tap into that, especially for Sparks – a lot of our clients are in the technology space. It helps drive innovation within the agency.”

Putting gen z directly in front of clients deepens their understanding faster, and often comes with the added bonus of allowing clients to hear feedback directly from their audience. Sparks EMEA has evidence of this working: “I had a number of junior to mid creatives and members from other departments come into a meeting with a tech client. They were able to really contribute, and that had an effect on the experience we created. Now, they’ve built a relationship, it's the second year of collaboration on that client project, and they're already thinking about how it’s going to progress from there.”

And of course, when young talent are able to see success come from their contributions, they’re more likely to stay motivated at your company. Take Anna Twoulip, a graduate branding designer who Trin empowered to lead areas on their Workday Rising and Creative Circle projects: “She said she really liked the opportunity to actually make decisions, and she’s just excelled from there. She talks to me about her career development all the time.”

Above: Case study video for Workday Rising

Embrace Failure as a Part of Growth

Success is great – but how you handle the less than perfect moments are just as pivotal. Reframe what once would have been called a failure as a normal part of growth.

For impressionable talent just starting out, this is a major lesson to internalise, because, as Trin puts it, “you often learn more from your failings than you can from your successes.” Whilst immense shame over slip-ups was once normal, she’s nurturing the next generation to learn from their mistakes in a healthier way.

“We’re teaching them to adopt that culturally. We will help you to move past it and learn from it. They have to learn that no one's perfect.”

Let Gen Z Learn from the Best

Another fast track to training your young talent is offering them meaningful exposure to and feedback from their more experienced colleagues.

At Sparks, this is embedded into the workplace culture through the implementation of a mentorship programme, with weekly one-on-ones – especially vital for those companies who are part remote. “It’s quite intense, but in a good way,” Trin remarks. Open, transparent communication is best – be clear about your gen z talent’s roles and responsibilities, why it’s valuable, how you want them to learn, and what they could eventually become.

Setting and regularly checking in on goals – monthly, quarterly, six-monthly, whatever works – motivates people at all stages of their career. It highlights where progress has been made, and why it should keep being made. And if your young talent can see that your company is supporting them in reaching their full potential, they’re more likely to stay.

Of course, not everyone is a born mentor. For Trin, learning to articulate yourself in a way that’s measured and constructive is the most important skill for working with young talent in general.

One of the simplest ways to do this is by asking your mentee questions, encouraging them to reach conclusions in a less judgemental, more interactive way: ‘What do you think?’; ‘How would you feel better?’; ‘How do you think the client will respond?’; ‘Should we pivot?’. There’s no need to dictate their every step with military precision; just get them to collaborate with you.

Above: Case study video for Meta  at AWE

Unearth Talent from All Walks of Life

When Trin hires talent, she actually prefers to look outside of the industry and beyond just university graduates for people with more varied stories and backgrounds. As an example, she mentions 3D designer, Adrian Collins, who used to design runway shows for fashion brands, and had never worked in events or this industry prior. “He’s been here less than a year and he's fierce. He's implemented an innovative way to immerse audiences within environments through the use of VR. This gave him the opportunity to develop skills and think creatively which is exactly what we need to stay up to date on new technologies."

Self-taught talent gets Trin particularly excited. “They are the future, and giving them the opportunity is key. That's where UNBOUNDED came from – going back to homegrown.”

UNBOUNDED is a programme through which Sparks EMEA unearths the next generation of design talent. Partnering with schools and colleges, the experiential agency has found a wealth of promising young people out there to be mentored. “They all bring something different, and they have an entrepreneurial spirit that I love. That’s the beauty of gen z. I wish we were told that, because we were always just categorised.”

With so many resources at their fingertips, gen z has been experimenting with and mastering tools from an early age. Consider how many young people are learning the art of short-form filmmaking through TikTok, or how to hack the algorithm to make their message go viral. Nurture that multifaceted creativity rather than pigeonholing potential and you’ll have an environment where everyone is empowered to bring something new, unique, and exciting to the table.

It’s a Win-Win

“People feel more enthusiastic when they feel like they have opportunities, and it’s reflected in the work.” These closing remarks from Trin are what it all comes down to. When young talent feel empowered rather than burnt out or stifled, they’re more fulfilled, they’re more creative, and they learn faster – meaning better talent retention, better work, better relationships with clients, and an all-round happier workplace.

A bright future of any industry cannot be secured without a constant supply of top-level talent, and top-level talent does not spontaneously come ready-made into being; but through adopting more constructive cultures, workplaces can build it.