CURATED READS ON GEN Z IN THE WORKPLACE

Welcome to the latest edition of Mind the Gap. We hope you find our perspectives useful. Let us know what you think at Alex_Panas@McKinsey.com and Axel_Karlsson@McKinsey.com.

—Alex and Axel

first up

This week we’re talking about influencing at work, what motivates employees, and why some believe concierge medicine’s next big market is on college campuses.

The age of influence is upon us.

We’re not talking about influencer marketing or the partnership that occurs between social media users and brands to promote products or services. Instead, we’re talking about workplace influencers. According to new research by McKinsey senior partner John Parsons and coauthors, these employee influencers are key factors in making—or breaking—change in the workplace.

For an organization, a successful transformation can mean achieving more shareholder value. For employee influencers, getting involved in a transformation can mean having a real impact on how things work at work while giving their jobs a deeper sense of meaning. Lean in, as the saying goes.

But getting involved doesn’t simply mean employee influencers are posting as usual on social media. Instead, they are modeling the right behaviors internally and acting as role models for others inside the organization. For that to happen, a company should empower employee influencers in a meaningful way. “It’s not enough . . . to view change leaders only as vectors for communication,” the authors write. “They should also be viewed as thought partners who provide feedback and support to senior leaders and employees alike.”

Businesses that look to employee influencers to assist in a transformation should empower these change agents to decide how to engage their peers. Organizations should spend time casting the net widely so that they find people who may be “hidden influencers,” or people who exhibit the mindsets and behaviors needed during a transformation. Perhaps those people’s unconventional approach to their jobs leads to exceptional performance that can inspire others.

For Gen Zers early in their career, wielding influence at work (during a transformation or not) may seem to be something reserved for more seasoned colleagues. But becoming an employee influencer, no matter your tenure, comes down to demonstrating the traits of an effective communicator and leader who can help colleagues and teams view change as exciting rather than unnerving.

One way to do so is to become a “supercommunicator.” Supercommunicators develop strong listening habits that help them identify whether a conversation is a social, practical, or emotional one. They also ask ten to 20 times more questions than the average person (think “interested,” not “interrogative”). These practices help supercommunicators build trust and deeper relationships with those around them.

What about when conversations get tricky? Being a trusted employee influencer also means being confident enough to provide feedback. “Contributory dissent,” which allows people to air their differences in a positive way without undermining leadership or group cohesion, is often missing from how most companies operate, write McKinsey senior partners Ben Fletcher and Dana Maor and coauthors. Two guidelines for effective dissent include seeking permission to dissent and being open minded about a dissenting conversation.

One thing Gen Zers should not do is assume that they have no influence over their peers because of their age or standing at work. Often there’s a “blind spot we have for our own influence,” says Vanessa Bohns, author of You Have More Influence than You Think: How We Underestimate Our Power of Persuasion, and Why It Matters, in a McKinsey Author Talks interview. “We don’t realize . . . how many people might imitate our behavior or change their behavior because of something we did or said. And so we also have this sense of obliviousness at times about the trail of chaos or trail of positivity that we leave behind us.” 

VISUALIZE IT

As Gen Zers settle into the school year, let’s revisit research from 2022 finding that college students considered learning technologies adopted at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to be useful.

WAIT, DON’T SCROLL

Advantage on ‘administrivia.’ Will generative AI hurt middle managers—or help them?

Motivation station. Employees are most motivated at work when the goalposts are clear. 

Principal’s proxy. Chief of staff roles are becoming more important—and popular. New research examines how 250 chiefs of staff work to better understand the job and who is best suited for it.

NOT US; STILL GREAT

Wise guide. Here are six practical tips for Gen Zers entering the world of work. [WaPo]

Doc on demand. Doctors and entrepreneurs are betting that concierge medicine is the next big thing on college campuses. [Axios]

CROSSWORD

—Edited by Alexandra Mondalek, editor, New York