The Gen Z playbook can teach business executives a lot about getting ahead on social media if … [+]
Gen Z has received numerous harsh critics from the business world. They’re getting flak for their inability to collaborate and communicate, and 47% of hiring managers protest that Gen Z are the worst to work with and manage. Gen Z is criticized for having too many rules, refusing to comply with corporate demands, being oppositional and lacking etiquette, reliability and flexibility. Their desire for immediate feedback and flexible work environments often clashes with outdated, cumbersome and inefficient systems prevalent in today’s workplaces, further exacerbating workplace tension.
But Gen Z have their defenders, too. Andrew Roth, founder and CEO of dcdx, describes his company’s goal as helping other business leaders demystify Gen Z work culture. Many believe the younger peers feel vilified and misunderstood from previous generations. Roth told me it’s not that Gen Zs don’t care about professionalism. They simply want to be met halfway and receive the same level of respect they give to their employers.
Cosmin Pitigoi, CFO at Flywire, told me by email that he admires Gen Z and thinks we can learn a lot from them about success in the workplace. And Hootsuite CEO Irina Novoselksy agrees that older business leaders can learn from this younger generation of workers. She suggests that executives borrow a page from Gen Z’s playbook, showcasing these three rules on how to get ahead by using social media:
- Rule #1: Have a social media “breakfast.”
- Rule # 2: Post during peak times (latest data shows the best time to post on LinkedIn is 8a.m.—9 a.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays).
- Rule # 3: Learn how to use “social listening” to inform posts for a better chance of getting promoted to the “Suggested Posts” section.
Start Your Day With A Social Media ‘Breakfast’
“Avoiding social media in the morning is said to be best practice, but as a CEO, I’ve come to disagree. Hear me out,” Novoselksy implores. “Over five billion people are on social media, including every business’s customers, employees, investors and stakeholders. It has evolved as one of the only spaces where businesses can have a two-way dialogue—listening and talking—to build and nurture real customer relationships.”
She questions why you wouldn’t spend the quietest time of day getting the lowdown on what your audience is saying and how they’re engaging. She goes on to suggest that refusing to actively listen and take advantage of that information is like ignoring the world’s best focus group. “But don’t get me wrong,” she continues, “maintaining a healthy relationship with social networks in this new digital age is crucial,” adding that “Whoever makes up your feed makes a world of difference and, it’s important to ensure that who you’re following reflects the key audiences you’re trying to understand and serve as an organization.”
Lean Into Vulnerability To Reap The Benefits On Socials
In today’s digital age, there’s a widespread recognition that to build and nurture customer relationships, brands need to be on social media, according to Novoselksy. “While we know that brands recognize this—with 95% active on social networks— many organizations don’t understand the business impact of their efforts, let alone the business impact of their own executive social media footprint.”
She explains that executives can play an important role in driving business impact through social media by connecting directly with their audience on social. “Sure, it can be scary (and time consuming) to put yourself out there,” she acknowledges, “but modern relationships exist on social media and building relationships is the key to unlocking growth for your company. So, lean into your vulnerability and enable interactions on the only two-way channel that exists between brands and customers.”
The CEO cites new data from Pavilion and Kickstand that 65% of B2B buyers say that when evaluating partnerships or vendors, a brand with a visible executive team presence on social media will win over an otherwise equivalent brand. She notes that it’s also an important HR tool, pointing out that 60% of job seekers confirm they routinely investigate a company’s social media activities before accepting a job offer.
If you’re not actively engaging on LinkedIn, she declares that you’re leaving business opportunities on the table. “Not only that, but your engagement on social media (or lack thereof) is contagious—if you’re inactive on platforms, your employees are also more likely to be,” she asserts. “That includes your sales leaders, marketers, customer service representatives and other leaders whose jobs depend on connection and networking. So, push through the fear, hit that post button and start the conversation.”
Extend A Seat At The Leadership Table For Your Social Team
“Where does the modern customer first meet or interact with you?” Novoselksy asks, before revealing, “You guessed it—social media. And at the forefront of your business’s social media channels are your social team. They engage and get to know your current and prospective customers more than any other organization member.”
Yet, she goes on to mention, 56% of social marketers feel misunderstood by their boss and declares that the biggest money-move you can make is to give your social media team a seat at the leadership table to help inform all areas of your business. “They are engaging with your customers and potential customers all day, every day and can provide unique insights to help influence your business—from product innovation to customer engagement and service, to sales and marketing strategy and everything in between,” she maintains.
The Hootsuite CEO poses an example that during the 2020 pandemic, one of U.S.’s largest nonprofit academic healthcare systems emerged as a trailblazer in the fight against misinformation by harnessing the power of social listening. She describes how the team swiftly detected and countered false information spreading online and created compelling, fact-based content their audiences craved. She recalls that listening cemented the brand’s reputation as a trusted healthcare leader during a pivotal time for their customers.
The best part, Novoselksy reveals, is when your social marketers have the best real-time pulse on customer sentiment and brand perception. “They’re also keeping tabs on conversations and trends you might miss,” she contends. “Social listening isn’t just about reacting; it’s about staying ahead of the curve.” She suggests that you do yourself a favor and grab a coffee with your social marketer, adding that you’ll be surprised by what you learn.
A Parting Thought On Workplace Stereotypes
When it comes to Gen Z stereotypes, Marcie Merriman, cultural insights & customer strategy leader at EY, summarizes it best. She purports that the views of business executives fall on a continuum. At one end are the employers who believe the worst assumptions about the younger generation and consider themselves “victims” who must “suffer” through what this next generation of workers brings to the organization.
She claims at the other end are employers who are endlessly curious, wanting to gain a better and deeper understanding of this younger generation that thinks differently than themselves or the organizational status quo. “The executives who leverage this new diversity will make their organization the winner of the future,” Merriman concludes. “Bottom line, ignore the negative headlines stereotyping an entire, very diverse generation and get to know them as people and what drives their views.”
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