#64: How Gen Z is Showing Up at Work with Brian Phillips

Lead the People

Brian is an Oklahoma native who moved to California with the goal of building leaders and cultivating change around the world after graduating from the University of Oklahoma. With a mix of enterprise recruiting experience at HP and Google with a foundation in agency recruiting at TEKsystems, he has found a love for the industry. As an Executive Recruiter with Hewlett-Packard, he strives to enable the development of better technology for everyone, everywhere highlighting the intersection of his career interests and passions. He is strategically learning ways to connect exceptional talent with their dream careers and passion projects, the type of operations that impact how we relate and interact with people and places across the globe. Each day he is sharpening his skills to promote and maximize professionals' global impact, quality of life, and career aspirations while building lifelong relationships that extend beyond the connection. He is a brother to three siblings, a running enthusiast, and a LinkedIn wizard! If you're seeking some career advice, know of an epic California coffee shop, or are in search of a surfing /skiing buddy, he is happy to connect!

Top 3 Takeaways

1. Seek to understand. Gen Z is bringing a very different emphasis regarding their interests in social impact, sustainability, and work/life balance. Rather than try to change them, first listen and learn about their interests.
2. Coach with caution. Gen Z wants coaching around the things they want and not necessarily around what older more experienced mentors want them to want. Focus on impact and growth.
3. Pay fair. Inexperienced Gen Z workers may not advocate for themselves when it comes to fair pay. Build trust and mutual commitment by ensuring all workers are paid fairly today and tomorrow.

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From the Source

“We're a fun generation. I think we're an opinionated one, and we're a really excited one about the future. And at the end of the day, I think both Gen Z and other generations have the same goal, and that's to make a social impact, to do something empowering and inspiring for this world and something that's gonna really extend beyond just us in our lifetime.”

“With the advancements of technology, we're realizing that maybe we can rely on these new technologies to help us get our work done a little more efficiently. And with some flexibility, we can both live our lives and do our day to day jobs really well.”

“My generation is more skeptical of employers than probably any other generation, and I think it's rightfully so.”

“We need to create a work life balance and a culture around getting to live your life but also be happy at your job. And when you're happy at your job, you live a happier life, and, honestly, your work is better too. So I think when an employer doesn't Immediately take the defensive and kinda push back and get upset and says, ‘This person's challenging our traditional view of work. I've not been challenged like this before, but this is the future. So maybe we need to hear them out and see how we can meet in the middle.’”

Connect with Brian

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-phillips-b00mer/