Carried out by Dimensional Research, the survey covered 17 countries and was done in 12 languages. More than 12,000 responses were obtained, including from 723 Australians and New Zealanders aged between 16 and 23.
Some other findings:
- Eighty-five percent would be comfortable mentoring an older co-worker who was not as comfortable with technology as they are;
- Ninety-two percent are concerned about starting work and only half (56%) rank their education as good or excellent at preparing them for their future.
Despite having been brought up with technology practically from the cradle, the survey found that members of Generation Z long for more human interaction in the workplace.
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- In-person communication (46%) is the preferred method for communicating with coworkers; texting and messaging apps ranked last;
- But only 11% would like to talk to a colleague on the phone, compared to 21% globally;
- Seventy-one percent expect to learn on the job from coworkers or other people – not online;
- Eighty-three percent say that social media can be a valuable tool in the workplace; and
- More than half (52%) prefer to go to a workplace versus working from home and 56% prefer to work as part of team rather than independently.
Dell EMC managing director for the Commercial and Public Sector, Angela Fox, said: “These findings confirm that the youth of Australia and New Zealand are confident with technology and keen to share their skills with older co-workers. As the digital landscape evolves, this is a trait that will put us in a favourable position to continue as a technology leader.
"To attract these workers, we know businesses need to adapt. Eight in 10 Gen Zs said the technology offered to them in the workplace is a consideration when choosing a job.
"Whether this is the type of device they work on or having fast access to data on servers, businesses of all sizes need to consider how they can improve their technology offering over the next five years as they look to attract the next generation of employees.”
Trend forecaster Michael McQueen added: “Technology has become a staple at work and in our home lives, and this study shows that Gen Z are well equipped to bring the skills they’ve developed naturally throughout their lifetimes into the workplace.
"The challenge in Australia and New Zealand will be empowering this generation to see these skills as transferable and recognise how they can be applied to a professional environment.”