The power of imperfect employer branding: What Gen Z wants to hear
The race to appear ‘Gen Z friendly’ has created a wave of cringeworthy employer branding that serves neither companies nor candidates. While organisations are still struggling to find their right voice on TikTok, Snapchat or Instagram, they’re missing the fundamental shift in workplace expectations that defines this generation. The solution isn’t about mastering new platforms, it’s about bridging the (generational) reality gap between corporate ambition and Gen Z aspiration.
In short
- Why most Gen Z employer branding feels inauthentic
- The reality gap between corporate promises and Gen Z expectations
- How sustainability metrics create new communication challenges
- Why honest imperfection beats polished perfection
communication paradox
Employer branding for Gen Z: Stop playing authentic
Organisations face a unique challenge with Gen Z: they’re simultaneously the most connected and hardest-to-reach generation. Companies rush to embrace new social platforms, but create content that feels inauthentic at best and manipulative at worst.
The problem isn’t the channels, McLuhan is never wrong, it’s the message. Gen Z has developed a sophisticated filter for corporate communication, instantly spotting the difference between genuine engagement and played authenticity.
crisis N EMPLOYER BRANDING
When workplace expectations meet reality
Both employers and educational institutions bear responsibility for the growing disconnect between workplace expectations and reality. While companies oversell their cultures with ping-pong tables, free drinks and forced teambuilding moments, they’re missing Gen Z’s genuine desire for purpose and growth.
Meanwhile, Gen Z’s expectations of rapid advancement and immediate impact clash with organisational realities. The 2023 Deloitte Global Gen Z Survey reveals that 46% of Gen Z workers feel stressed or anxious about their work environment all or most of the time, with a significant portion citing misalignment between company promises and reality.
Educational institutions aren’t helping bridging this gap. While schools excel at teaching technical competencies, they’re falling short in preparing students for inter-generational workplace realities.
While Gen Z enters the workforce as the most technically skilled generation ever, they struggle with the fundamentals of workplace dynamics, from navigating office politics to handling constructive criticism. This skills paradox creates friction that could be avoided with better preparation.
SUSTAINABILITY
The Gen Z challenge in sustainability communication
While Gen Z’s commitment to sustainability and social justice is commendable, organisations struggle to communicate their genuine progress without falling into performative activism. The rise of ESG metrics and standardised sustainability reporting frameworks has created both opportunity and skepticism.
While these frameworks drive accountability, they’ve also spawned a new form of corporate communication that can feel mechanical and inauthentic to a Gen Z audience.
When companies celebrate a 2% reduction in carbon emissions or a 5% increase in diversity metrics, Gen Z often sees this as inadequate progress. What they’re missing is the complex web of systematic changes, investment, and organisational adaptation behind these seemingly modest gains.
Companies are caught in a communication paradox. Report too enthusiastically about incremental progress, and you’re accused of greenwashing. Focus too much on the challenges, and you appear uncommitted. The solution lies in transparent storytelling that connects metrics to meaning.
Stop selling perks, start sharing reality
Getting employer branding for Gen Z right isn’t about who has the biggest budget to shout on social media, or who has the largest fussball room.
- Show your workplace as it really is, including the challenges and opportunities for making an impact.
- Create conversations between different generations instead of trying to please only young talent. Accept the reality that generational differences will always be there.
- Be open about your progress: celebrate wins but be honest about what still needs work. Explain what’s behind the numbers.
Remember: Gen Z doesn’t want you to pretend to be their friend. They want you to be an honest guide in their professional career.
How can June2O help you?
Most agencies will tell you they understand Gen Z.
We’d rather understand your organisation first. Because meaningful employer branding starts with who you really are, not with who you think Gen Z wants you to be.
Want to explore what that could mean for your organisation? Let’s talk.
Biography
Wolfgang Florizoone
Wolfgang Florizoone, Managing Director at June20, is a versatile professional with a wide range of experiences and a passion for effective communication. He has excelled in various roles, including Sales & Marketing in the media industry and as a strategy consultant. As a guest lecturer, Wolf shared his expertise and contributed to the advancement of the industry. Since 2010 he has been leading June20 to move brands forward by moving people.
