Thoughts from the Intern: Gen Z in a Hybrid Work World
Grace Heaton
Marketing InternGrace is a rising junior at Duquesne University in Pitsburgh, where she is studying Digital Marketing and Analytics, and French.
When May 18th rolled around, I was a bundle of nerves. As a bright-eyed intern stepping into Hyphn’s Design Studio on my first day, I felt an overwhelming feeling of excitement for what was to come. The office was easily the most beautifully designed workspace I’d ever seen, and still – six weeks later – I find myself in awe of the incredible space I have the privilege of working in.
This wasn’t my first rodeo as an intern, though. Over the past two years at Duquesne University, I have found several incredible, rewarding opportunities to explore the field of marketing through multiple lenses. From food and beverage to academia to a climate change education nonprofit, I have dipped my toes into several different industry experiences to gain a better understanding of where I want to be post-graduation.
As a member of Generation Z – a generation that prioritizes work-life balance, diversity, equity, inclusion and strong benefits programs in the workplace – internships prove to be very beneficial experiences, helping us iron out our personal priorities in the upcoming job search. In general, Gen Z ranks work-life balance, access to learning opportunities, and capacity for professional development as the highest considerations when choosing, and even leaving, an employer. Compared to other generations, Gen Z views the office space (particularly post-pandemic) as a critical venue for social interaction and provides access to important learning opportunities and advice from colleagues.
The post-pandemic world has left office chairs and desks empty and gathering dust, hoping to one day again see the hustle and bustle of hard work and the buzz of collaborative professional development. One of my previous internships was completely remote, which was a great experience but reminded me of hours spent pouring over a computer during the pandemic with little to no interaction with others. While I was able to connect with colleagues through events in the community, and the internship was perfect for a mid-semester college student who needed a lot of flexibility, I missed building deeper relationships in a synergistic office environment. I made some great connections through the opportunity, but felt like I missed out on the opportunity to really get to know anyone outside of their job description. This made finding an in-person or at least hybrid internship for this summer a big priority for me.
Seattle Met found that in a study of 1,050 workers from the Pacific Northwest, 47% of Gen Z workers in the sample reported that working from home had increased negative impacts on their mental health compared to 34% of all older generations surveyed. Gen Z employees describe feeling like they’re missing out on community and mentorship opportunities by working fully remote. As a result of lack of mentorship and growth experiences, young workers often find that asking for advice and observing how more experienced colleagues deal with situations is very difficult in the remote workplace.
I remember this feeling like it was yesterday. As a high schooler during the first two Covid years, I experienced this firsthand when making the transition to college; forming friendships and professional relationships seemed a lot more difficult than in years past. The jump from graduating college to an entry-level job is another big growth experience. Without the proper support, young professionals’ development of important workplace skills is limited. Leadership, effective communication, and empathy can be stunted when mentorship is not a priority. Those promoted quickly to management positions are said to be not as well-versed in these soft skills necessary for sound leadership. Adding onto this, Teen Vogue asserts that “informal learning moments go missing in virtual.” Soft skills are developed through collaboration, by making mistakes, by receiving constructive feedback and through self-reflection. Without meaningful interactions with others, young workers are at a disadvantage as they strive to progress in their careers.
To attract and retain Gen Z’s best and brightest – a generation that will make up one-third of the workforce by 2025 – organizations must prioritize support of young workers through in-office learning, mentorship, growth opportunities and employee engagement. This summer’s internship experience with Hyphn has helped me determine that my post-grad workplace priorities include flexible work schedules with an emphasis on the importance of coming together in the office, a variety of mentorship programs and internal community-building events. Hyphn goes above and beyond with all of these, practicing what they preach about earning the commute of their employees through beautifully designed, flexible workspaces, change management and dynamic technology. I feel that my workplace priorities were met and exceeded by Hyphn, and this robust internship experience has helped foster many valuable connections and skills I will take into the future. If you want to see all that Hyphn has to offer for yourself, please visit us at the Design Studio!
