Engaging the emerging Generation Z employees at workplace: A qualitative study in the IT sector

Abstract

Generation Z is now powerful force in the business landscape. The emerging IT sector in India need to understand the new expectations and work styles of this youngest generation cohort. The objective of the paper is to traverse the gamut of HR practices to engage Generation Z employees. The present qualitative study incorporating narrative enquiry within the framework of interpretative phenomenological analysis is utilized in order to capture the life experiences as lived. The study suggests that leaders and HR managers in the workplace need to offer autonomy, opportunities for career growth and job crafting that resonates with Generation Z employees for making them truly engaged. The paper is a novel attempt to look around and look forward pondering over employee engagement drivers by encapsulating specific recommendations to leverage Generation Z strengths. The implications for theory and practices, as well as its limitations and future directions conclude the paper.