Leaders in today’s workplaces desire to better understand the motivations, aspirations, and values of Generation Z. Harrison Bach finds himself with a unique and timely opportunity to deliver on that desire. Bach, 23, is not only a member of Gen Z, but also a student of his contemporaries in his role as the client engagement manager for Regenerate, a training and consulting firm that leverages the science of human energy to help leaders work and live more sustainably.

While generational labels don’t apply to everyone, Gen Z, generally defined as those born between 1997 and 2012, has acquired a reputation for several defining characteristics, including a purpose-driven perspective, support for diversity and inclusion, and a culture of creativity. In his exploration of their mindset, Bach delves into the ways in which Gen Zers can thrive in the workplace. He examines trends among peak performers and aims to inspire those qualities in the young workforce as they advance in their careers.

Bach, who graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in social sciences and psychology, studied performance science and data analytics as well, which he brings to his role at Regenerate. Coming up this fall, Bach is leading a workshop on managing Gen Z at From Day One’s September virtual conference about building a healthy work environment. From Day One spoke with Bach to get a sneak preview into some of the valuable insights he will be sharing during his session. Excerpts:

Q: There has been debate about whether we can make generalizations among generations. Why is it helpful to characterize and try to understand people as a cohort and not just individuals?

A: I’ve certainly wondered that myself, Is it really fair to generalize? Aren’t we all human? Strictly looking at the scientific evidence, though, one of the most effective ways that we can draw insights from research around workplace trends is looking at it generationally. We can do this pretty reliably for Gen Z and generations before that, too. There is obviously individuality with everyone, but I would say that looking at generations as a whole is a sound way to look into things like workforce development and organizational development.

Q: So there’s value in grouping by generation. What are some of the unique experiences that Gen Z has had growing up that might influence their life experience?

A: One of the major points is the digital environment. We’re referred to as “digital natives,” since we’ve been brought up around devices and digital communication. And that significantly changed the way that we’ve developed in terms of interacting with people, sensory input, and the effects on the brain. So, there are some implications on the biological end and also socially, like how we engage with other people and in the workplace.

One way this presents itself is through Gen Z’s communication style. Gen Z is more used to shooting and receiving texts versus face-to-face conversation. We can read a text, think about it, and then send a message back at our convenience. The same goes for all the virtual communications tools. And when you get to the work environment, where you’re going to have more real-time, face-to-face conversations, your ability to think on your feet and carry yourself in the present matters more than we’re used to.

I would also say that many sources speak to the large degrees of unrest and uncertainty that we have lived through. Whether that be internationally, with conflict and war, politically, or socioeconomically. That has played a large factor in shaping what’s important to the younger workforce. As they enter into their careers, they’re looking for ways that they can contribute positively in those areas, in addition to getting their job done.

Q: Would you say that there’s been more uncertainty than some other generations? I mean, there’s always uncertainty in the world, but especially with recent political divisiveness, the pandemic, and situations like that.

A: There is certainly a high degree of perceived uncertainty among Gen Z, whether that’s truly the case or not. In a Deloitte study, about half of Gen Z participants reported that it was hard to cope with world factors going on. That was at the height of the pandemic, during a lot of political unrest, especially in the United States. And it’s translating to increased implications in mental health and coping behaviors. So, thankfully, employers are taking note of that and asking, how can we really serve these people to the best of our ability so that they can provide for us?

Q: What is Regenerate’s philosophy, and what does it bring to the table for workers?

A: Regenerate is a health and well-being training and coaching firm. We help teach a roadmap to busy leaders and teams about how to effectively manage their energy. We teach energy as the most critical resource to understand, build, and maximize in the physical, emotional, and mental dimensions. A key emphasis is on the recovery of energy. Most human beings, especially busy professionals, are pretty good on the spend side of energy and less so on the recovery side. But recovery is an integral part of how we’re meant to function. So, we discuss things like understanding your emotional landscape, how to build focus, and minimize distractions. This way you’re mentally in a good place to perform at your best and can fully disconnect after work or during off work hours to recharge and create the time and space for what’s important to you outside of work.

Q: Why was it helpful to focus on Gen Z to tailor this approach?

A: When we talk about something like stress, the majority of Gen Z, according to many reports, say they’re struggling or just flat out trying to keep their head above water right now. It’s important to make sure that they’re meeting their base physical needs and have a cognitive toolkit readily available. That includes regularly connecting with gratitude, optimism, kindness, and acknowledging that the full emotional landscape, even the negative side, is part of the human experience. That reframe alone is a really regenerative practice.

And then on the mental side, we have things like inducing a “challenge stress” mindset. How are you framing adversity and processing it if you fail? Is it an opportunity to grow, learn, and improve? In focusing on this mindset, we really start to mobilize and overcome those challenges.

With Gen Z, where there is evidence that the stress of today’s workplace is taking a toll on their well-being, those practices really become important. And our philosophy is that we are each responsible for getting our needs met. There is an individual component to ensure that I’m showing up at my best regularly. How am I regularly recovering my energy? Because I understand that’s a key to thriving and putting my best foot forward.

Q: What is one of the biggest, most draining things for Gen Z that might be different from other generations?

A: Long meetings, for sure. And I know that’s not specific to just Gen Z, but meeting hygiene has been a big area of focus for our company culture. I definitely find it difficult to focus and stay motivated during extensive meetings, as do over a third of Gen Z employees.

There’s also evidence around the development of dopamine that plays out in difficulty sticking to tasks for long periods of time. Dopamine works as the brain’s motivator. It motivates towards some tasks that will come with a reward. We’ve evolved for thousands of years to have a dopamine spike, and then a pursuit of something, and then the reward. And the convenience created by things like technology takes away that middle chunk, the pursuit, which is more or less integral to the brain development that we’ve evolved to have. So, rather than pursuit then reward, we can simply seek out rewards. This can create a gap when we get to the workplace where we’re going to be working on a project for a few months at a time. As a consequence, simply of the environment in which we grew up, patience and persistence can be even more of a challenge.

Q: Now, looking at this subject from a personal perspective rather than a collective, what informs your ideas about the workforce and workplace culture?

A: Through my college curriculum, I gained an understanding of human biology, psychology, and sociology to maximize performance in any discipline. I learned there are certain mindset characteristics that peak performers across all disciplines demonstrate, and all of them are learnable with the right guidance. A perspective I hold on to is not to see well-being and productivity as a tradeoff, but understanding well-being as the foundational element that makes peak performance possible. We can’t possibly perform at our best unless we’re physically energized and mentally positive, clear, and focused.

My time at Regenerate has reinforced this: better physical health, mental focus, and greater happiness are all correlated with increased career and business outcomes. Yet, in many ways it’s countercultural.

Hustle culture is so deeply ingrained in American work. I absolutely love the idea that we can achieve success with enough hard work and persistence, and that’s great if you truly love working and value that above all else. But many professionals are struggling. They’re feeling burnout or other health symptoms and need to continue showing up for their families and peers.

Regenerate helped me to understand these challenges as an energy problem.  There’s a need to balance working hard with working smart by understanding and respecting how the human system is meant to operate. We draw on this body of work to create practical guidance for people who have nothing left in the tank and their organizations to strive for an energy-inspired culture.

Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Regenerate, for sponsoring this sponsor spotlight. If you’re interested in hearing more on this topic as well as Regenerate’s mission, tune into their workshop during our September virtual conference.

Erin Behrens is a member of the editorial staff of From Day One.