Key Takeaways
- Flexibility is non-negotiable. Gen Z workers prioritise work-life balance above all else. Offering flexible rostering through modern scheduling apps that allow for shift swapping is one of the most powerful tools for attracting and retaining them.
- The purpose is the new pay cheque. This generation wants to work for businesses with clear ethical and sustainable values. Highlighting your commitment to local sourcing, waste reduction, or community support is a major recruitment advantage.
- Invest in modern technology. Gen Z are digital natives and have no patience for outdated, clunky systems. A modern, tablet-based POS system, efficient kitchen display screens (KDS), and a team communication app are now baseline expectations for an efficient workplace.
- Mental health support is a core benefit. With one in four young Australians experiencing a mental health issue, openly supporting mental wellbeing is critical. Offering benefits like access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a powerful signal that you care about your team as people, not just as employees.
- Show them a clear path for growth. Gen Z is ambitious and wants to see a future. A simple, structured training plan and a clear, visual career progression chart (e.g., from trainee to team leader to manager) can significantly reduce turnover.
- Recruit where they are, with what they want. Attract Gen Z by advertising on social media and writing job ads that lead with the benefits you offer, like flexibility and team culture, not just a list of demands.
- Manage like a coach, not a boss. Retain Gen Z by explaining the 'why' behind tasks, providing frequent informal feedback, and being transparent about the business's successes and challenges.
Introduction: The new generation shaping your business
As we navigate October 2025, a profound demographic shift is reshaping the Australian hospitality workforce. Gen Z, the generation born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, is no longer an emerging group of part-time staff; they are your new core team members, your future leaders, and the talent you need to survive in a perennially tight labour market. However, this generation comes with a fundamentally different set of expectations about what a "good job" looks like.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), young people represent a significant portion of the hospitality workforce, yet the industry continues to battle high turnover rates. Attracting and retaining this cohort requires moving beyond the traditional playbook. They are not simply looking for a pay cheque; they are looking for flexibility, purpose, and a workplace that reflects their digitally integrated and socially conscious values. This article is a practical guide for Australian hospitality owners on what Gen Z workers truly want and how you can adapt your business to become an employer of choice for the next generation.
Flexibility and the death of the last-minute roster
The number one priority for Gen Z workers is a job that respects their life outside of work. The old hospitality culture of unpredictable, last-minute roster changes is a major deterrent for a generation that values work-life balance.
- Predictability is key: Provide rosters at least two weeks in advance. This allows your team to plan their social lives, studies, and personal appointments, which is a sign of respect for their time.
- Embrace rostering technology: This is the most effective tool for attracting Gen Z. Modern scheduling apps (like Deputy or Tanda) are a game-changer. These platforms allow staff to:
- Easily view their rosters on their phone.
- Set their unavailability in advance.
- Swap shifts with other approved team members without needing a manager to manually intervene.
This level of autonomy and control over their schedule is an incredibly powerful benefit that can set you apart from competitors.
More than a job: The demand for purpose-driven work
Gen Z is the most socially and environmentally conscious generation in history. They actively choose to support, and work for, businesses that align with their values. Simply saying you're an ethical employer is not enough; you need to demonstrate it.
A realistic scenario: The sustainably-minded barista
A talented young barista is choosing between two otherwise identical cafes in Melbourne.
- Cafe A: Has a generic "we care about the environment" statement on its website.
- Cafe B: Actively demonstrates its values. It has a visible composting system for coffee grounds, uses a local, ethical milk supplier, and donates 5% of its profits from keep-cup sales to a local environmental charity.
For a values-driven Gen Z employee, the choice is clear. Cafe B isn't just serving coffee; it's making a positive impact, and they want to be a part of that.
How to showcase your values:
- Sustainability: Highlight your efforts in waste reduction, local sourcing, or energy efficiency. This is not just good for the planet; it's a powerful recruitment tool.
- Community Engagement: Are you involved in local events? Do you support a local charity? Make this a visible part of your brand story.
The right tools for the job: A zero-tolerance policy for bad tech
As digital natives, Gen Z has an intuitive understanding of what good technology looks like, and they have very little patience for inefficient, outdated systems. A clunky, slow, or constantly crashing POS system is not just an operational headache; it's a major source of daily frustration for your team.
Investing in a modern, streamlined tech stack is now a baseline expectation for an appealing workplace.
- Modern POS and payment systems: A fast, intuitive, tablet-based POS system with integrated, tap-and-go payment terminals is essential. It makes your team's job easier and less stressful during a busy service.
- Kitchen Display Systems (KDS): Replacing paper dockets with a digital KDS improves accuracy, reduces kitchen noise, and streamlines communication between front-of-house and back-of-house, creating a calmer work environment.
- Team communication apps: Instead of a messy WhatsApp group, use a dedicated team communication app (like Slack or a function within your rostering software) for all work-related announcements. This keeps communication professional and organised.
A culture of wellbeing and mental health support
Openly acknowledging and supporting mental health is critically important to Gen Z. According to the youth mental health foundation headspace, one in four young people in Australia will experience a mental health problem in any given year. A workplace that ignores this reality will be seen as uncaring and out of touch.
- Offer a tangible benefit: Providing your team with access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a powerful and practical way to show you care. An EAP is a confidential counselling service funded by the employer that staff can access for any work or personal issues.
- Train your managers: Equip your managers with basic mental health first aid training. This doesn't make them counsellors, but it gives them the skills to recognise when a team member is struggling and how to connect them with professional support.
- Foster a supportive culture: Create an environment where it's okay for staff to talk about stress and where taking a scheduled break is encouraged, not seen as a sign of weakness.
Show them a future: Training and clear career progression
While hospitality has often been seen as a transient industry, Gen Z workers are ambitious and want to see opportunities for growth. If they can't see a future with your business, they will quickly move on to one where they can.
- Structured training: Don't just throw them in the deep end. Create a simple, structured training plan for all new hires that clearly outlines what they will learn in their first week, first month, and first three months.
- Visible career paths: You don't need a complex corporate hierarchy. Create a simple, visual chart that shows the potential career progression in your venue.
Example Path: Trainee Bartender → Bartender → Senior Bartender → Venue Supervisor → Assistant Manager. - Invest in skills: Offer to pay for external certifications like a Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) refresher, a barista course, or a food safety supervisor course. This shows you are invested in their professional development.
Rethinking your recruitment process
Attracting Gen Z talent requires you to meet them where they are and speak their language. The old methods of posting a dry job description on a single platform are no longer enough. To build a strong pipeline of candidates, you need to rethink your entire recruitment strategy from the ground up.
- Write job ads that sell the experience. Ditch the corporate jargon and the long list of demands. Your job ad is a marketing document. Lead with what you offer them, flexibility, a supportive team culture, training opportunities, and a sense of purpose. Instead of a generic stock photo, use an authentic, high-quality picture of your actual team working together. Better yet, a short, engaging video showcasing a "day in the life" at your venue can be incredibly effective.
- Fish where the fish are. While platforms like SEEK remain important, Gen Z increasingly discovers job opportunities through social media. Post your job openings on your Instagram stories with a clear "link in bio" to apply. Consider running a targeted, visually driven ad on platforms like TikTok that showcases the energy and personality of your workplace. It's about showing, not just telling.
- Partner with local TAFEs and hospitality schools. Build a direct relationship with the institutions that are training the next generation of talent. Reach out to course coordinators and offer to speak to a class, host a site visit for students, or offer work experience placements. This builds a direct, reliable pipeline of motivated candidates before they even hit the open job market.
A guide to day-to-day management and communication
Once you've hired great Gen Z talent, retaining them requires a shift in management style. This generation is not looking for a traditional boss; they are looking for a coach and a mentor. A supportive and transparent management approach is the key to unlocking their potential and fostering long-term loyalty.
- Shift from manager to coach. Gen Z responds best to a collaborative leadership style. Instead of just giving an order, take an extra 30 seconds to explain the "why" behind a task. For example, instead of "Upsell more side dishes," try, "Hey team, let's focus on suggesting sides today. Our food cost on mains has been a little high, and selling more sides will really help us hit our weekly profit target." This context makes them feel like a valued part of the business's success.
- Implement a culture of frequent, informal feedback. Gen Z has grown up in a world of instant digital feedback, and they expect the same at work. Don't wait for a formal six-month performance review to address issues or praise good work. Provide brief, constructive feedback in the moment. A simple "That was a great way you handled that difficult customer" or "Next time, let's try stacking the glasses this way to be more efficient" is far more effective than saving it for later.
- Embrace transparency. Be open with your team about the business's challenges and successes. Share positive customer feedback in your team chat. Celebrate when you hit a record sales week. Being transparent about the business's goals and performance makes your team feel more connected, trusted, and invested in the collective mission.
Conclusion
Attracting and retaining the next generation of hospitality talent requires a fundamental shift in how we think about the employer-employee relationship. Gen Z is not looking for just a job; they are looking for a workplace that offers flexibility, aligns with their values, empowers them with modern tools, supports their wellbeing, and provides a clear path for growth. By understanding and embracing these new expectations, you can move beyond the cycle of high turnover and build a loyal, engaged, and highly effective team that will be the foundation of your business's success for years to come.
