Managing and Motivating the Incoming Workforce : A Qualitative Study of Generation Z's Views on Talent Management in the Early Career Stage

Sammanfattning

Background: As Generation Z increasingly enters the workforce, organizations face challenges in attracting, retaining, and developing this generation of professionals. Gen Z brings distinct values, expectations, and motivations shaped by digitalization and a demand for flexibility. These shifts place increasing pressure on organizations to adapt their talent management strategies. Limited previous research has explored how Gen Z employees themselves perceive and engage with these practices, highlighting the need for deeper insight into what drives their workplace motivation and long-term commitment. Purpose: The purpose is to explore how newly graduated Gen Z employees with 1-3 years of white-collar experience perceive and engage with talent management practices, with a focus on what attracts, motivates, and retains them. It aims to deepen understanding of their motivations, contributing both to the theoretical understanding of talent management and offering guidance for organizations seeking to manage this generation more effectively. Method: The study uses a qualitative design based on ten in-depth semi-structured interviews with newly graduated Gen Z employees in white-collar roles in Sweden. An inductive, thematic analysis was used to explore how participants perceive and engage with talent management practices and what motivates them at work. Conclusion: This study found that Gen Z employees perceive talent management practices not just as organizational tools, but as direct reflections of how much an employer values, supports, and trusts them. Practices that fulfill their psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness are key to attracting, retaining, and developing this generation. Their motivation is especially driven by recognition and opportunities for growth, with personalized and inclusive environments fostering stronger commitment, while traditional or rigid approaches are viewed as outdated.