It’s no secret that Generative AI (GenAI) is here and it’s here to stay.
And while conversations surrounding its impact on the application cycle this past year have dominated the space, with many employers still navigating their way towards a business standpoint, best practices and how to adopt its use for their own efficiencies, we start to look at its impact more widely – on employer brand.
We brought together Mohamed Ali, an avid Gen Z user of AI, with Oscar Sadler, Head of Client Strategy at Wiser with experience working with a variety of clients across the early careers space, to uncover where Gen Z and employers align – and don’t - when it comes to GenAI.
Watch the video at the bottom of this page to hear their conversation and read our advice about how organisations can start to innovate in their workplaces as they embrace new tech, and how to embed all of that into employer brand strategies to attract the best talent.
Our advice to employers
As a starting point, encourage personal learning: we know it’s not always as simple as just starting to use the tools across your whole role, so instead, you and your teams should use the tools in simple tasks (such as copy editing) or in your free time. Own your personal upskilling! This will provide that base level of understanding as to why Gen Z are using AI as second nature and give you more informed opinions on how it could potentially be introduced across your workplace for improving efficiencies.
Guide experimentation with the tools: bring your improved confidence in using AI to your team by setting purposeful advice and guidance for AI experimentation, based on your experiences so far. Encouraging a culture of ongoing learning and upskilling will help your teams stay agile.
Strike the balance between enthusiasm and caution: as we know, it's crucial to approach the adoption of AI carefully, ensuring robust data security and risk management measures are in place. Find your internal champions for AI and use them to teach and advise others. In the long-term, you might consider having someone in a full-time AI representative role who will lead on the implementation of AI, managing the risks and crafting official team training.
Highlight your use of cutting-edge tech: showcasing your company’s commitment to innovation by adopting AI and other emerging technologies in your marketing is a big draw, especially for Gen Z. It’s a great way to position the organisation as forward-thinking and attract top candidates like Mohamed.
Be open about your AI approach: transparency is key. Make sure your AI policies and guidelines are communicated clearly to your team. This builds trust and helps everyone feel confident about the role of AI in the company, including your early careers teams when they’re speaking to students. If you’re not exactly where you want to be with AI adoption yet, be transparent about this too. Through better communication, we can foster better understanding between Gen Z and employers.
Make AI part of your culture: any AI initiatives should be genuine and integrated into your company’s culture and day-to-day operations if you’re going to shout about it in your marketing campaigns. Avoid surface-level promises. At our Illuminate Conference, Wiser told us that 78% of Gen Z believe employers are 'all talk' and say things they don't mean, so don’t fall into this trap of inauthenticity – Gen Z will see through this.
(If you're completely new to using AI, check out our AI guide designed for our Bright Network members, but relevant for anyone getting started with AI usage!)
Watch the full video below
Want to talk more about AI and your employer brand? We’re here to support. Reach out to your Account Manager or email us.