How to Attract Gen Z Workers to Your Business

January 11, 2021
  • Research shows that Gen Z is attracted to workplaces that promote an inclusive and diverse environment.
  • If you can meet their needs, Gen Z will be your most loyal and hardworking employee.
  • To attract and retain Gen Z workers, you will need to understand what they are looking for in a job so you can make the necessary changes.
  • Careful planning for this new generation of the workforce will not only help boost your fill rate, but it will definitely help promote your business in many ways because this generation is the savviest on the internet, has more entrepreneurial aspirations, and is very skilled in the tech arena. 

Similar to how companies started to develop recruitment strategies for millennials a few years ago, it’s about time to do the same with the next wave of job seekers who are entering the workplace – the Gen Z employees.

Born between the years 1997-2012, Gen Z is considered the youth of today. With their unique talents and ingenuity, they indeed are the future shapers of the economic and business landscape. If you are planning to attract Gen Z workers to join your organization, here are some tips on making your company more attractive to this group of young and driven people.

By 2030, the number of Gen Z employees in the workforce is expected to triple. People who were born between 1997 and 2015 are expected to make up 30% of the global workforce. And as such, they are expected to shape the workplace culture for the next few decades.

Attracting and retaining Gen Z talent

Research shows that Gen Z is attracted to workplaces that promote an inclusive and diverse environment. This is the generation that values occupations that align with their moral and social values, so if you are looking forward to attracting Gen Z workers to your business, be prepared to implement some changes. If you can meet their needs, Gen Z will be your most loyal and hardworking employee. In the workforce, Generation Z is known for being motivated and driven toward success.

A study conducted by The Center for Generational Kinetics showed that members of the Gen Z workforce prioritize salary, flexible schedules, benefits, and company culture over technology and the ability to work remotely.

To attract and retain Gen Z workers, you will need to understand what they are looking for in a job so you can make the necessary changes. Careful planning for this new generation of the workforce will not only help boost your fill rate, but it will definitely help promote your business in many ways because this generation is the savviest on the internet, has more entrepreneurial aspirations, and is very skilled in the tech arena.  Having tech-savvy, independent, and ingenious employees can propel your business to tremendous success.

Related: How to Future-Proof Your Organization Through Leadership and Mentorship

Four Tips on How to Attract Gen Z Workers to Your Business

TIP 1: Keep up with the Technology

Keep in mind that Gen Z heavily relies on technology. They usually have the latest gadgets, have the latest apps for almost everything, and are exposed to all the wonders that technology can do. This means you need to invest in your company’s social media presence if you want to get their attention. A sub-par website, inconsistent branding, and lack of relevant or enticing digital footprint turn a Gen Z off like no other.

Update your website, automate your current recruitment process, and step up on the social media game. Post ads on diverse channels because Gen Z will not read hiring ads in printed newspapers. Also, if you have reviews on your website, all the better. This new generation will not spend their precious time running after a job with a company that does not have even a single review.

Related: The Pivot to Online Recruitment: Tips and Tricks to Get the Best Candidates

TIP 2: Make Work-Life Balance a Priority

Gen Z people can be highly independent and do not like the idea of traditional 9-5 jobs. This means flexible work schedules and opportunities to work remotely must be on the plate. Your recruiter should highlight these things during the hiring process in order to capture their attention. With so many current work opportunities that allow remote work, a job that requires them to commute and sit in a cubicle for hours will not entice them.

Because Gen Z values their independence so much this means that they have mastered the skill of ownership and accountability when it comes to working. This is in order for them to maintain such freedom to pursue other interests without compromising their responsibilities.

TIP 3: Recognition for Doing Amazing Jobs

This does not just include competitive compensation and company perks; this means letting them know that they can expect regular feedback from senior management. As much as they love independence, employee engagement is a must for them to feel valued and motivated.

Bear in mind that Gen Z is open-minded to changes in society and may be sensitive to injustices. It means that as an organization, you must be an advocate for equality in all areas. When they feel that a company’s values are aligned with their beliefs in life, they may have earned some of the most loyal talents.

TIP 4: They Love a Good Challenge

As young as they are, Gen Z is highly competitive and looks forward to personal and occupational advancement. Make it clear during the first hiring stage that the company will invest in its development. With more people pursuing higher education, Gen Z is at the forefront of achieving new educational heights. Being likely to come from parents with college or bachelor’s degrees, they know the value of academic and career advancement; many of whom take online courses to earn or develop new skills.

Related: Delivering Growth and Pivoting for the Future with Resilient Leadership

Providing Gen Z with opportunities to level up their skills can benefit both the talent and the organization. If Gen Z talent feels valued, they become loyal to their employers, and guess where they will apply what they have learned? Who will benefit from all these acquired knowledge and skills? Your business. This is how Gen Z can propel your business to new heights.

Attracting Gen Z to work for you will be different compared to what you did for Gen Xers and the millennials. Different but highly doable. This time it is more about transparency, efficiency, and values.

CDA is here to help you land your dream job!

Curran Daly & Associates is a specialized executive search firm that values specialization above all. We have dedicated recruiters who are subject matter experts in their field.

Our holistic and targeted approach to executive search service will help executives find the right role for the right organization. Contact us to learn more.  

By: Curran Daly + Associates

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Jerry Amores

Practice Lead, Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance

Areas of Expertise

Manager to C- Suite Level

Banking (Retail Banking, Corporate Banking, Investment Banking, Private/Wealth management, Digital), Financial Services (Traditional, remittance, alternative finance, fintech), Insurance ( Life, Non-life, Reinsurance, Insur-tech)

With over 11 years of Executive Search experience, Jerry Amores has built a strong track record in leading talent acquisition strategies and delivering end-to-end recruitment solutions across APAC. His expertise spans Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI), Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), and a wide range of Talent Solutions, allowing him to support organizations with scalable, efficient, and high-impact hiring programs.

Jerry brings nine years of management experience, during which he has led multi-geography recruitment teams, strengthened operational performance, and fostered strong stakeholder partnerships. He has consistently driven process optimization, team development, and service excellence, while managing senior client relationships and ensuring the successful delivery of executive, specialist, and volume hiring projects.

Grounded in his background in Psychology, Jerry is deeply passionate about mental health and people development, which shapes his leadership philosophy and collaborative approach. He is committed to creating supportive, productive, and growth-oriented environments—both for his teams and the clients he serves—while continuously elevating recruitment standards and talent strategy impact.

 

Pam Delas Alas

Client Relations and Digital Marketing Lead

I shape the digital presence of Curran Daly & Associates through thoughtful branding, strategic content, and marketing that connects with the right audience.

Pam is a digital marketing and client relations professional with nearly a decade of experience in B2B lead generation, brand strategy, and early-stage sales enablement. She specializes in content that connects, campaigns that convert, and client journeys that start strong.

She started her marketing journey in 2016, gaining hands-on experience in business development, campaign execution, and client acquisition. She later took on lead generation and digital asset management as a Digital Marketing and Client Executive. Today, she drives branding and marketing at Curran Daly & Associates—boosting SEO visibility, launching outbound campaigns, and supporting lead generation and client onboarding. With a sharp eye for strategy and a collaborative style, Pam helps turn first impressions into long-term partnerships.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing Management from Far Eastern University – Diliman and is passionate about using content to elevate brand image, drive recall, and support business growth. Her work spans branding, digital strategy, SEO, and client acquisition—contributing to how the firm builds presence and fosters long-term success.

Honey de los Reyes

Financial Controller

I bring discipline and dedication to finance and accounting—driving growth by transforming numbers into strategic insights, anchored in integrity and operational excellence.

Honey is a results-driven finance leader with over a decade of experience in accounting, taxation, and financial operations—spanning both professional service firms and corporate finance environments. She brings together deep technical proficiency and a commercial mindset to streamline financial systems, ensure full regulatory compliance, and support strategic growth.

As a Certified Public Accountant, Honey started her career in public practice, gaining a strong foundation in audit, tax, and regulatory advisory. She later transitioned into corporate finance, where she broadened her impact by managing end-to-end finance functions—from daily operations and payroll to high-level budgeting and forecasting.

She joined Curran Daly & Associates as Financial Controller, where she plays a critical role in financial leadership, systems transformation, and business process optimization. Beyond financial reporting, Honey partners closely with operational and executive teams to strengthen internal controls, drive cost efficiency, and support long-term planning.

Throughout her career, she has developed a strong reputation for operational excellence, collaborative leadership, and unwavering integrity. She brings both discipline and heart to her work—mentoring and empowering stakeholders with clear, actionable financial insights.

Honey holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accountancy and is a licensed CPA in the Philippines. She is passionate about continuous improvement and upholding financial excellence in a rapidly changing business environment.

 

James Kopp

Regional Director

Trusted recruitment partner for senior roles in CX, Sales, Operations, and Transformation across Southeast Asia and ANZ.

Areas of Expertise
Specialising in retained search assignments for senior and executive level leadership roles.

James Kopp began his executive search career in 1996 with de Jager Executive Search in Sydney, specializing in Automotive and Technology markets.

He later held leadership roles at Interim Technology, Spherion, and Korn Ferry Futurestep, before establishing Curran & Associates Melbourne in 2005.

For over 20 years, James has been Director of Executive Search at Curran & Associates, focusing on IT, Sales, Operations, and CX senior appointments across Australia and Asia.

He recently joined sister company Curran Daly & Associates to support executive search across the APAC region.

Previously, James spent 15 years at Toyota Motor Corporation Australia, leading regional and national divisions, including Lexus and Customer Relations. He holds qualifications in business and human resources and is a certified EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360 practitioner.

 

Cess Rañola

General Manager, Recruitment

Passionate advocate of Human Resources with more than a decade of bringing people and opportunities together.
Areas of Expertise
  • Executive Search in FMCG,
  • Renewable Energy,
  • Industrial Manufacturing,
  • Infrastructure,
  • Semiconductor,
  • Real Estate & Construction,
  • 3PLs and Hospitality

Princess “Cess” Rañola has been bringing people and opportunities together for more than a decade as a Talent Acquisition Leader and Strategist for both internal and external firms, including Fortune 500 and local conglomerate companies. Throughout her career, she has skillfully combined her business sense, strong people skills, business growth, and strategic approach that impacts all of her stakeholders.


She joined Curran Daly as one of its transformation leaders in 2023, responsible for overseeing the recruitment operations in the Philippines—all while performing senior management and executive-level assignments in a variety of industries. Cess has a strong reputation and a good eye for finding the right candidates for every role— with a successful track record recruiting top talents from entry-level positions to C-suite executive leadership roles in a wide range of industries, including but not limited to Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), Renewable Energy, Industrial Manufacturing, Infrastructure, Semiconductor, Real Estate & Construction, 3PLs, and Hospitality. She also advised start-ups and non-engineering companies with notable key leadership placements in the BPO, IT, Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) industries.


Cess holds MBA credits from Singapore Business School, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from De La Salle University-Lipa. She is a Certified DDI Behavioral, a Certified Targeted Selection® Recruiter, and a Certified Social Sourcing Recruiter (CSSR).

Margaret Agustin

PRACTICE LEAD

Talent matchmaking success through strategic sourcing approach and dependable client and candidate partnership.

Meg brings 19 years of total experience in talent acquisition, including 11 years in executive search with Curran Daly and Associates. She currently serves as Practice Lead for the BPO and Shared Services Tower, where she leads a specialized recruitment team delivering end-to-end hiring solutions for companies across the sector.

Her practice partners with BPO and Shared Services companies of all shapes and sizes—from established market leaders to start-ups, as well as organizations scaling rapidly or launching new teams in the Philippines for the first time. Meg and her team support both niche volume hiring and senior leadership searches across all major job families, with deep expertise in Finance, Operations, and Human Resources.

Meg has extensive experience managing retained search and project-based assignments, with a strong track record of successfully closing leadership roles from manager level through to C-suite. She is particularly effective in reviving aging or difficult-to-fill roles, leveraging her extensive market network and long-standing relationships to unlock talent that is not readily accessible through traditional channels.

Her key strengths lie in relationship-driven recruitment—building trusted partnerships with both clients and candidates to ensure alignment beyond skills alone, and consistently delivering the right long-term fit for complex and business-critical hires.

Paula Piala

PRACTICE LEAD

Areas of Expertise
  • Sales and Marketing (Mid to C-Suite level)
  • FMCG (Food and Non-Food), Retail (Luxury, Fast Fashion, Automotive), Healthcare (Ethical Pharma, Consumer Healthcare, Lifesciences, Medical Devices, Healthcare Services)
Paula is a seasoned recruitment professional with seven years of experience, bringing a wealth of expertise in technical recruitment, client management, and strategic hiring practices across multiple industries.
  Her career began after university when she joined a global financial technology company as an internal technical recruiter, gaining a deep understanding of the nuances of technical recruitment. Seeking broader exposure, Paula joined a global recruitment consulting firm, where she spent five years growing her career. There, she became a Consultant for the Sales and Marketing team, specializing in recruitment within the FMCG, retail, professional services, and healthcare sectors.
  Throughout her career, Paula has consistently demonstrated her ability to excel in client and account management, business development, and strategic recruitment planning. She has successfully placed high-caliber candidates in a range of roles across local and global FMCG companies, fast-fashion retailers, ethical and consumer healthcare organizations, and the financial services industry.
  Paula is also a passionate advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (ED&I). She believes in creating equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of gender, age, or nationality, fostering inclusive work environments. For her, recruitment is not just a profession but a platform for building long-term, meaningful relationships that drive success for both candidates and clients.
  Her dedication, industry expertise, and commitment to ED&I make Paula a trusted partner for any organization looking to find and nurture top talent.

Fab Javier

PRACTICE LEAD

Areas of Expertise
  • Technical Roles (developers – CTO level)
  • Commercial (finance, sales, accounting)
  • Industry expertise: IT/technical, start-up, banking, fintech & insurance
Fab has more than 7 years of experience in recruitment, including 2 years in a leadership role. She is skilled at aligning technical talent with business goals across various industries, including IT, BFSI, FMCG, and global markets.
  She began her career as a technical recruiter at an IT consulting company. After 2 years, she moved to an HK-based recruitment firm, followed by 2 years at a local recruitment firm. She then returned to an IT consulting firm before joining Curran Daly as a Practice Lead. Fab has a proven track record of recruiting top talent for both technical and non-technical roles, including IT Business Analysts, Solutions Architects, Developers (Java, iOS, Android, etc.), IT Project Managers, and Solutions Designers. She also has experience recruiting for executive positions such as CTO and CISO.
  With her extensive experience in recruitment, Fab is confident that she can deliver results while ensuring good relationships with her clients and candidates.

Aya Manzon

SENIOR CONSULTANT

Areas of Expertise
  • Technical Hiring (Engineering, Construction, & Infrastructure)
  • Technology Hiring (IT Managers, Cloud/Infra/Development)
  • Support Functions (Sales, HR, Accounting & Finance)

Aya is a skilled HR and Recruitment professional with over 7 years of experience, beginning her career in HR Administration before discovering her passion for Recruitment. She started with Compensation & Benefits and Payroll but transitioned to Recruitment, where she has excelled for the past 6 years.
Her recruitment expertise spans PH Executive Search across industries such as Engineering, Construction, Infrastructure, Fintech, Shared Services, BPO, Logistics, Start-ups, Technology, Industrial Manufacturing, and Healthcare. She has successfully placed talent in diverse functions—including Engineering, IT/Technology, Finance & Accounting, HR, and Sales & Marketing—covering roles from management to C-level executives.
She is highly proficient in Full Cycle Recruitment, Account Management, and Business Development, with a proven ability to deliver exceptional results. Aya’s additional skills include Process Improvement, Recruitment Marketing, Talent Mapping, Niche and Volume Hiring, and Negotiations.
Passionate about fostering meaningful connections, Aya understands the importance of aligning organizational culture and values with candidate skills and career goals. Her approach ensures long-term success for both clients and candidates, focusing on building strong relationships that drive growth and achieve mutual goals.

Karen Magat

PRACTICE LEAD

Bringing world-class talents to every organization by glorifying his name through my lifelong mission of providing jobs for EveryJUAN.
  • Areas of Expertise
  • Leadership to Rank and File Hiring and Volume Hiring
  • Commercial (Finance and Accounting, Sales, Marketing, Human Resources, Business Development, Operations)
    Supply Chain and Logistics
  • Technical Engineering for Manufacturing and Industrial
  • Industry Expertise/Exposure: Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Manufacturing, Industrial, Semiconductor, QSR, Hospitality, Retail, Life Science, Supply Chain and Logistics and Start-Ups
Karen brings with her a decade of experience in the Human Resources and Recruitment field, she took a leap of faith when she started an HR role for a manufacturing company, after working for 2 years in the Hospitality Industry and eventually began her recruitment journey in a local manpower firm, catering to clients across various service-oriented industries and gaining exposure to both volume and mass hiring.
  After her tenure in the local manpower industry, she transitioned to become a full-time HR Practitioner and showcasing her skills by taking impactful roles, focusing on Talent Acquisition, Employee Engagement, Talent Management, and Employee Relations. This enabled her to develop into an effective communicator and a trusted business partner with the service-oriented companies she worked with.
  In 2021, Karen reunited with her ‘first love’ (Recruitment) by joining one of the country’s largest executive search firms as a Senior Recruiter. She was part of the top-notch recruitment team, supporting clients from diverse industries and fostering strong, harmonious professional relationships. As a recruitment business partner, she consistently provided the best talents suitable for both our internal and external stakeholders’ organizations. Karen steadily progressed to the role of Executive Search Manager, consistently exceeding her targets, and successfully filling roles across different industries.
  Leveraging her extensive HR experience, Karen is also passionate about leading learning and development, employee engagement, values formation, and corporate social responsibility projects. She is now part of CDA’s core leadership team and pioneered the Consumer Goods, Hospitality, Retail, Life Sciences, and 3PL tower.

Margarita Morelos

PRACTICE LEAD

Empowering Careers and Businesses with Top Talent, Connecting People to Opportunities for Growth and Success.
Margarita brings over a decade of expertise in IT and corporate recruitment. Her career journey reflects a steadfast commitment to fostering a collaborative and equitable work environment, with a strong focus on consistent results.
  Margarita Morelos has a proven track record of recruiting top talent across a diverse range of industries, successfully placing candidates in roles from associates to C-suite executives. Her expertise is particularly strong in the Information Technology (IT) sector, where she has filled key positions such as CIO, CTO, and VP of Data Analytics, as well as roles in software development and system architecture.
  Additionally, Margarita has achieved significant placements in both local and international companies, ranging from start-ups to large conglomerates, as well as within the banking and financial services sector, recruiting key leadership roles. She has also been successful in placing corporate leaders, including CFOs, HR heads, and general managers, in various industries such as renewable energy, industrial manufacturing, and real estate.
  Her strategic approach to sourcing, along with her extensive industry network, enables her to meet the unique recruitment needs of each client, ensuring successful placements and fostering lasting partnerships.

Leigh Teo

Associate Director, Executive Search

Helping organizations find their next stars through data-driven insights and human-centered strategies. Let’s connect and redefine talent acquisition together.
Areas of Expertise
  • Sales and Marketing (Management, Operations, Research and Development)
  • Legal Practice (Corporate/Commercial Law, Regulatory and Compliance, Contract Management, Taxation)
Leigh is an industry expert with more than 11 years of successful experience in full life cycle experience in recruitment covering in-house and recruitment firm set up for volume, entry, and executive-level positions. She has proven ability to foster relationships for industries like Consumer, Life Science, Technology, Industrial, and Business Process Outsourcing opportunities.
  Leigh began her career in recruiting at a top Business Process Outsourcing Company in Cebu, Philippines as Recruitment Officer for 5 years. In 2013, she moved to Manila to join Curran Daly and Associates, initially as a Recruitment Consultant before being promoted to Senior Consultant in a role where she was responsible for middle management and senior-level assignments for roles across Southeast Asia. Leigh rejoined Curran Daly in 2021 after spending some time with a Singapore-based executive search firm dedicated to supporting Asia Pacific requisitions.
  Leigh knows that people hire people, not resumes. Companies are not just looking for a set of qualifications that match a job description. She is most fulfilled when helping people to grow professionally. Her vision and ability to nurture relationships lead to long-term solutions and success.

Kevin Fitzgerald

Director, Executive Search

My clients and my candidates are one and the same, I strive to deliver quality candidates to my clients and a quality service to my candidates.
Areas of Expertise
  • Senior and Executive Operations
  • Finance
  • Project Management
Kevin spent more than 20 years working in procurement and project/finance management, predominantly in an international development environment. His career has taken him all over the world, enjoying both short and long-term working assignments in a variety of countries, from Angola to Uzbekistan, taking in the likes of Bolivia, Egypt, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, and Zambia along the way.
  He arrived in the Philippines in 2008, initially managing Japanese government-funded development projects around the country, before joining Curran Daly as a Senior Management Consultant in 2015.
  Kevin became a Director of the company in 2017 from which point he managed Senior Management and Executive level assignments across various industries notably in the areas of Operations, Finance, and Project Management.
  Kevin has a thorough/process-driven approach to his work, leaving no rock unturned, an approach warmly received by both his clients and his candidates which has in no small part led to him building a strong network of Senior/Executive level business contacts across the region.

Geoff Curan

MANAGING DIRECTOR, AUSTRALIA

Keep fit, love my family, sport and the Italian language.

Areas of Expertise
Executive Search in Sales, Service, Analytics, and, BPO – Australia, Philippines

Geoff Curran has a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Western Australia and over twenty years experience as a specialist recruitment practitioner. During that time he has worked with organizations to secure talent at the middle and senior levels.

Geoff began his recruitment career in Perth in the early 1980s. After several years with a national management consulting firm, he joined Arthur Andersen & Co. to establish its executive recruitment division.

In 1989, Geoff moved to Sydney and at Morgan and Banks specialized in recruiting for accounting and finance. He then spent two years in London, further developing his skills in this field. He returned to Sydney in 1994 and joined Margot Davis and Company, a recruitment consultancy which specialized in marketing, advertising, and marketing communications. He subsequently became a shareholder and a director in said business.

Geoff established Curran + Associates in 1998. His approach to executive recruitment and search is founded on several basic principles: knowledge gained through specialization, being relevant to both clients and candidates, and delivering outcomes quickly and efficiently. In 2009, he started a business in the Philippines, this time focused on executive appointments to the BPO sector. In 2014, it became what is now known as Curran Daly & Associates.

Geoff Daly

Managing Director, South East Asia

Rugby and cricket tragic, scuba diver, and traveller!
With over eighteen years in senior HR roles, Geoff has enjoyed a successful HR career “assisting business leaders with solutions to their people issues.” Working across several industry sectors, Geoff has had a long career in international HR with assignments in Eastern Europe and East Africa, first having worked in China and Hong Kong back in 1996. Geoff’s strength is being able to create rapport with business leaders of all backgrounds and understanding the way to get the best performance from a multi-cultural workforce.
  Since 2007, Geoff has been providing HR consulting services into the Philippines, relocating permanently to said Southeast Asian country in early 2009. This in-country experience has given Geoff a unique understanding of Philippine culture as well as issues that impact the sourcing of outstanding people for clients.
  Geoff joined Curran Daly & Associates in 2009. Geoff holds an MBA from Melbourne Business School and a Bachelor of Business in HR. Back in Sydney, he was an active surf lifesaver, spending over ten years patrolling Coogee Beach. Geoff is also a passionate rugby and cricket tragic, and in more recent years has fashioned himself into an avid global traveler and keen scuba diver.