The eldest members of Gen Z, the group born from 1997 to 2012, are starting to enter the workforce in large numbers. And they’re demanding change. These young employees are very vocal about what they’re looking for professionally, and business leaders should listen. To remain competitive, this is a critically important demographic to attract. Luckily, what they’re asking for isn’t complicated. Learning and development opportunities are crucial for Gen Z. According to a recent LinkedIn report, 76 percent of Gen Z workers see learning as key to their professional advancement. This desire to learn, grow, and upskill has been bolstered by a lifetime of economic uncertainty and the current conditions of the labor marketplace. Gen Z feels holding competitive advantages in terms of skill sets is important to their job security. They want to work in organizations with cultures of learning where training is available but not mandated. L&D should be presented as a benefit rather than a chore, and Gen Z employees want to be able to self-direct their learning experiences.