Engaging Gen Z with employee comms: How to speak their language

Gen Z expects workplace communication to be fast, engaging, and mobile-first. Is your internal communications strategy keeping up?

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Gen Z. Digital natives. Zoomers.

Whatever you want to call them, they’re making waves in the workplace.

This cohort of employees, born between 1997 and 2012, now makes up 18% of the workforce. And by 2030 — as more Boomers and Gen Xers retire — that figure is expected to rise to 30%.

When it comes to engaging Gen Z at work, it’s not a case of business as usual. Zoomers, some of whom have been working for a decade now, are bringing fresh energy — and expectations — to the workplace. And internal communications is one area where this shift is becoming increasingly evident.

Gen Z prefers mobile-first, fast-moving, and highly visual employee communications. They value transparency and authenticity, which means traditional, top-down communications will feel increasingly dated and ineffective.

So how do you get Gen Z to take notice of your internal communications? You learn to speak their language.

Here’s how to craft effective communication that is sure to inspire the interest and loyalty of your Zoomer workforce.

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Understanding Gen Z’s digital DNA

Start by getting to know the communication habits and preferences of your Gen Z employees.

Zoomers are digital natives, used to frequently switching between devices and platforms. They tend to look for answers online first — before they send an email or talk to a coworker face-to-face.

This generation also grew up in the era of social media, where communication is instant, interactive, and highly visual. They’ve known nothing else.

So long-winded emails and PDFs don’t just fall flat — they tend to get ignored. Zoomers expect short-form, snackable content that gets straight to the point. And they like having the opportunity to add their voices to the conversation, too.

Authenticity, inclusivity, and relatability are other Gen Z communication must-haves for your internal communications strategy. Corporate-speak and overly polished messaging simply don’t resonate. Zoomers are more likely to believe in your messaging when it acknowledges challenges and complexities, not just successes.

Key takeaway: Internal communication efforts should be concise, visual, and real to match Gen Z’s digital communication style.

Crafting messages that stick

Once you’ve gotten to grips with what Gen Z expects from your internal communications plan, it’s time to create messages that grab their attention and stick in their memory. To do that, get creative and try to include at least one of these guiding internal comms principles in your messages.

Tell a story

Stories spark an emotional connection between your organization and employees. They highlight real people and create a positive culture. And they take an audience on a journey — usually from a problem or conflict toward a resolution.

So use real employee experiences, personal anecdotes, customer stories, and behind-the-scenes content to make your messages more engaging for Gen Z workers.

Make it visual

Traditionally, internal communications have been text-based. But that isn’t how Zoomers like to get their information. Incorporate GIFs, emojis, memes, and videos to catch the eye and cut through the noise of internal comms.

With these visual assets, you say more with less, which leans into Gen Z’s preference for concise and straight-to-the-point messaging.

Use humor and personality

Gen Z appreciates informality and wit. So don’t be afraid to show some humor and personality in your employee communications. It’s a way to humanize your brand voice and make messaging more relatable.

Just be sure to strike the right balance: Keep humor inclusive, relevant, and aligned with your company culture. And, of course, when addressing serious or sensitive topics, it’s best to avoid humor altogether.

Leverage interactivity

Posting creative, eye-catching content isn’t enough. Interactivity is another important part of the picture. Polls, quizzes, and reaction buttons ensure high levels of employee engagement and facilitate conversations with two-way communications.

But you can take it even further. By responding to comments and acting upon employee feedback, you show that business leaders genuinely care about the employee experience — helping you foster an even more engaged workforce.

Key takeaway: Think social media, not corporate memo. Make your messages fun and visual — and encourage employee participation, too.

Borrowing from social media

Love it or loathe it, social media should be your main inspiration for your internal communication strategy in 2025. Digital platforms like TikTok and Instagram are expert at generating engagement and keeping users coming back for more. And they set the standard for how Gen Z consumes content.

So play by the social media rule book, creating fast, visual, and interactive content that wouldn’t look out of place on your employees’ favorite feed. To do that, incorporate the following.

User-generated content (UGC)

For the ultimate in authenticity, encourage employees to create and share their own workplace stories. Facilitate peer communication and recognition posts. Launch a content challenge where employees share content around a particular theme. Encourage employees to film their own day-in-the-life videos.

There are so many options to incorporate UGC into your internal communications strategy — you just need to guide employee content creators in the right direction.

Mobile-first design

Where do Gen Z turn first when they’re seeking information and connection? You guessed it. Their smartphones. Your internal communication platform should mimic the accessibility and ease of use of mobile social media apps. And the mobile experience should match the experience employees are getting on desktop. This ensures that office-based staff, remote workers, and frontline employees get the same seamless user experience.

Ephemeral content

Limited-time posts — like the ones you get on Instagram Stories and Snapchat Snaps — drive authenticity. Because when a post is here today and gone tomorrow, there’s no need for it to be perfect. Ephemeral content also boosts internal comms engagement because it produces a sense of urgency. Employees check in with your platform regularly for fear of missing out.

Algorithm-style recommendations

Think back to the last time you scrolled social media. Chances are you saw a news feed filled with content from your favorite people and about your favorite topics. Gen Z employees are used to getting tailored experiences like these. So your internal communications tools should be capable of personalization. When employees see messages that relate directly to them, their roles, location, and interests, they’re more likely to take notice.

Key takeaway: Take inspiration from social media to draw Gen Z employees to your internal communication channels — and keep them there.

Turning employees into influencers

Research shows that Gen Z tends toward being skeptical and mistrustful — particularly when it comes to traditional authority figures. In the workplace, they’re more likely to trust their peers over corporate messaging.

Harness the power of peer trust by turning employees into internal comms influencers. Look at your internal communication channels to identify internal content creators who naturally engage their colleagues. Then, give them the time and resources they need to share internal messages.

Over the long term, these influencers can become trusted voices on your intranet or employee app and play a critical role in your company culture.

Key takeaway: Empower employees to be the voice of your internal communications — because Gen Z is more likely to engage with their peers than the C-suite.

Avoiding the “cringe factor”

Like seeing their dad break out his best dance moves at a wedding, “cringey” content will have Gen Z employees backing away from the internal comms dance floor.

Forced trends, outdated slang, and overuse of emojis or GIFs won’t win Zoomers over. They can spot inauthenticity from a mile away. Corporate messaging that tries too hard to be “cool” without understanding the cultural context will likely backfire.

Before jumping on a viral meme or social media trend, ask yourself:

Does this align with our brand voice and company values?
Does it make sense in the context of the message?
Will our employees actually find it relevant and engaging?

If you answer no to any of these questions, let it go.

And — instead of imitating Gen Z’s language or recycling viral posts — focus on what makes their favorite content work. Adopt the principles behind trending content, making your messages short, dynamic, and community-driven, and your content is much more likely to resonate.

Key takeaway: Put your twist on it. Avoid the “cringe factor” by keeping your brand voice and company values front of mind.

Keeping up with trends

Staying relevant doesn’t mean blindly chasing every online trend — but it does mean keeping an eye on how communication is evolving beyond your internal communication platform.

Social media trends shift rapidly. And internal communications teams need an agile approach to stay relevant. Here’s how:

Take stock: Regularly audit content formats and messaging styles to ensure they align with Gen Z’s preferences away from work. Use analytics to gain valuable insights about which content formats and messaging styles are resonating most with your target audience.

Experiment: Stay creative. Test new content formats with a small group of employees before rolling them out to a wider audience. Gather feedback from employees, measure engagement, and update your strategy as required.

Assess your tech: Regularly assess whether your internal communication tools are up to the task. Your internal communications app should mirror the social media experience, offering similar features and functionality. Because, if your platform feels outdated, employee engagement will suffer.

Key takeaway: Keep testing, iterating, and adapting — because Gen Z communication platforms and preferences evolve at lightning speed.

Can your internal communications plan keep up with Gen Z?

Gen Z is reshaping modern workplace communication, demanding fast, interactive, and authentic messaging — delivered straight to their smartphones.

By embracing social media-inspired strategies, fostering two-way interaction, and adopting the trends that align with what your entire organization cares about most, you can design an internal comms strategy that truly speaks their language and build a strong culture of transparency.

And the best part? These changes don’t just benefit Zoomers. In a world where more and more people expect information to be concise, engaging, and mobile-friendly, this style of communication improves the experience for every generation in your workforce.

‍Blink. And craft an internal communication strategy that works for everyone.