According to the U.S. Labor Department, members of Generation Z will make up 30% of the workforce by 2030. While most veterinary practices employ Gen Z team members (ages 28 or younger), a Resume Templates survey showed that 91% of managers were concerned about hiring Gen Z employees for customer service roles, and 62% had received customer complaints about that age group. I’ve heard similar stories from some veterinary leaders, who say their younger team members sometimes lack soft skills and a genuine desire to serve pet owners.
Given that Gen Z new hires have limited job experience and might lack exceptional interpersonal skills, let’s look at how to create an orientation and onboarding program that sets them up for success.
Establish Clear Expectations
Don’t assume new hires know what you expect from them exactly and how they’re supposed to deliver excellent client service. During orientation, tell them what success looks like in their job role. The following expectations might need clarity:
- Maintain attention to detail.
- Be punctual and professional.
- Always use a positive tone of voice.
- Take the initiative to respond to clients quickly.
- Use specific communication skills to connect with pet owners.
- Ask for co-worker feedback and respond positively to constructive remarks.
After giving a performance review, a practice leader can ask, “What questions do you have about meeting those job expectations?”
Gen Z team members might not understand what exemplary client service means at your clinic. Help them appreciate that pet owners value convenience and a relationship with trusted, caring advisers. Encourage them to visualize what an exceptional client experience looks like and how you will train them to deliver that level of care.
Focus on Purpose
Deloitte’s 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey revealed that 89% of Gen Zers said purpose-driven work influences their motivation and is essential to their job satisfaction. Just over half (54%) said meaningful work is very important when they evaluate potential employers.
Gen Z also wants a sense of belonging and to engage in conversation, so avoid “talking at” them.
Here’s more advice:
- Ask about their values and goals to help you understand their perspectives and motivators.
- Talk about your practice’s mission and core values and how a team member’s role in building client loyalty and compliance helps pets get needed care.
- During training, focus on the “why” of specific job duties, not just the “how.”
- Explain that using specific client communication isn’t just a task to complete but also a way to build connections and trust with pet owners, helping to enhance the human-animal bond.
Set Service Standards
One of the best ways to ensure consistent and exemplary client service is to set clear standards. They should cover the basics, like making eye contact, smiling when greeting a pet owner and using a personalized closing, such as “It was a pleasure seeing you and Bella today,” rather than a generic “Have a good one.”
You can also set standards that help Gen Zers build strong connections with clients. Here are examples of what a receptionist might do during every client interaction:
- Respond to inquiries or requests with a positive phrase, like “I’d be happy to help you” or “Let me see what I can do.”
- Offer at least one engaging comment, such as a compliment or reassuring statement
- Express gratitude. One example is, “Thank you for bringing Chloe in. We’re so happy we get to partner with you to provide her great care.”
Teach Interpersonal Skills
Gen Zers grew up with the internet, smartphones and social media. Being digital natives and maturing during the COVID-19 pandemic might have affected the development of their soft skills. (One Gen Z employee told me she didn’t know how to engage in small talk with clients.)
Since some younger team members might have awkward social skills, help them learn to connect more easily with clients. Discuss how active listening and nonverbal communication, such as smiling, eye contact and nodding one’s head, show interest when clients are talking. Brainstorm with them on questions they can use to initiate conversations. Examples include:
- “What are you and Jake going to do this weekend?”
- “Why did you name her Moxie?”
- “How long has it been since you’ve had a kitten?”
Match Training With Learning Styles
If your practice’s employee training relies on passive instruction and job shadowing, think about redesigning your onboarding program. Here are three ways to align with Gen Z learning styles.
- Change methods: Younger team members who grew up with YouTube, Instagram and TikTok might prefer video and audio instruction over reading articles or training manuals. In addition to sharing online videos with new hires, you can record your own on topics such as how to greet clients and how to schedule appointments. You can also use charts, graphs and other visuals to augment the training. For example, create a flow chart showing the steps for delivering outstanding phone service, and produce brochures or infographics on communicating the benefits of preventive care services to pet owners.
- Keep it short: Schedule training sessions lasting no more than 15 to 30 minutes on one topic. Likewise, implement microlearning, which means three to seven minutes of content focused on a single learning objective, such as teaching a receptionist to avoid defensiveness when responding to an angry client.
- Make it interactive: Studies show that Gen Zers prefer collaborative learning that involves feedback. One way to do it is with interactive role-playing exercises to teach skills such as nonverbal communication and how to ask open-ended questions and deliver empathy statements. Have team members act as the client so that they better understand the pet owner’s perspective.
Short, interactive training sessions and frequent quizzes are ideal ways to keep Gen Zers engaged in the learning process and enhance knowledge retention.
Investing time in implementing an excellent client service training program can empower Gen Z employees to build client loyalty and compliance, helping more pets get the care they deserve.
BONUS TIPS
- Solicit feedback from Generation Z team members to learn how they would improve your training program.
- Promote learning and growth development in your trained Gen Z team members by asking them to help onboard new hires.