Attracting Gen Z talents: do expectations towards employers vary by gender? Hermann Lassleben and Lisa Hofmann ESB Business School, Reutlingen University, Reutlingen, Germany Abstract Purpose – This paper explores, which employer attractiveness attributes Generation Z (Gen Z) talents prioritize. Comparing the findings for female and male participants, this study examines whether gender-specific work value orientations prevail among Gen Z talents and impact their expectations toward employers. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was conducted among 308 students of business, economics and management in Germany. Data were collected using the employer attractiveness scale of Berthon and colleagues (2005) complemented by an additional dimension focusing on work–life balance. Findings – Findings indicate that Gen Z talents primarily expect a fun work environment, a positive team atmosphere and supportive relations with colleagues and superiors. Application aspects and work–life balance enabling services are expected the least. Expectations of four of the six attributes measured differ significantly among women and men, indicating that traditional gender assumptions continue to be reflected in the work value orientations of Gen Z talents. Research limitations/implications – The sample was limited to business, economics and management students in Germany. Additional research should include a wider variety of respondents of different disciplines and countries. Practical implications – Practical implications refer to emphasizing the social value of employment in the employee value proposition and customizing employer branding activities by gender. Originality/value – This study contributes to the literature by empirically determining which employer attractiveness attributes Gen Z talents expect and whether and how these expectations vary by gender. Keywords Gen Z, Employer attractiveness, Gender-specific work value orientations, Employer branding, Empirical study, Talent attraction, EmpAt scale Paper type Research paper Introduction In the wake of digitalization, globalization and demographic changes, attracting and retaining talents has become a task of utmost importance for all employers (Thompson and Aspinwall, 2009). Demographic development leads to a shortage of talents, at least in Western economies. Globalization boosts their out- and inflow from and to national labor markets, and digitalization lays the ground for decreasing tenures, with interesting vacancies being accessible 24/7 all around the world. Together, these developments led to a competition among employers for talents, like never seen before (Chambers et al. , 1998). As a consequence, employers try to gain competitive advantage in this “war-for-talents” by promoting themselves as a “great-place-to-work” through engaging in employer branding campaigns (Backhaus and Tikoo, 2004). However, promotion is only half the story of branding. Before, companies need to develop an appealing employer brand by adjusting their HR strategies, policies and practices so as to become an attractive employer for today’s talent generation (Fenech et al., 2019). Attracting Gen Z talents 545 Received 19 August 2021 Revised 10 September 2022 18 December 2022 Accepted 21 December 2022 Gender in Management: An International Journal Vol. 38 No. 4, 2023 pp. 545-560 © Emerald Publishing Limited 1754-2413 DOI 10.1108/GM-08-2021-0247 The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/1754-2413.htm