Gen Z is entering the workforce and many companies need to hire them. Would you consider student loan repayment assistance in addition to competitive compensation to help lure Gen Z to your organization? If not, what are you doing to hire and retain them?

This reminds me of a company trying to attract younger talent by redesigning their office. They invested heavily in surveys and renovations, only to discover that their target demographic preferred remote work. Similarly, while tuition assistance is a valuable benefit, it's crucial to understand what your participants actually want. Directly surveying them is key. They might prioritize work-life balance over tuition, meaning initiatives like guaranteed lunch breaks and protected weekends could be more effective and less costly.

I don't think a blanket approach like this works.  Attract GenZ with what is important to them rather than just throwing all sorts of money at them.  If you do offer repayment + high compensation,  I would have some length of service guarantee as well. 

Student loan repayment can be a good incentive, but its effectiveness depends on whether you are hiring for niche or high-skilled roles/positions. Also, Gen Z is looking for flexibility, continuous learning opportunities, and a clear career path. Hence it is important to design roles and environments that align with their values and not just meeting their financial needs.

Student loan assistance is a attractive and meaningful lever, however we are also seeing Gen Z are more keen for 

Skills-first career pathways over title-based growth

Hyper-transparency around purpose and leadership authenticity

Wellness-linked benefits (think mental health coaching + financial literacy)

Culture which promotes continuous learning  AI-enhanced learning opportunities

Loan repayment can be a catalyst — but if the culture doesn't match their ambition and values, they won’t stay.

It really depends on the type of organization you're in and whether the skills and experience you need required taking on debt to obtain them. 

In some industries, this is case, but not so in others. 

You have to look at what it will take to attract and retain the talent you need and also balance the cost of doing so. It's not an answer that can be determined in a silo, but needs a view of the Total Rewards landscape at the org in question.