As if it wasn’t hard enough understanding Millennial mindsets - Generation Z is here! And despite the name, getting to grips with the Zs is no snooze. As the Millennial cohort becomes the largest segment of the workforce - now outpacing its greying parents, the Gen-X’ers - the Z-people are starting to graduate college and get jobs. Which means employers have to understand them… and how they’re different. So who are these strange young people? Should they be feared or celebrated? And how will they reshape the office over the next decade before they’re the New Normal? Let’s see how they’re different to generations X and Y... by the numbers.

1. ZZ
Z
Generation Z
and the evolution
of the workforce
GEN X: (the Boomer’s children)
GEN Y: (the MILLENNIALS)
WHO IS GENERATION Z?
WHAT DO THEY SHARE?
WHAT DO THEY BELIEVE?
HOW WILL THEY WORK?
(...and disbelieve)
Seen as
disenfranchised
SLACKERS…
but only by
ACADEMICS.
But with access to MORE
INFORMATION than any generation
ever, Gen Y is TECH-SAVVY - and
BRILLIANT in fast-moving, always-
on, connected offices.
They like COMMON
CAUSES and BIG
IDEAS...
...but often it’s
SLACKTIVISM - click-
to-like-this stuff.
Now
OVER 50%
of the workforce.
Can be NEGATIVE
about their costly
HOUSING, low
PAY, useless
DEGREES, and poor
PROSPECTS…
It is
YOUR CHILD.
YOUR BABYSITTER.
YOUR INTERN.
They’re now
DOING DEGREES,
THINKING CAREERS,
And STARTING WORK.
Everything!
(Photos - posts -
thoughts)
Still big on social causes...
(For real - ACTIVISM not SLACKTIVISM)
Just as open to all culture…
(As likely to like JOHNNY CASH as ONE DIRECTION)
And bigger on equality.
(Due to a 50% INCREASE in mixed-race US-born kids
since 2000)
Wary of CORPORATIONS
75% think advertising isn’t honest
Less sure GOVERNMENT
is the answer...
51% worry about the future
But pretty sure
TECHNOLOGY is.
66% think technology can solve most problems
Everywhere!
(At home - on the beach
- in the office)
A Gen-Zer prefers Tweeting and Sharing to phoning
or emailing... even to people in the same room.
They are:
They are:
Anytime!
(In bed - over lunch -
in the bath)
It’s THE FUTURE.
... and APATHETIC
about POLITICS.
(Just 48% vote)
ENVIRONMENTALLY
aware, X was
the first GREEN
GENERATION.
They’ve been
through
SLUMPS and
BOOMS.
But they’re
still attached
to STUFF…
LESS LIKELY to
trust electronic
contracts or
online-only
retailers.
They’re RESILIENT...
but facing an
uncertain old age.
Gen X studied HARD,
works DILIGENTLY...
...but expects FREE
TIME for family.
1961
ONWARDS:
1980
ONWARDS:
1995
ONWARDS:
In 5 years they’ll be
40%
OF ALL CONSUMERS.
Millennials looked to social media for
backup on buying decisions…
Gen Z trusts
nothing else.
Likely to look at the
REPUTATION
of an employer.
In the end,
MORE THINGS CONNECT US
THAN DIVIDE US.
OTHER
CULTURES,
Likely to favour
STARTUPS
over
CORPORATES.
DIFFERENT
IDEAS,
Likely to ask
“WHY?”
as often as
“WHAT?”
NEW WAYS
OF DOING
THINGS.
But Gen Y is more aware of
[Enjoy work, enjoy life, enjoy sharing]