Gen Zers are addicted to technology and can't handle face-to-face interactions. Gen Z is infamous for being the first generation that can't clearly recall a time before the Internet.
Born between 1995 and 2010, this generation have already found themselves up against immense challenges as they make their way into adulthood: climate change, inequality and social unrest, political division, economic distress and more.
In summary, a typical Gen Zer is a self-driver who deeply cares about others, strives for a diverse community, is highly collaborative and social, values flexibility, relevance, authenticity and non-hierarchical leadership, and, while dismayed about inherited issues like climate change, has a pragmatic attitude about ...
Gen Z wants mental healthcare but worries about paying for it. Gen Z is more likely to report receiving treatment or diagnosis for a mental-health condition but also the most likely to report being unable to afford mental-health services (a fifth, compared with 14 percent of all respondents).
Gen Z Terms and Definitions
Pew Research recently defined Gen Z as anyone born 1997 onwards. Gen Z grew up with technology, the internet, and social media, which sometimes causes them to be stereotyped as tech-addicted, anti-social, or “social justice warriors.”
Gen Z respondents were more likely to report having been diagnosed with a behavioral-health condition, such as mental or substance use disorder, than Gen Xers or baby boomers. Gen Z also reported more unmet social needs than any other generation.
While 83 percent of people born between 1928 and 1945 (dubbed “the Silent Generation”) were married by age 37, researchers predict that Gen Z - born between 1997 and 2012 - are marrying far less.
Gen Z pays attention to the way businesses operate, and they value a commitment to privacy, social impact and environmental responsibility. They tend to be loyal to brands and businesses they believe are transparent and accountable.
Generation Z has more conservative spending habits and is more focused on saving money than millennials were at their age. Gen Z tends to be interested in purchases that provide the maximum amount of value for their money, while millennials are more focused on the buying experience.
Gen Z is known for being resourceful, independent learners who value diversity and inclusive culture and place a priority on well-being and mental health in the workplace. They are fiscally conservative with a keen focus on investing and income. Gen Z values justice and equity.
Yousef said some of the burnout Gen Z is experiencing is likely from poor “digital hygiene,” meaning they don't know how to log off—including from work. She says that employers can have a major role to play in helping Gen Z workers have a healthy relationship with work and technology.
Inflation is the top problem Gen Z and Millennials name as the biggest they are facing today. Over-dependence and addiction to technology ranked second as the top problem among young people for the first time. However, racism and COVID-19 are still top concerns for these gens.
Cheugy (pronounced chew-gee, for the uninitiated) is a term coined by Gen Z and defined by Urban Dictionary as a “catch-all word” to describe anything untrendy, uncool or “basic”.
Only 37% of Gen Z fell into the loyalist category, defined as those who bought a product from the same brand they were considering at the start of the shopping journey. This is quite different from the 56% of boomers who did so. We found a steady decline in loyalty with each generation.
Research has shown that Gen Z's attitudes towards dating and sex have evolved from the generations before them; they take an especially pragmatic approach to love and sex, and subsequently aren't prioritising establishing committed romantic relationships the same way their older peers once did.
One in four Gen Z respondents reported feeling more emotionally distressed (25 percent), almost double the levels reported by millennial and Gen X respondents (13 percent each), and more than triple the levels reported by baby boomer respondents (8 percent).
Gen Z (42%) is about twice as likely as Americans over 25 (23%) to battle depression and feelings of hopelessness. Gen Z is three times as likely (18% to 5%) as Americans over 25 to say their challenges are so severe that they thought they might be better off dead.
What females say are their favorite hobbies differ from what males say, but overall, the most popular hobbies for the Millennial and Gen Z generations, in order, are gaming, followed by music, sports, and art. Gaming was overwhelmingly first for males, but isn't in the top five for females.
Data from Deloitte's 2022 global Gen Z and Millennial Survey shows that a third of Gen Z respondents worry about the cost of living above all other concerns; 45% live pay-cheque-to-pay-cheque, and just more than a quarter doubt they'll retire comfortably.
Members of Gen Z are more racially and ethnically diverse than any previous generation, and they are on track to be the most well-educated generation yet. They are also digital natives who have little or no memory of the world as it existed before smartphones.
70% of Gen Z say that anxiety and depression are significant problems among their peers. ² 30% of parents surveyed felt that their child was experiencing negative effects on their emotional or mental health due to social distancing and school closures.