Gen Z are not 'coddled. ' They are highly collaborative, self-reliant and pragmatic, according to new Stanford-affiliated research. Generation Z, the first generation never to know the world without the internet, value diversity and finding their own unique identities, says Stanford scholar Roberta Katz.
Boomer refers to people born between 1946-1964. After boomer comes Generation X, which was 1965 to 1980. Then came Millennial, and after that was Generation Z, or Gen Z. Gen Z refers to people born between 1995 and 2010.
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.
Gen-Z is driven by their passionate desire for a better world. While they pursue happiness through new, tech-mediated experiences and social networks, the things that reflect their present state of happiness have little to do with technology.
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.”
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.
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.
Sports is Gen Z and Millennials' top hobby. Gen Z is more likely than Millennials to say gaming and dance are top hobbies. Art and music are also top hobbies for both gens, who prize creativity.
Gen Z is infamous for being the first generation that can't clearly recall a time before the Internet. These digital natives are defined by their persistent use of smart devices, love of social media, and all things digital – more than 60% of their time is spent online.
Gen Z is the most technologically savvy to the older generations and can adapt quicker than most. 72% of Gen Z are creative and want to start their own businesses and they are able to multitask more than any other generation.
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.
While Gen Z is less vulnerable to the physical impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, they bear unique burdens due to their life stage, including emotional stress and grief from the pandemic, high rates of job loss and unemployment, and educational challenges from remote or interrupted learning.
Inclusive company culture
So, it's no surprise that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) are important to this generation. More than two-thirds of surveyed Gen Z job seekers would “absolutely” be more likely to apply for a job where diversity and inclusion are championed in the company's culture.
Gen Z Is Anxious, Distrustful, and Often Downright Miserable, New Poll Reveals.
Bonfini, co-editor of the second edition of Casebook for DSM-5: Diagnosis and Treatment Planning, observes that Generation Z as a whole lacks many of the social skills that previous generations learned through face-to-face interactions.
The research from the Walton Family Foundation and Murmuration, conducted by John Della Volpe and Social Sphere, shows that more members of Generation Z are grappling with mental health issues than people from older generations.
“Teens feel that being cool is about just being yourself, embracing what you love, rejecting what you don't, and being kind to others.”
Gen Z students are true digital natives
Generation Z expects to be connected to the world and able to access information at any time. This translates to education as well. Gen Z students want immediate feedback on assignments just as they do on social media. They also crave autonomy in their education.
On the other hand, Gen Z students are digital natives who prefer an independent learning style with less passive but more visual and kinaesthetic learning. They also desire convenience and are open to honest feedback (Issacs et al., 2020).