Gen Z has learned to think, learn, and communicate in an environment defined by wireless internet ubiquity, wholesale technology integration, infinite content, and immediacy.
Generation Z considers itself more accepting and open-minded than any generation before it. Almost half of Gen Zs are minorities, compared to 22% of Baby Boomers, and the majority of Gen Z supports social movements such as Black Lives Matter, transgender rights, and climate change.
' 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.
What are the values of Gen Z? 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.
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.
One of the most common stereotypes surrounding Gen Z is their 'troubling obsession' with technology. While it's true that they are digital natives who have grown up with the internet and smartphones, you could argue that this is a tech evolution rather than a generational obsession.
A CM Group consumer research effort that polled 1,000 consumers found Gen Z consumers are better educated, more practical, more ambitious and more skeptical than Millennials.
Gen Z is also the smartest and best educated generation. Having an unlimited wealth of information at our disposal has not gone to waste. In America, 57 percent of Gen Z is reported to have enrolled in a two-year or four-year college, compared to 52 percent of Millenials and 43 percent of Gen X.
In the short term, Gen Z's stress is leading to ambivalence and withdrawal in their professional lives. According to 2022 data from Gallup, they are the most disengaged group at work. They also report more overall stress and work-related burnout than other cohorts.
They Are Pragmatic and Financially Minded
Many Gen Zers grew up watching their parents take huge financial hits during the Great Recession. Having witnessed their parents' struggles, this generation is driven by pragmatism and security.
According to a 2021 Consumer Culture Report by 5WPR, Gen Z is prioritizing electronics, technology, health, and wellness. Conversely, Millennials and those from older generations prioritize travel and experiences, home goods, and furniture.
The Greatest Generation commonly refers to those Americans who were born in the 1900s through the 1920s. The Greatest Generation members all lived through the Great Depression and many of them fought in World War II. These individuals have often been described as driven, patriotic, and team-players.
Naturally they differ in age. The Gen Y's are born between 1981-1995 and are currently aged between 24-38. You might know them as Millennials, the Generation Why, or the Boomerang Generation. On the other hand, Gen Z are born between 1996-2015 and are currently aged between 4-23.
Gen Alpha, born between 2010 and 2025, are the first generation born completely within the 21st century. And while Gen Z were our first true digital natives, Gen Alpha will mark a new digital age, given how quickly and exponentially technology advances.
It's no secret that every single generation has endured horrible trauma of one variety or another. But Generation Z is likely the most aware of (and most openly vocal about) the concept of trauma, its lasting mental health aspects, and mental health conditions in general.
They're impulsive. Another weakness of Gen Z is that they can be quite impulsive. With instant gratification being so easily accessible, this generation has difficulty waiting for anything. They want what they want and they want it now!
According to the Cigna study, 39% say worries about money are a major cause of stress. In addition, according to a study by DailyPay and Harris Poll, 48% say they are unable to move out of their parents' homes due to financial challenges, and 33% are concerned inflation will make it tough for them to buy a home.
e' Gen Z Workers, are actually the Happiest and Hardest Working Generation, say Researchers.
A new report from Gympass, the world's largest corporate wellbeing platform, has found that despite Gen Z's reputation for shirking work, they are actually the happiest at work and also the hardest working.
The study found that about half (49%) of millennials surveyed want to work fully remote, whereas only 27% of Generation Z (Gen Zers) feel the same way; they're much more likely than average “to be seeking in-person” work opportunities.
Gen Z may be the most misunderstood generation
But unlike the millennials before them, they lack the same opportunities to establish their place in the world. They're also facing more challenges than any other generation before them.