If you’ve been complaining for the last decade about how “the kids” in the workplace act differently and work differently than you, get ready for the news that it’s going to change even more.
For the last few years, business leaders have been telling us how to work well with employees who are in the ‘millennial’ category – those who entered the workforce This includes being aware that they sometimes think different, look different or have different goals and values than Gen X or Baby Boomers.
But now, demographic watchers are predicting the coming of “Gen Z,” many of whom are teens now but will be a large population entering the workforce in the near future. Gen Zers statistically are those born after 2000.
They don’t necessarily hold the same values or philosophies as millennials – where are millennial might walk out of a job that they feel works them too hard, Gen Zers may enjoy working hard and a steady paycheck.
Other observations of this age group include:
- High tech familiarity. They didn’t just grow up with computers but grew up knowing how to operate multiple devices, from mobile phones to tablets. They are also familiar with the Internet and how to get there and can use multiple screens at once naturally.
- Enjoy the competition. Another factor spotted in Gen Z is a willingness and eagerness to motivate themselves by trying harder at something than everyone else. This could be for work, like trying to hit high sales figures at work against other salespeople with the same goal. Part of this spirit is due to growing up in a gaming-focused world where there are always objectives.
- Neither solo or team-focused. Gen Zs don’t mind collaborating with others but they also like having time to think things over by themselves. So a workspace designed with Gen Z employees should include big conference rooms, shared/common areas for brainstorming and group projects plus individual cubicles. The individual spaces don’t need to be personalized but can be placed for solitary thinking.
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