Surveys paint a grim picture of Generation Z, but they also have good reasons to complain, as the situation is complex.
The title image is a symbolic image.
Who is Generation Z? Also known as Zoomers, all individuals in this group are classified as such if they were born between 1996 and 2012. Before them come the Millennials or Generation Y from 1980. The Baby Boomers started their lives in the post-war period. 1965 to 1979 is the birth period for Generation X. All individuals born after 2012 or even those born in 2024 are part of Generation Alpha.
A complex picture of a population group under pressure
Various surveys among entrepreneurs in the UK and elsewhere are consolidating a public opinion that seems to prevail at least to a relevant extent: Young people from Generation Z
- find delays of 10 minutes completely acceptable and normal in their daily lives, while Baby Boomers consider this highly rude. (via Fortune)
- miss about four times as many deadlines per week as Baby Boomers, around one in four deadlines compared to about one in ten. (via Bloomberg)
- spend approximately six times as many hours per week on unnecessary work as Baby Boomers (almost 4.5 hours compared to 45 minutes). (via Bloomberg)
- take sick leave relatively frequently compared to previous generations – mainly due to mental health issues. (via Rheinische Post)
Why is Generation Z standing out? Several books could be written on this question, each with different focuses. Various developments in our society, economy, or even the fundamentally different situation of politics and the environment compared to the 20th century exert their influence. Thus, a complex picture emerges:
- The economic situation is drastically different and, on average, more challenging for Gen Z as well as for a large part of Millennials than for Baby Boomers or Gen X. Need examples? (via genbeta)
- Rental price development
- Rising prices due to the price shock, especially since the Russian invasion
- Stagnation in wage growth
- The Covid pandemic continues to be a factor, as it significantly negatively impacted the mental and professional development of all young people starting their careers
- Gen Z has different expectations for their lives and workplaces; promotions and status are less important than a healthy work-life balance. (via genbeta)
- The climate crisis often concerns young people to a greater extent than older individuals.
Haven’t older generations always talked like this about younger ones? There is a part of truth buried here. Of course, such views have always existed. Many Baby Boomers can probably still recount conflicts with their parents. They, by the way, belong to the Silent Generation (1928 to 1945). Ultimately, there is no way around Gen Z, as Felix Beilharz, author of the book “Manual Generation Z” clearly puts it in a conversation with MDR:
Whoever does not understand Generation Z will lose. Because the Digital Natives are already numerically the largest generation in the world and will soon also make up the largest group in the labor and consumer market in Germany.
Nick South, a manager at the Boston Consulting Group, views the whole situation with much more relaxation: “When we all entered the workforce, it took quite a while for us to learn, and we wasted our time being ineffective. Over time, we learned when to focus and where we could take shortcuts.” And he also sees a problem with those who train:
The challenge of effectively integrating newcomers into the workforce is fundamentally different than it was ten years ago. It requires a special kind of leadership that really focuses on clear goals, care, coaching, and feedback.
What Elon Musk thinks of Generation Z is unclear, but he has a very negative opinion of working from home. He once expressed himself in an interview so grumpily about the modern form of work for many professions that it is almost surprising: Elon Musk considers working from home not only unproductive but also ‘morally reprehensible’
