It would be a mistake to expect Gen Z to be compliant and silent. They are opinionated and cannot be ignored. On the cusp of adulthood and facing an uncertain future, there are several events that have primarily defined their lives so far. Born between 1997 and 2012, this generation is unique because it sees the world with a new perspective; one that talks about gender equality, mental health, sustainable future, and most importantly, political issues.
I don’t think they know about a world where there were no smartphones and social media platforms. Their digital presence and strong opinions on basically anything and everything is what makes them special and sets them apart from millennials and baby boomers.
They value education and choose their own path on how to get it. According to a recent study, GenZ is not a generation that follows their predecessors. Rather, they are the ones who want shorter, affordable, and career connected educational courses which will help them do things their own way.
Determined to take charge of their own futures and an unwillingness to accept the world filled with negative outcomes, Gen Zers have raised the bar and taken everyone by storm. They are disrupting the workplace through their ideologies and tech-savviness. Preachers of diversity and inclusivity, they are raising awareness about mental health in workplace, pushing the corporations for hybrid/remote work along with four-day work week. You just cannot force them into working overtime or exploiting them.
Gen Z is a bit of a different species and the biggest challenge that companies will have to face will be their talent retention. COVID is one of the most important events that changed their personality. They have become comfortable with the whole idea of working from home. In fact, they were the first ones to adopt and adapt virtual learning. Therefore, we will see that their impact on the workplace will continue to grow and whether we like it or not, employers will have to continuously changing the workplace policies and strategies which are more in sync with Gen Zer’s ideologies.
