Author: Camille Chaar
Date of Publication: 29/05/2023
The different decades bring different expectations for the business. While work is often seen as an end by Generations X and Y, the Zs, born after 1995, see work as an accomplishment.
Generation Z: Who are they?
Rebels, resistant to any form of authority, hyperconnected, ... there is no shortage of stereotypes about Generation Z, also called "digital native" or "Z"! In reality, Gen Z is mostly characterized by its quest for meaning and authenticity. Born after 1995, often to Gen X parents, the Zs haven’t known the world without the internet. As children in the 2000s, they experienced the advent of new technologies and the arrival of the smartphone. So, it’s an element of their identity construction!
The search for autonomy of gen z at work
Young people are distancing themselves from their parents' world of work which hasn’t always lived up to its promise in terms of social progress. Faced with widening inequalities, the fragility of society and ecological disasters, young people aspire to be free in their choices.
For example, they are not afraid to leave a permanent contract to try their luck elsewhere. Apart from that, they don’t mind leaving a big city for the countryside to enjoy a more pleasant living environment. For Generation Z autonomy also means flexibility. Also, young people prefer management by objectives to management by schedule. Therefore, teleworking is a way of working that particularly appeals to them.
The quest for meaning
Generation Z seeks to accomplish a mission that responds to societal challenges. As a result, before accepting a job the Z, they will be particularly attentive to the social or environmental impact of the mission. What’s more,, life balance is also an important parameter. Indeed, fulfillment also requires a harmonious reconciliation between professional and personal life.
The cult of the present moment
The hyperconnection of the contemporary world upset the relationship to time. Boomers and gen z keep work and life separate, gen z relaxes on social media or works on personal projects at work. Conversely, a young employee can invest in a professional project at midnight or devote part of his weekend to it. Therefore, they won’t work so much out of obligation as out of pleasure to do.
All in all, this new relationship to time has consequences for the way young people work such as multitasking. Generation Z is able to work on several screens and have a global vision of information. Actually, they can do so by switching from one information to another. Once in use, the weariness of the Z is fast. As a result, they want to be able to move quickly from one activity to another, from one mission to another or from one company to another. In fact, they even don’t hesitate to leave it to lead a more personal project. So, for them, work is also a way to find financial resources to live the life they want outside of work.
Commentaires