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Gen Z is, in many ways, one of the biggest conundrums that HR will have to face in the foreseeable future. This young generation, also sometimes called ‘Zoomers’, is defined as those born between the years of 1997 and 2012 and therefore likely between the ages of 11 and 26. Whilst it makes up just 32% of the global population, according to Qureos data, its influence is felt keenly when designing the future of work.
These young professionals are now in the process of gaining positions of influence, developing key skills and taking up increasingly senior roles in companies across the globe. The biggest question mark over Gen-Z is its shifting expectations in the world of work. Of course, this question is inextricably intertwined with the experiences that have formed their perceptions of professionalism, skills development and cultural norms.
Gen-Z’s perception of the working world
This demographic grew up in the age of rampant digital and technological change, and as such are predisposed to be digital natives. As recent Deloitte research discovered, Gen Z is not afraid to use its voice and the technology at its fingertips to shape the world around it.
This digital proficiency goes hand in hand with many of the experiences that formed Gen-Z’s view of the world. Many from this generation will have been youths around the 2008 financial crash, political and socioeconomic volatility, uncertainty, dramatic shifts in the jobs market and, of course, the pandemic.
