The four main generations currently working together in the workforce are: Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964), Generation X (born 1965-1980), Millennials (born 1981-1996), and Generation Z (born 1997-2012). Generation Alpha is also being considered, although they are still relatively young and entering the workforce. Each generation has been shaped by common experiences in their coming-of-age years which is how groups are often characterized.
Generation Z will become the largest in the workforce in just 10 years from now, 2035, representing 31%. In a recent survey in Newsweek, 40% of 1500 US employees surveyed identified those in Gen Z as the most difficult to work with and 36% also stated that they were the most difficult to lead. They themselves even agreed, 40% and 33% respectively, calling out their own peers as the worst managers.
As a generation, they are defined as Digital, Global, Social, Visual and Mobile. They have grown up with technology that older generations have come to know later in life. They connect more globally on social trends, food and fashion. Having grown up when social media was prevalent, they mostly connect virtually and tend to watch videos every day, preferring to watch more than read. They are also more likely to move jobs, industries and where they live.
With a greater understanding of this growing generation, open communication between what is important to them and how they function will reduce potential conflict rather than attempting to mold them into what an earlier generation may be like because that’s not the way they were raised.
“We need to remember across generations that there is as much to learn as there is to teach.” - Gloria Steinem