Gen Zers are puzzling the American workplace. To understand them, look at the pre-war generation, not millennials
As the youngest of them turn 17 and the oldest turn 27 this year, Gen Zers have grown up. They have distinct opinions about how work gets done and their voices are only getting louder. This year, it’s anticipated that Gen Z will overtake boomers in the United States workforce, surpassing 17 million, while the number of working boomers continues to decline.
Many Gen Z Americans are now progressing through their first or second job post-higher education, leaving America with roughly four distinct generations fully working across the economy. While Gen Z’s entrance brings a new perspective to the workforce, this generation works differently than older ones. Their expectations for transparency and authenticity and a bent toward entrepreneurship can cause friction with more senior colleagues.
Company leaders should stop trying to assimilate Gen Zers and instead focus on leveraging their differences as an advantage. Understanding Gen Zers’ working philosophy and entrepreneurial nature is the first step toward capitalizing on their skills and helping them work harmoniously with older generations.
Carving their own path
According to Ernst & Young LLP’s 2024 Gen Z Live Work Play Study, more than half of Gen Z (52%) have two or more sources of income. While previous generations often relied on part-time work in brick-and-mortar settings, like retail or restaurant positions, Gen Z has access to and knows how to earn money through digital and social channels. They are quick to explore these channels for new and multiple opportunities to build revenue streams.
However, while many think Gen Zers are most similar to their millennial counterparts, Gen Z’s values are actually more similar to those of the Silent Generation. Like those born between 1928 and 1945, Gen Z has also grown up with financial uncertainty, war, and political tumult. Gen Zers have watched their parents struggle through the Great Recession, an uncertain job market and housing crises, as well as more recently a global pandemic and growing sociopolitical tension.
These challenges continue to uniquely shape how Gen Zers perceive their environment. In our youngest colleagues, we see independent and future-focused achievers striving for financial stability and fulfillment in their work. Accustomed to experiencing difficult situations, they proactively seek solutions to problems and find ways around obstacles.
While their independent nature, proactiveness, and inclination toward exploring multiple revenue opportunities may come across as disengaged or uncommitted to older workers, Gen Zers are hard-working and have high expectations for themselves.
To gain the greatest benefit from Gen Zers, managers must stop forcing them into a box. Instead, consider how their entrepreneurial spirits can be harnessed; could it be that Gen Z is naturally better at breaking down unnecessary bureaucracy, rules, and layers due to their entrepreneurial traits?
Enable them by listening to and implementing their feedback on projects and by encouraging level playing fields where they can collaborate with other generations directly and not send ideas “up the chain.” Gen Zers are naturally programmed to identify and overcome inefficiencies and roadblocks; let them go at it. Leaders may find they help create a more transparent, direct work culture that produces real results.
Raised in an age of skepticism
We are in an age of sparring information, with different approaches to gathering, analyzing, interpreting, and sharing perspectives. Gen Z is the first generation of Americans to grow up in this era, and it has had an enormous effect on how they process and trust information.
According to a study by Gallup, less than 20% of Gen Z Americans trust what they read on the internet “a great deal” or “quite a lot,” with the majority (58%) only trusting “some” of the information.
This inherent skepticism among young Americans can become a superpower in the right context. Successful entrepreneurs must question business norms on a regular basis to find new markets and differentiate their offerings. Questioning the status quo comes naturally to Gen Z. We’re eager for the new businesses they may establish as a result of their inquisitiveness. For now, corporate leaders who embrace Gen Z’s maverick nature can gain a competitive advantage by seeing the white space others more accepting of today’s norms will miss.
Foster this entrepreneurial trait to the company’s advantage and let Gen Z ask questions and suggest alternatives–it might just lead to a breakthrough. And if not, it still helps the team think about topics differently, which could help produce a fresh advantage later on.
High standards
Gen Zers have high standards, for themselves and others. They’re deeply focused on being true to themselves and hold their employer to the same standard. Ninety percent of Gen Z Americans rate authenticity, or being true to oneself, among their highest values. Also, 73% think it’s highly important for employers to share their values–including fair pay, empathy, putting the needs of employees above profits, mental health, and diversity.
Companies that are honest and open with their employees and customers will earn buy-in from their youngest stakeholders. Those that aren’t will undoubtedly be questioned by Gen Z Americans, who are unafraid to speak up against perceived injustice.
Gen Z is forcing once-taboo topics into the common dialogue for all generations, like social inequity and financial well-being. As a result, businesses are re-exploring their cultures and benefits packages, recognizing concepts such as salary transparency and overall financial wellness as important topics for employees.
For business leaders, it’s important to better understand how Gen Z ticks and how they’re different from their peers to help workers of all ages perform cohesively. Gen Z’s desire for open communication, questioning norms, against-the-grain thinking, and high personal standards are hallmarks of impactful employees and high-growth entrepreneurs, regardless of age.
An astonishing 42% of Gen Z Americans say they are likely to start their own business one day. There is a strong likelihood our youngest colleagues will soon be dictating the business world, even while older generations are still working.
There’s certainly more to learn, but paying attention to Gen Z’s unique attributes now will pay dividends, for both business leaders and our global economy.
Marcie Merriman is EY Americas Cultural Insights & Customer Strategy Leader. Lee Henderson is Americas EY Private Leader. The views reflected in this article are the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ernst & Young LLP or other members of the global EY organization.
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