Meet Generation Z. Today’s youngest generation. The first generation who will spend their entire life in a world where earth’s accumulated knowledge can be accessed in an instant with a touch of a finder. They have been described as a “bit edgier” than Millennials. And they’re a generation whose human operating system has been coded by Steve Jobs (watch this for proof).
Other nicknames for this post-Millennial generation are Posts, Homelanders, Generation Z (most widely accepted at the moment), the Internet Generation, Generation V (for virtual), the New Silent Generation, the Google Generation, Generation Entrepreneur, and iGen (my personal favorite). Each nickname gives a unique glimpse into who they are and will be as a generation.
Much like the Millennials, whose sheer size and early tech adoption was a catalyst for many consumer and workplace shifts, Generation Z will have similar disruptive tendencies growing up enabled and empowered by a tech-heavy and digital world.
It’s important to note there is no true consensus on when one generation starts and another ends. Some studies describe Generation Z as those born after 1990 and others after 2000. Either way, the tech and behavioral trends are what’s important to grasp since it won’t be long before Generation Z become our students, consumers, employees, and eventual leaders.
20 Generation Z Truths And Trends
- Only 6% of Generation Z use email to communicate and 39% say the never use email.
- 30% of Generation Z call Twitter their top social network, which is only slightly behind the 33% who chose Facebook.
- Generation Z girls are more likely than boys to be tweeting (31% vs. 19%).
- 75% own a cell phone.
- Online socializing will continue to collapse geography, as Generation Z continues to make global connections.
- It’s estimated that Generation Z will have 15 homes during their lifetime and 17 different jobs in different industries.
- More than 90% use the Internet at home and 75% at school.
- 3 out of 4 use social media everyday.
- Generation Z has a bottom-up nature where most of their heroes are their peers on Vine, YouTube, and Instagram.
- On average, they spend 7.4 hours a day using technology. (No wonder, 75% think they are “good” or “great" with technology.)
- Girls spend on average 1.2 hours per day longer than boys using technology. Yet, only 13% of girls claim to be technology “geeks” compared to 33% of boys.
- Girls lead the way as the early adopters of technology, with a much wider use of different tech and higher usage.
- Generation Z sends about 60 texts a day.
- Generation Z places a premium on doing something they love for a living because 76% said they wish they had a hobby that would turn into a full-time job.
- They are expected to forego big salaries, because much like Millennials, they are firm in their need for flexibility.
- 63% still prefer to socialize in person with friends. But they still wish to seamlessly blend their online and offline connections.
- Many will occupy jobs that don’t exist today.
- 1 in 4 are “cell mostly” Internet users, forgoing desktops, and laptops for the convenience of their phone.
- 95% are online, a percentage that has been consistent since 2006.
- Growing up in the worst recession in 70 years has caused them to think more short-term, transactional, and like a free-agent which could make them more business-savvy and entrepreneurial than the Millennials.
Question: What other traits or trends do you see emerging in Generation Z?
