Hello everyone and welcome to our newsletter on all things Gen Z.

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Every now and again we stumble across such a delightful (and insightful) piece of writing that we have to share it with the Get to Know tribe. This week Jane Cowan sums up the different worlds of Gen Z and Gen X: “They didn’t even have YouTube!”

Imagine.

We know that the world of money is also very different. One of us 👴🏽 joined a bank at university and has stayed with the same bank ever since. For Gen Z, it is a very different story - plenty of chopping and changing and worry over financial “wellbeing” - which is alongside personal wellbeing on the list of important things in life.

As we have often pointed out, “cost of living” is not as acute a problem for Gen Z as for other demographics (younger people have done pretty well economically since Covid). The issues are around financial management, money in a social media world of constant influencer promotion, endless choice and living hand to mouth. Everything, as our teams often point out, is a bit “spenny”.

Below is our pick of this week’s conversations that matter for understanding the new trends across the globe.

Have a good weekend all, and see you next Saturday.

We can fix it

As more young people become disenchanted with the college/university trajectory (high debts, false hope over job security), trades are becoming more appealing. Rising pay and emerging technologies are pulling these once-declining sectors back into favour. Enrollment in vocational training programmes is increasing as overall college enrollment has fallen, with a particular uptick in students studying construction trades and vehicle maintenance. 

Take a break

Like a lot of sectors, consulting is struggling right now and the Big Four accounting firms are cutting jobs. But something a bit different is happening at McKinsey - the firm is offering staff nine months of (paid) company time to find a new job, rather than working on client projects. They’ll also receive career coaching and admin support, such as updating their CVs. Is this the employer empathy Gen Z has been looking for?

Self help

This article from The Drum is surprisingly refreshing, as it explores why (and how) Gen Z should advocate for themselves in the workplace. It’s true that young people face issues as they join the workforce and wish things were different, but rarely offer the tools for turning that discomfort into action. This article is all about that, and we recommend it whatever generation you are.

Something Millennials and Gen Z actually agree on

That they are paying too much for streaming services. More than half say they are overspending, and 71% of Gen Z and millennials admit to cancelling memberships that require a premium to gain more access.

And finally…

77%

…of Gen Zers don’t care about ‘elbows on the table’ and other hallmarks of table manners. Is etiquette a dying trend? Do any of us care?

Yes 👴🏽 No 👩🏼

How can we help?

In my many travels and conversations, I’m increasingly talking to CEOs, executives and civil society leaders wanting to better understand the next generation of consumers and the next generation of employees. Gen Z is putting pressure on us all to transform in fascinating ways, and many of us are asking questions about how to cater for younger workers and future proof our organisations.

If this sounds like you, we’d be keen to have a chat and see if TNM can help. From our own content production to work we have done, for example, with The Oliver Wyman Forum, we have a raft of insights and data which can support you. We work closely with a number of global organisations – helping with high-impact story-telling, digital media, internal communications, through to employee benefits, HR and working structures.

Email me direct and all of us at TNM look forward to speaking further.

Kamal Ahmed
Editor-in-Chief and Co-founder
The News Movement

Our Top 5 News List

The top stories young people cared about this week, from our audience team and newsroom debates.