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

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We are a little annoyed. Which is an odd feeling for the two of us, because we are optimistic souls who are lucky enough to work for a place driven by its values - and cake. And we know how much that means to all the people we serve, the audiences that are coming to us everyday in ever increasing numbers.

So, let’s share. Because as we know from all those coaching courses we have been on, sharing is better than holding it in. 🙏🏾🌸 

There is a narrative about Gen Z - our people, if we are honest - that is not true. And because so many people believe the narrative it is stopping us taking advantage of the amazing opportunities ahead of us.

If you run a business, 30% of your workforce will be “Gen Z” by 2030.

And that is an awful lot of people.

The irritation? That 50% of managers (and this is in the US, but there are similar signals in the UK) say that it is difficult to work with the next generation of employees. And that many had fired a young hire in less than a week because the employee “was too easily offended”.

Now, everyone, let’s just take a beat. Being alive to mental welfare issues, being clear on the kind of place you want to work, understanding why equity matters - they do not make this cohort difficult to work with.

They make this cohort a joy to work with - a positive challenge for older leaders and colleagues that makes us all better at what we do.

And just as we were getting even grumpier that too few people understand this, up popped this great piece to flip the lazy narrative on its head.

Which cheered us both up no end. Which is a good thing. Because, to paraphrase the leadership sage, The Hulk: “You wouldn’t like us when we are angry”. For a little retro-70s US moment do have a quick watch here.

Actually, we are not angry at all, because - ANNOUNCEMENT ALERT - we also have a new podcast coming into the world next week.

And that makes us both very happy.

Spending dollars on friendships…

How much would you spend to make a friend? A new survey reports that Americans aged 18-25 are the loneliest generation, and they are spending money to help bridge the gap. Access to clubs and activities (like gyms, social clubs and art classes) cost money, but young people are taking it on to find their tribe.

… And concerts

Concert culture is something we talk about a lot at TNM. It’s a whole thing, from the cost of tickets, to securing access codes, to creating content from a live show. The latest data gives us an insight into how serious gigs are for Gen Z, who are twice as likely as millennials to call in sick to attend one. 43% of Gen Zers also say they would give up alcohol for six months for the chance to be front row at their favourite artist’s event. And that is some commitment.

Returning to a big topic…

We haven’t mentioned the cost of living crisis for a little while, but that doesn’t mean it’s gone away. In this first person piece, a first-generation student shares his worries that he’ll struggle to ever get on the property ladder despite earning a decent salary as a freelancer. His story is becoming more and more common: young people who feel like they did everything “right” (university degree, working from a young age, prioritising career) yet are still struggling.

… And thinking about the bigger picture

We love diving into the minutiae of Gen Z culture, but sometimes it’s interesting to take a step back and look at bigger shifts. This article does exactly that, and questions what will change about global economics, capitalism and development issues once Gen Z and millennials have the majority of wealth and power. Based on what you know so far about the next generation, what do you think they’d like to see?

And finally…

65%

… of Gen Zers believe they are starting further behind financially than earlier generations at the same age.

Have a good weekend everyone - and don’t get too angry.

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

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