In this blog, team member Pru explores the differences between GenZ and Millennials and how GenZ are overcoming obstacles to better engage them within the workforce.
What is GenZ
Depending on your source, if you are born after 1996, you are a part of Generation Z. Referred to as the iGeneration or post-millenials, this generation is living in a world built by the baby boomers and influenced by the Millennials.
As challenging as it may feel to fit into a single definition of a generation, GenZers overwhelmingly demonstrate a responsibility to change the future and influence the political landscape with ever growing world affairs and life-changing moments. With many in their early 20s, GenZers will be working multiple jobs to save for their first car or university course, some may want to spend their savings on travel rather than invest in a home twice as expensive as their parents’.
How GenZers and Millennials differ
Where millennials had an upbringing built on freedom and flexibility, GenZ strives for stability and security.
Growing up as a GenZer meant that what was new to Millennials, especially in terms of learning, entertainment and work, was normal for this young generation. New technology moved GenZ from TV to YouTube where they have control over watch time and content. This makes them active consumers rather than passive recipients of content, which often results in a shorter attention span: if content doesn’t engage within seconds, GenZ will move on.
Not only is GenZ an active content consumer, they are also prolific content creators. Filming, mixing, editing, uploading and distributing content directly from mobile devices that they’ve grown up with.
Millennials had less availability of television content and media streaming, so the need to pay attention and select the right material to consume was important. This is evident in traditional learning ways such as text-books and conforming modules that a classroom cohort would follow.
How to engage?
GenZ as a demographic are young and are either in learning or joining the workforce. Career development, workplace engagement and even knowledge retention is a priority for them. GenZ are the first generation to experience remote education and have had to adapt to new technology. Finding new ways to learn, immersive, interactive learning in the workplace and in education is vital
Gamification has transformed learning material into retainable, fun content where individuals can take part in bite-sizes courses. With gamified scenarios, GenZ can retain knowledge from professional courses in an innovative way that engages them and gives them flexibility.
As fun as gamified content can be, it can also be a tool for building skills as well as learning new ones. Feedback can be quick and received straight after finishing your bite-sized, gamified course where you can retake the module to gain a better score.
In the workplace, it is important to inspire GenZ as much as it is to enhance immersive learning compared to what immersive learning was in the early 2000s. Online learning can be more engaging with personalised content, for example, tailoring a training course for an employee. Not only does it show digital innovation but personalising learning content can be inspiring for the individual through relevant focus points specifically for that candidate.
Even for Millennials and older generations, interactive learning content can be beneficial in their current roles. It can keep practice of their current skills as well as re-skilling for a new role. Learning and personal development in the workplace can be more engaging through gamified content.
Read more on how digital technologies are changing the work culture in the world of Learning and Development.