Thinking Diversely: Where Gen Z, Elon Musk and iCAN meet
Felix Wong, iCAN Thought Leadership Lead, discusses the emergence of Gen Z in the workforce, the need for employers to adapt and how iCAN can help.
It’s not advisable to make sweeping generalisations about a population based on a single survey, as there exists a myriad of views within any demographic. However, the recent Channel 4 survey examining attitudes of Generation Z (13-24 year olds) makes fascinating reading
The survey of 1,500 Gen-Z’ers in the UK found:
60% see their parents as role models
Gen Z is more likely to support ‘progressive’ social issues, such as Black Lives Matter and transgender rights
Only 48% of Gen Z believe there are just two genders, compared to 68% of over 25s
Cost of living, affordable housing, uncertainty about the future, pressure to be successful and self-image/appearance are the top stressors for this generation
60% are positive about their own future
Of course, this is the first generation to be fully weaned in a world of heavily digitalised content. Google, smartphones and social media were not even terms that existed when I grew up. One might be forgiven for thinking social media was a major stress causing factor - certainly 50% of over 25s believe it is a stressor for the younger generation - but in fact only 35% of Gen Z considers it a concern.
Perhaps, like TV before it and rock and roll music before then, as older generations we just don’t know how it feels when your life is surrounded by a ubiquitous cultural phenomenon. Not for the first time, I’m reminded of David Foster Wallace’s famous "This is Water"” parable.
The survey found 25% of Gen Z have “very little tolerance for people whose beliefs they disagree with” and nearly half agreed “some people deserve to be cancelled’. This is consistent with research that finds that people with so-called liberal views are, paradoxically, less tolerant of opposing views than their conservative counterparts.
In view of this, I wonder what to make of 51 year-old Gen-X’er Elon Musk’s “free speech” plan on twitter that saw a near 500% increase in use of the n-word within days of Musk’s takeover? Perhaps it matters not to Gen-Z, who are not using twitter anyway.
As Generation Z is now, or will soon be, entering the workforce, there is much for organisations to adjust for. Organisations must demonstrate their response to the causes that are important to this emerging workforce. If young talent does not believe your inclusion actions or your ESG credentials, they will simply not come to you. Or if they do - perhaps driven by their need for financial security and housing costs - they will not stay. If your products fail to connect with them on their terms, you’ll be ignored.
This is where iCAN can help. Our recently relaunched iCANApply Jobs Board demonstrates our sponsors’ commitment to hiring talent from diverse ethnic and multicultural backgrounds.
iCAN offers our pooled knowledge, experience and insight to our sponsors on any matter they wish to engage in: everything from panel events to market-leading mentoring schemes, recruitment and communication advice. If you’d like to know more, get in touch.