Author: Meagan Johnson
Whatever you call them, Generation Z – the youngest generation is changing the rules, challenging our boundaries and recreating a generationally cohesive workforce! My first job in high school was working at a grim bagel shop called the Bagel Baker. This was pre-Starbucks, where being a barista has an element of cache’. This was […]
Whatever you call them, Generation Z – the youngest generation is changing the rules, challenging our boundaries and recreating a generationally cohesive workforce!
My first job in high school was working at a grim bagel shop called the Bagel Baker. This was pre-Starbucks, where being a barista has an element of cache’. This was pre-premium baked goods and sleek surroundings to sip your gourmet coffee while streaming the next Youtube sensation. The place I worked was dirty, (it was later closed by the health department) the chairs were not comfortable and the tables were cracked.
My manager did not believe in building employees’ esteem. Her management style was intimidation and her idea of words of encouragement was insults directed at my appearance or my lack of ability to mop properly. As an adult, I would often compare poor work environments or management styles to the Bagel Baker. I nicked named it Bagel Baker management style. I was fifteen – the same age as the newest generation entering the workforce is now.
Generation Z, also referred to as iGen or Post-Millennial are the youngest generation in the generational timeline and are just now dipping their toes into the workforce. (My co-author and I called this newest generation the Linkster Generation in our book, Generations Inc., but for simplicity sake, I will refer to them as Generation Z or Gen Z throughout the article.)
Generation Z are people born after 1996.
The oldest Gen Zs are in their early twenties; the majority of this generation is still in their teens. The bulk of Gen Z are part-time employees working around their school schedules and interns. According to Monster.com’s survey of Gen Z, over 75% are still in school. Currently, Gen Z is 65 million people strong and in four years they will be 40% of U.S. consumers.
The majority of the Millennial Generation has Baby Boomers for parents. Generation Z marks the transition from the Baby Boomer parent to Gen Xer and older Millennial parents.
Similar to Millennials, however, Generation Z looks to their parents for career guidance. Generation Z reports their parents have the biggest influence when it comes to job and career decisions and greater than 80% are striving to become leaders.
Contact Us at WeSpeak Global and follow us on Twitter
The articles, video and images embedded on these pages are from various speakers and talent.
These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by WeSpeak Global.
Life has a such a unique way of giving us what we need (soul food) rather than what we want. Stop another dark night of the soul. I have just come out of what can only be described as another dark soul of the night. Unable to see further than my fear and feeling […]
Is it that, “They dont want to work!” – or – they dont want to work for YOU? Here’s a problematic question for entrepreneurs and managers: is it that people dont want to work nowadays? Or is it that they dont want to work for YOU? Twenty years ago, I wrote that you must provide […]
Doing good for customers is something that is inherently right. I admire purpose-driven companies. They have a strong commitment to a noble cause that helps them avoid the pitfalls of short-termism and significantly do good for society in some way. Whatever a company’s purpose, I believe that those with integrity ensure that the golden thread […]
To unlock employee motivation, you may need to change how you communicate special requests. These are things like important changes to operating processes or customer service procedures. You need people to embrace a different way of doing things. It has to be done right and it needs to be executed right away. But you notice […]
Tani Moodley is based in Cape Town, South Africa. She is a seasoned HR Advisor with a career spanning over 20 years in mining, exploration, online marketing and financial services. Tani Moodley has produced the Vlog on Moments of Transition for WeSpeak Global. As a parent I am constantly preoccupied with the kind of world […]
Last week I got to spend five and a half hours of Beyond Strategy with one of the most influential strategic thinkers alive today, Gary Hamel. He has written five global best-selling books, published 17 papers in Harvard Business Review, and has taught at London Business School for 30 years. But most importantly, Gary has […]
I’ve often wished there were a remote control for real life that let you fast forward through the unpleasant parts and pause on the good stuff just so that Everything You Need to Enjoy One Tech-Free Day a Week. There’s not, but there is a practice that will put you back in control of your […]
How Joey Evans Went From Paraplegic To Dakar and In October 2007, a devastating off-road bike accident left Joey Evans paralysed from the chest down. Ten years later, he achieved his dream of finishing the 2017 Dakar Rally on a motorbike. This is the story of the power of grit, determination, and following crazy, audacious […]
Our Mission
© All rights reserved 2025. Created using VOXEL THEME
