Why generational diversity matters more than ever before

“The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households… They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.”

While these words could have been spoken by just about anyone complaining about today’s youth, or even something we heard in our youth from our parents or grandparents, they are actually attributed to the Greek philosopher Socrates, who expressed this sentiment 2,500 years ago. Although it may be hard to believe, complaints about youth behavior even exist on the 6,000 year-old tombs of ancient Egypt.

What they tell us is, in my opinion, very clear: People have been rejecting the views and behaviors of the younger generation for as long as society has had rules, norms, and expectations. There were probably just as many misunderstandings between older and younger generations 2,500 years ago as there are today; just witness the many squabbles between baby boomers and members of Generation Z. So, we should probably not worry too much about it, since mankind has continued to develop regardless, right? Today, young climate activists are sometimes met with complete incomprehension by politicians who are 2-3 generations older, while older generations occasionally eye new work models as the product of laziness, and the idea of putting one’s private life ahead of a straight corporate career is viewed by some as a life without ambition. So, this time around, is the next generation really so different that they are in danger of jeopardizing everything built up by previous generations?

Without the next generation—a generation that questions the old rules and common, previously held ‘truths’—there would be no idea of progress from which to start. So, what can we expect from generation Z?

Generation Z, or Gen Z, is a term that refers to those born between the mid-to-late 1990s and the early 2010s. Members of Gen Z are true digital natives: they were exposed from earliest youth to the internet, social networks, and mobile systems. That context has produced a hypercognitive generation that is very comfortable with collecting and cross-referencing many information sources and integrating virtual and offline experiences. And according to the World Economic Forum, Gen Z currently makes up 30% of the world’s population and is expected to account for 27% of the workforce in OECD countries by 2025.

In my lecture two months ago with students from Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, and the Dalian University of Technology, Gen Z impressed me again. After the lecture, these students were eager to ask me unexpected questions, and I was amazed by their confidence, straightforwardness, and critical thinking about the future. I believe that Gen Z is shaping the future of the world with their unique perspectives, aspirations, and values. They represent a dynamic force of change, innovation, and diversity that is transforming the world’s social, economic, and cultural landscape.

Whether it’s our fresh graduates joining from college or the members of Gen Z I met when lecturing at universities, their views of the world and their attitudes inspire me to think differently about many things: Are we really doing enough to create a sustainable world? Can I personally do more? I once accompanied children on a visit to a technology museum. One interactive exhibit allowed visitors to enter their own life style and travel behavior into a computer. When I did so, my CO2 footprint was displayed as a shadow on the ground that nearly filled the entire room, whereas others left only the shadow of a normal sized footprint. It was then that I started adopting trees and investing in re-forestation. Is it enough? Absolutely not. But realization is the first step to change.

Companies hold many discussions about what these young Gen Z people want from their careers, the impact they have on the workplace, and how firms can attract this incredible talent from the job market. And indeed, students’ expectations changed a lot. Twenty-seven years ago, I was part of a program to provide the first Chinese universities with IT. For the students back then, it was all about learning, understanding technology, familiarizing themselves with external sources of information, and how this knowledge would one day open the opportunity to join to a multi-national company. In today’s highly interconnected world, knowledge sharing has become more accessible—university students have direct access to cutting-edge technology and information from around the globe. I am even more amazed when I see the lecture halls in China full of students who not only want to gain insights from me, their professor, but to discuss and question the “wisdom” I share.

I have never really understood the origins of the terms Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z. Specifically, how do we name the next generation? Maybe being assigned the last letter of the alphabet is the reason why a few Gen Z activists in my home country, Germany, call themselves “the last generation,” as they fear that we will soon destroy our planet, rendering it uninhabitable. Movements like “Fridays for future” or “the last generation” have meanwhile spread beyond the youth. Again, while their modes of protest—for example gluing themselves to the streets in Berlin and blocking traffic—are viewed with deep misunderstanding, even anger, by many people, they have at least ignited a discussion about society, and about how to express their concerns.

As someone who has a more optimistic world view, I am convinced that there will be a future for mankind. Maybe we will then start all over again at the beginning of the alphabet, naming the next generation—who are already among us as children — “Generation A.” But their future, like ours, will rely on their ability not only to share their Gen Z-era experiences, but also to listen carefully to what the next generation has to share.?

Like many who have lived through their own “Generation Z” period and want to share their experiences and insights with young people, I am on the path of both sharing and listening. I hope that many more people will make the effort not only to teach, but also to learn—from the next generation, from other cultures, or from that neighbor who always has strange opinions about things. Seeing different sides of the world and experiencing its beauty are very much worth the effort.

#generationz #china #student #talent #innovation

(Disclaimer: The ideas, views and opinions expressed in my LinkedIn posts and profiles represent my own views and not those of any of my current or previous employer or organizations I am associated with. Also, any and all comments on my posts from respondents/commenters to my postings belong to, and only to, the responder posting the comments.)