Gen Z vs Millennial: Workplace Differences

What is the difference between Millennials and Gen Z in the workplace?

Numerous studies indicate that by 2025, the Millennial generation—those born between the early 1980s and the mid-1990s—will make up the bulk of the workforce worldwide—exactly 75%.

In the not too distant future, Millennials and Generation Z—those born between the middle of the 1990s and the beginning of the 2010s—will rule the workforce. Human resources professionals, in order to create the best possible workplace for their employees, should familiarize themselves with the traits shared by members of both generations, including how they work, the values they hold, and the beliefs they have.

Millennials and Generation Y

While it’s important to avoid making too many generalizations because there are many variations among members of the same generation, the following traits are seen to be “typical” of Millennials:

• They typically switch employment frequently.
• In addition to pay, they place a high importance on perks.
• They are best when they work together.
• For them, freedom and working to live are important.

Things to Know About Gen Z

Following the Millennial Generation, we have Generation Z, commonly known as the iGeneration or Digital Natives. Generation Z does not generally have a younger generation than their predecessors, but they do occasionally view work in rather different ways:

• They value the stability that a job may bring to their lives, both professionally and personally, highly.
• Working alone or having a private office as opposed to an open area doesn’t bother them.
• They have a great deal of tech knowledge.
• They know their own (assumed) shortcomings, such as poor communication abilities.

And after that?

Given that the alphabet finishes with the letter Z, what generation comes after Z? A group of people born between 2011 and 2025 who have been dubbed Generation Alpha; the term originated with social scientist and writer Mark McCrindle. Despite the Alphas’ extreme youth, we already possess some of the traits that (will) define this group:

• They have distinct learning styles.
• They are completely engrossed in technology.
• They expect an excellent online (customer) experience.

The benefits of valuing and embracing generational diversity in work

Let’s go back to the current worker generations. While some argue that there is no such thing as generational disparities in the workplace, the reality is that every generation was born into a distinct historical period with unique political and economic conditions. We all view the world of work through different lenses simply because of this. Having a diverse workforce, with a range of ages and viewpoints, offers your company several advantages:

• It spurs creativity.
• It generates a diversity of skills.
• It makes a larger client and potential audience more understandable for your company.
• It facilitates improved decision-making.

These are but a few advantages of having a workforce that spans generations. Age certainly doesn’t cause variety by itself—just as gender, ethnicity, or place don’t—but it does have an impact.

How to handle the generational divide at work

There are currently five distinct generations in the workforce worldwide, thus businesses that employ people from up to four or five different generations are not an anomaly. Employers must take into account the tastes, expectations, and characteristics of each generation when managing generational diversity in the workplace. To start with, here are some things to think about in that regard:

• Modify your hiring tactics.
• To work on projects, form age-diverse teams.
• Steer clear of age-based prejudice.
• Speak with your staff and find out what they think.
• According to who you are speaking with, modify your communication style.