In Praise of the iGeneration
I just
spent a great morning with a dozen or so Y2K kids in Muscat, Oman – talking to
them about their hopes, dreams – and fears.
A great
bunch – diverse, multi-cultural, brave, smart and very caring.
GenZ –
the iGeneration look a likely lot to me.
I
recently visited Lancaster Royal Grammar School’s Sixth Form Economics students
and was impressed with their talents and temperaments – and their
hyper-connectivity.
The
first batch of kids born in 2000 are now entering tertiary education in large
numbers and their elder siblings are just entering the work-force.
And we
better be ready to adapt and adjust to them.
Here’s
what productivity expert Laura Stack believes we can expect of the iGeneration.
1.
They display a penchant for stability. Having seen what happened with their
parents, they want to ensure they won’t suffer from corporate indifference.
They prefer their jobs to be stable touchstones they can rely on – still, they want
it to be on their terms.
2.
They’re stubbornly independent. Despite wanting stability, members
of the iGeneration, like their millennial predecessors, are practical. They
look after personal interests first, and they’ll want a greater say in all
aspects of their jobs. They aren’t afraid of hard work, but they will expect to
be appreciated for it and will want to know they won’t be tossed aside when the
road gets rocky.
KR note: Responsibility, Learning, Recognition and
Joy.
3.
They understand technology intuitively. Generation Z cut their teeth on
cellphones (often literally) and are the first generation that grew from
toddlerhood with electronics in their hands. They’re superbly connected. This
focus on their smartphones might look like aimless anomie to older workers, but
they thoroughly understand social media and computers in ways Baby Boomers
never will. They quickly adopt new apps, tricks and tech as they arrive.
They’re well aware of the advantageous position that affords them. They prefer
a knowledge-sharing work culture, and they’ll instinctively see that de-siloing
information and technology is vital to productivity and long-term success.
4.
They crave mobility. That’s doesn’t mean job hopping, but
rather the ability to use an array of mobile technology—laptops, tablets,
smartphones—for work and play. They may be the “New Kids on the Cube Farm,” but
staying in one cubicle all day won’t do. They can get as much done at Starbucks
as most others can in the office. It also frees them up to travel, for both
work and fun.
5.
They want a decent work/life balance. As with millennials, time outside
work is important to Generation Z. Ironically, though, their greater
connectivity may blur the line between work and home life even more than
millennials have seen.
KR note: In other words, Work/Life Integration.
KR