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Reading tip for decision-makers: "Gen Z"

Writer's picture: Judith PraßerJudith Praßer

Updated: Sep 15, 2024

There's no doubt: Gen Z is a hot topic of conversation. But have you ever wondered why? Why does this generation in particular worry people so much? Compared to previous generations or youth movements such as punks or hippies, Gen Z does not provoke people for example with its outward appearance. And yet it still has a negative reputation. But I would like to form my own opinion beyond overheated debates. So what could be better suited to illuminating the facets of the current generation issue than a book? Quite analog. Quite simply.


In the book Gen Z. Für Entscheider:innen[1], published by some representatives of Gen Z, Annahita Esmailzadeh et al, they don't even engage in a justification approach. Instead, they write about how they perceive themselves as Gen Z in a completely unbiased way in order to correct and perhaps neutralize the general image of Gen Z in the media. In the following, I would like to say a few words about what I think the book contributes to the discussion.


Gen Z packed into just less than 200 pages: How is the book structured?


The editors have structured the book in such a way that they themselves formulate a preface and a conclusion and the main part of the book consists of many small articles and contributions. These come from various people with an entrepreneurial and economic background. They are not exclusively representatives of Gen Z, some of them also belong to other generations, but are involved with millennials in a professional context.


The contributions are divided into four thematic blocks (translated by myself):

  • How do I attract Gen Z talent to my company? (Recruiting)

  • What skills characterize Gen Z and how do I make the best use of them? (Leadership)

  • How do I reach Gen Z as a target group? (Marketing)

  • What does an environment look like in which Gen Z can fully develop their entrepreneurial potential? (Entrepreneurship or intrapreneurship)


The mission is in the details: What is the purpose of the book?


The editors use the word "decode" several times. In other words, their aim is to decode Gen Z, i.e. to make the essence of the generation understandable. And they do so for people who do not belong to this generation.


What can be observed very clearly here is the authors' efforts to back up their theses with figures. They don't just focus on personal feelings, such as: "As a representative of Gen Z, I see myself as committed to sustainability." This thesis does appear, but survey data and empirical studies are cited to back up the theses with facts.



GenZ book
The GenZ is a frequently discussed topic. No wonder it has become the subject of a book.


The contents wrapped up: What does the book say?


The recurring themes of the articles are mainly the sustainability cited and the desire to help shape things, to talk to decision-makers on an equal level, and the big question of meaningfulness beyond the pure earning of money. Depending on the person, the desired meaning can relate to different things (sustainability, personal interests, working with people). It is important that their own work fulfils their individual need for meaning.


Another aspect that young people strive for in their job is flexibility. This applies to working hours, but also to work locations. Working from home and mobile work seem to be more important to millennials than to other generations. And as a medium in Gen Z, the smartphone is of course mentioned frequently, as are the social channels that are necessary to communicate with Gen Z.


The added value for the audience: How does the book benefit me?


Of course, the authors do not only philosophize about the exact characterization of Gen Z, but also give tips on how to deal with it. One useful recommendation that I take away for myself is the idea of reverse mentoring: it means that a mentoring program does not only have to provide younger people with advice from older people. Instead, mentoring can also function as a mutual self-reflection program. The mentors can also learn something from the mentees and question their values and ingrained ways of acting. Another groundbreaking point is the proposal:


„Be the person that you needed, when you were younger.“ [2]

Ultimately, of course, complaining about younger generations is as old as the hills. And of course, people born after 1990 do not have a different gene that makes them fundamentally different people, nor does it standardize them into a single type. Occasional passages in the book contain the reminder that Gen Z should not be lumped together, but that all people should be regarded as individuals. An important appeal.


New food for thought: What do I take away from the book?


How can we imagine a generation without generalizing? One should keep the following in mind: The tendencies by which generations differ arise from the worldly circumstances they are born into and have to deal with. For example, millennials have known the smartphone all their lives (with all its advantages and disadvantages), while other generations have grown up with other media and means of communication.


And the labor market has evolved in the same way. Gen Z is often accused of lacking a work ethic. Sociologist Martin Schröder counters this by saying that there are no generational differences in attitudes to work. The differences are made by the zeitgeist and age.[3] Of course, representatives of the baby boomer generation experienced a very different situation when they applied for jobs where they had to beat numerous competitors.


Today, on the other hand, we are experiencing a scarcity of specialists, which often allows candidates to choose the best option from several. And let's be honest: given the choice between an offer with less work and more pay and an offer with more work for less pay, no one is likely to choose the latter. Certainly not baby boomers either, if they had had this option.


The authors of the book: Who has their say?


Just how little the prejudices about Gen Z's lack of work ethic really apply is demonstrated by the book's authorship. A large number of young people who have already achieved professional success in their youth have their say here. Of course, it must also be acknowledged that a reading guide tends to leave out the stories of failure in order to sell itself on the market.


And we also need to be aware of this point in general when we consider the debates surrounding Gen Z: Very often, it revolves around a milieu-specific image of young people who are well educated and tend to belong to the privileged class. The term Gen Z probably triggers in very few people's minds the association with the children of refugees or young low-wage workers. However, these groups are also mentioned in several articles.[4] In the end, this book describes a certain diversity of career paths, biographies and values of young people and thus offers a differentiated perspective that is often missing in media debates.



Conclusion: What is my opinion of the book?


The book has finally succeeded in bringing the topic of Gen Z down to a factual level and not giving in to the typically heated discussions. Precisely because the book does not indulge in the usual clichés, it is highly recommended reading. To decode Gen Z, which the authors have set themselves as a goal, I would still miss a clearer in-depth structure, for which the book medium is predestined. The format of the two- to three-page short texts possibly embodies the proximity to social media posts, but sometimes seems a little unsystematic. As a result, the decoding is perhaps a little promising, as no sociological studies or social megatrends are explained in-depth. Instead, the very practical focus is on the job market and mainly young academics.


The short texts can be read very well as little exemplary stories and are very entertaining in this sense. The book is therefore easy to read. Readers get to know the many authors better and open their eyes to the companies that are mentioned. And so perhaps small editorial weaknesses are not so significant.


The message: What contribution does the book make to the debate?


For me, the most important and at the same time positive message of this book are the topics of meaningfulness, value orientation and sustainability. Because these are all altruistic motives that obviously drive the millennial generation. The whole of society and hopefully future generations can benefit from this commitment. We should therefore be careful not to devalue the attitude of Gen Z as selfish, as it actually means just the opposite. Could it be that this prejudice also stems from the fact that Gen Z is holding up a mirror to society and showing us where we need to improve because certain structures are not economical, sustainable and therefore perhaps not sensible (any more)?


I advocate entering into a dialog and asking ourselves the question: How can we enable younger people, for example also in companies, to have a sense of purpose in their everyday working lives and thus improve our economic, ecological and also social structures at the same time? Of course, this dialog must be desired by all sides. The authors of this book seem to me to be very willing to engage in dialog and I am therefore looking forward to a future exchange.


Let's all talk to each other again - beyond prejudices against Gen Z, but without prejudices against baby boomers, Generation Golf and Gen Y and any other labels we can think of. Let's just talk to each other as human beings again.


 

[1] Annahita Esmailzadeh, Yaël Meier, Stephanie Birkner, Julius de Gruyter, Jo Dietrich, Hauke Schwiezer: Genz Z. Für Entscheider:innen, Frankfurt/New York (2022).

[2] Gülsah Wilke: Junge Talente mit Migrationshintergrung sind ein wichtiger Erfolgsfaktor für Unternehmen, in ibd., pp. 101-105., here p. 105.

[4] Gülsah Wilke: Junge Talente mit Migrationshintergrung sind ein wichtiger Erfolgsfaktor für Unternehmen, in Annahita Esmailzadeh et al.: Genz Z. Für Entscheider:innen, Frankfurt/New York (2022), pp. 101-105. Heiner Thorborg: Z steht für Zukunft und damit für Hoffnung, in ibd., pp. 150-154.

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