Who Is Gen Z and How Are They Impacting the Workforce?

By: Irine Le

The fact that I’m a Gen Zer graduating from college this December—and hoping to enter the workforce after that—is terrifying to think about. All those big events are happening back to back in a short timespan, but the thought of “the workforce” has always seemed like something reserved for actual adults. It’s weird to think that most of my fellow Gen Zers are actual adults now. 

Generation Z is the generational cohort that follows millennials and predates Generation Alpha. Generation-Z members were born between the years 1997 and 2012, as defined by Insider Intelligence. The oldest Generation-Z members are turning 25 next year, with Gen-Z members born in 2004 entering their college years in 2022. Generation Z has often been defined as the most digitally fluent and most educated generational cohort to date. Beyond being adept at smartphones and social media, Generation Z has also had to reckon with remote classes, internships, and jobs.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, I’d never even taken an online class. But since my first fateful Zoom session back in March 2020, I’ve finished a semester and a half of Zoom University, completed a virtual museum internship, and undergone remote training for an on-campus orientation leader job. Even though most colleges have returned to in-person classes and employers are slowly allowing employees back into the office, the lingering after-effects of COVID-19 are still palpable.

However, as my Gen-Z friends and I start to look at job listings, we’re interested in how the pandemic has affected jobs. Some positions are hybrid or remote. Employees can be flexible with which days they choose to work in person, as long as their responsibilities allow the option to work remotely. 

Besides that, Generation Z is asking for more from their supervisors in terms of transparency and fairness. Gen Z is ready to question the status quo and gain clarity with their employers. Some of Generation Z’s core values include equity, fairness, and creativity—and Gen Z is making sure to bring a fresh perspective to the workforce.

I’m incredibly thankful to have gained academic and professional experience during the pandemic, from my museum internship to meeting new professors. My communication and digital skills have greatly improved because of these experiences, and these are definitely two strengths I want to bring to my future work in any way possible.

Adolescent Content is always looking for new ways to help different brands expand their staff and work with Gen Zers. If you’re interested, reach out to Adolescent to get in touch with our Gen-Z artists and creators.