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The Buck Stops With Generation Z

Gender inequality exists, but only in the workplace. Young women grow up believing in equality, but when she enters the workplace, she hits a brick wall.  That will stop when Generation Z joins the workforce. Not because gendered roles will somehow evolve in the next decade, but because technology will.

Generation Z is the most technologically immersed and advanced generation ever. They are known as “digital natives”  because they have never known a world without iPhones, laptops, video games, chat windows, tabs and texts. On airplanes, toddlers are abated with digital shows and video games instead of stuffed animals and paper coloring books.

Such tech-ubiquity means Gen Z holds the following traits above and beyond any other generation, all of which will eliminate gender inequality:

1. Multi-tasking. Gen Z are innate multi-taskers, and are primed to want instant and immediate outcomes. It also means that Gen Z wants clarity and simplicity – some say they tend to oversimplify – but this is good for inequality. Gen Z won’t have the time or patience to engage in the nuances of gender, and thus, will simply allow people to just be “who they are.”

In the “Becoming Chaz” documentary, Chaz Bono remarked it was the youngest members of his family that took his transition from female to male the easiest. In fact, these youngsters said it wasn’t a big deal at all. That’s just “who he is,” they said.

2. Globalized empathy. Part of their ease with gender is that Gen Z is well-educated. “They are much more connected to the outside world than previous generations,” says Alec Mackenzie, an eighth-grade Spanish, language arts and film teacher. “They know what is hanging in the Louvre because they’ve seen it on the Internet. They know more about the world because they visit it on the computer.”

As such, they are much more empathetic and knowledgeable to the plights of their peers. Generally known to be wise beyond their years (“12 has become the new 22,” says one Gen Zer) and living in a fully postmodern era, they are especially aware that everything is a social construct, particularly gender. They shy away from sharp classifications such as male versus female, straight versus gay, white versus black.

3. Lack of ambition. Their elders are already bemoaning Gen Z’s lack of ambition, but that is really their dis-enthrallment with traditional power structures and control. Gen Z is growing up in a world where the old power structures have already fallen apart (marriage: divorce, wealth: financial meltdown, security: terrorism), so there is nothing left to put on a pedestal.

Climbing the ladder will become less important as a result. Gen Z will job-hop in their careers to find satisfaction, just like they multi-task in their daily lives. They’re expected to have at least five careers and more than 20 employers in positions that don’t even exist today. It’s hard to be ambitious when you don’t know what the future will hold.

“They are very collaborative and creative. They will change the workplace dramatically in terms of work style and expectations,” argues technology professor Larry Rosen. While Gen Y strived for team-oriented work approaches and collaborative environments, it will be Gen Z who really reaps the benefit. As old power structures melt away, and the status quo becomes working together instead of in competition, women and men will find themselves on an even-playing field.

4. Pleasure-seeking. Those power structures will shift from the workplace to personal lives. Previous generations have paved the way for a workplace that was first live to work (Boomers), then work to live or work/life balance (Gen X), and is now live with work or work/life blur (Gen Y). Taking this to it’s natural conclusion, Gen Z will live. Work will take a backseat to Gen Z’s hedonism.

Already Gen Z has a reputation as pleasure-seeking and consumerist. Not to mention anyone can be a star now and have their own following due to the decentralized web. Consumerism used to confer status (which was traditionally wrapped up in a man’s success and career), but Gen Z will buy things simply to feel something. When that happens, when men and women care less about power and more about pleasure, equality will be easier.

5. Remote workers. “Computers have blurred the line between the workplace and home for adults, and the same is true for today’s students,” argues Duane Mendoza, a technology resource teacher. Via web-based lessons, students in Mendoza’s yearbook class are able to work from anywhere.

Gen Y blurred work and life to work remotely because they wanted flexibility and fulfillment. But Gen Z will work remotely because they know no other way. They prefer to communicate via email and text. While replacing side-by-side and eye-to-eye human connections with quick, disembodied e-exchanges may seem counter-intuitive, it will allow sexual innuendo to stop. Not being in the same physical location alone will decrease harassment. And when Gen Z isn’t working in person, they won’t be able to see the perpetuity of men in power that keeps men in power.

Gen Y believes in equality, but can’t have it because they’re stuck in a workplace with outdated paradigms. Gen Z won’t be stuck there though. They’ll be at the coffee shop with their friends on their laptops. As a result, Gen Z will be the first generation where women and men are mutually respected not just in their personal lives and relationships, but also at work.

In the comments below, let me know me know the single biggest insight you gained from today’s post. Of course, if you have additional ideas or resources about Gen Z, technology, and the future of equality, share them below as well.

By Rebecca Healy

My goal is to help you find meaningful work, enjoy the heck out of it, and earn more money.

12 replies on “The Buck Stops With Generation Z”

The way you present number 4 worries me a bit. Here’s my question:

Is gender equality, without a doubt, the most important thing to achieve, regardless of the trade-offs?

I’m not saying it is or it isn’t, but I am interested in your answer to that question.

PS: I’m on a hurry now, but I’ll comment on all 5 points later.

No, I don’t think it is. That’s what’s interesting about Gen Z. A lot of what they will do will be perceived as negative to older generations (including us Gen Yers), but will be good for gender inequality. I’m not presenting these traits as necessarily good or bad, simply that one of the outcomes from them will be increased equality between men and women. That’s what’s fascinating. I’m looking forward to your other thoughts! 

Wow, I love this post.  I have faith that this will happen and I hope I love long enough to see it.  I’m a boomer and where I am now is confused with most technology.  My kids were good at it and have adjusted to it (gen x and y), but reading this, I realize that the next generation is in fact immersed in technology and that will indeed reach a level of equality in sex and race that was not possible when I was young.  I feel confident reading your post.  It gives me hope. 
 
Change is good, but older people struggle.  We had dial phones and dial prefixes and manual typewriters.   I’ve had trouble with cellphones, but have finally adjusted pretty well to mine.  It took a long time.  I know I’m not going to understand any new technology soon, because there’s much I don’t understand now.  As you say Gen Z will work  “in positions that don’t even exist today.”   Each generation lives by their own knowledge.  Well said! 

Thanks for sharing the Boomer perspective! As a Gen Yer, I think I understand technology pretty well, but doing research on the Gen Zers just blows my mind. It will definitely be interesting to see how everything plays out!

Again, this is a very thought-provoking post. But, something seems amiss and I can’t quite put my finger on it.

Maybe it’s this: what’s your take on the gender roles of having children and parenting? How will the fact that a woman still must be pregnant and give birth affect your argument above? Certainly, things are changing as parents (particularly women) are able to start and grow companies even while their kids are in the home; more dads are choosing to stay at home; remote working allows for more flexible parenting hours; and the look/feel of parenting is continually changing as generations parent together more.

But, what do your observations have to say for how Gen Z will want to parent (Gen Y values being a good parent above earning a lot of money or even owning a home, for example)? When a woman (or man) decides to have a child, will it be easier or harder to maintain/advance a career in the world of Gen Z?

I think it will largely be easier because of some of the points you laid out. Workplaces are evolving where both women and men are taking the same time off nowadays which means you receive benefits as “parents,” not as a “woman on maternity leave.” Gen Z will probably evolve so that even single people who don’t want kids or married people who don’t want kids get these benefits as well so that benefits and how you structure work isn’t based on your lifestyle choices, but just ensuring that the job gets done . That’s how I think the workplace will evolve. It’s hard for me to make observations about what kind of parents Gen Z will be though since I’m not immersed in that world – I don’t know if their traits will make them especially indulgent or especially absent. You would probably have better insights on that?

Hmmmm…I think the time off thing is great and hope it will become more of work life.

As for the types of parents? I’m not sure, and of course, no individual is bound to parent as his or her generation does on the whole. I’ve read a lot of stuff that says Gen Y will be/are better parents than Gen X or Boomers. Not sure how to gauge that, really.

For me, it all gets tricky/mushy because measuring or judging parenting or teaching is tough only because the effects are (appropriately so) so long-lasting.

Yeah, I can see that. I am fascinated by parenting (perhaps because I read so many mom blogs for Alice?!) even though I don’t want kids myself anytime soon. That’s fascinating to me that Gen Y will be better parents than Boomers – I can’t imagine that since I love my mom so much and don’t think I will be able to live up to her. Ha. But perhaps, Gen Y will be less helicopter-y for sure. It’s going to be interesting. Many of my friends are pregnant or have recently had babies – I am keeping a close watch! 

Number 5 is particularly interesting to me. I started my own company a bit over a year ago and am strongly considering growing the firm remotely – meaning the team would work from wherever they like (home, coffee shop, or a co-work meet-up). I know of one small/medium sized firm where employees work remotely across the country. Their client list is extremely impressive and their work is thoughtful and articulately cataloged (via blogs and books). The money and time they could be “wasting” on office space and travel goes into their work/life balance. It makes a lot of sense and it’s clearly working. Although I do wonder how this model could effect team comradery and trust. Is it better or stronger? Could this type of workplace encourage better (clearer) communication? It has to right? Does communication become most important?

Jill, as someone that has been working remotely for eight months now I think there are definite pros and cons! I plan to write a post about this as well. I had been working with the team two years before I started remote work so I think that makes a difference, but I am also about to hire an editorial assistant and she will be remote, and I think it will work out just fine. I think remote work is like all work in that you need to like who you’re working with and get along with them, and communicate well. Everyone communicates so differently, I think it’s a matter of finding who you communicate well with. I think remote work will certainly evolve chat conversations (the primary way I correspond with my coworkers) as well as email, text and the occasional video chat, but will degrade in-person communication. Unless of course, remote workplaces (something in between coworking and a coffee shop) can be developed… let me know an insights you get as your grow your firm! Would love to hear.

Do you believe your own bullshit? I do agree, gender inequality does exist, and the women have the upper hand.  You focus on certain industries and altered data to back up your false ideals.  Feminists are so insensitive to mens issues that they lack any logical judgement to what really is fair. You concentrate on the “top” men, inappropriately labeling them as “all” men. However, anyone with a decent education would know that  very few men embody this class, whereas the mass majority of men make up the bottom of society, with women like you walking all over them.  This has how it has always worked. Except now, women want all the benefit’s of the few men on top, without the risk of being on the bottom.

I have my masters in Computer Science. I worked very hard to get where I am today.  There was only 2 girls in my differential equations class.   They got jobs over men who had masters and a lifetime of necessary skill  because of government benefits for women entering technology fields.  No one is stopping you……cupcake.  ;)

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