Generation Alpha will be a better workforce than Zoomers periodt — says a Gen Z
Fix an iPad with “Cocomelon!” in front of a kid. Can you hear it too?
A forecast conducted by Insider Intelligence says 36 million Gen Alpha (born 2010–2024) consumers will be Internet users this year. Surprisingly, TikTok is already Gen Z’s (born 1995–2009) go-to search engine; Gen Alpha will soon follow.
As Steve Jobs once said, “Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do” Enter the realm of Woke, Lazygirls, and Situationships; to simplify, Generation Z — Equality advocates, Smart workers, and ones who struggle to find the balance between romance and friendship. This generation can be visualized as shouting in the streets, sometimes on email or hiding behind tweets. It’s normal to be frustrated and even sneered at by superiors. Truly, Generation Z sounds like the worst generation to work with. Could disturbing events like, the Great Recession, the Digital Revolution, and a Global Pandemic be the reasons for finding ways to achieve financial independence and better work-life balance? This most hated generation has forced companies to be sustainable, diverse, inclusive, and flexible.
In the next five years, Gen Alpha will walk this path and shine brighter than any other generation.
According to a report by Corgan, over 96% of Gen Alphas aged 7–9 believe that everyone should be treated fairly no matter what they look like. Alpha parents are mostly Millennials and Gen Z. Generation Alpha has witnessed the fight for being vocal and heard. These ideas have been ingrained in their minds since birth, changing their lifelong experiences significantly. Additionally, more than 56% of Gen Alpha parents said their kids liked watching unboxing and haul videos according to Insider Intelligence. These introduce kids to new products, making them more comfortable with new technology and features. This means Alphas’ curious minds are already strongly influencing household purchases at the age of 5!
The second digitally native generation will be even more habituated to tech compared to Gen Z. Having grown up with iPads as their first toys, convenience is a necessity rather than a value addition; expecting change, rewards, and results all in a jiffy. 54% of Gen Z are not engaged at work, says Gallup’s Generation Disconnected: Data of Gen Z in the Workplace. They are notoriously regarded as entitled, know-it-alls, and even poor time managers. Zoomers spent their formative years inside rooms due to the pandemic axing their productivity, work ethic, and interpersonal skills. Although impatient, their drive to achieve success creates a need for instant gratification even with poor results.
Zoomers conformed to the virtual whereas Alphas entered the virtual world, not knowing any other reality. This will build an engaged and more productive future workforce as Alphas are habituated to growing tech and hybrid formats.
Gen Z will soon be in higher positions. Knowing the expectations, they will set higher benchmarks for organizations. This will create collaborative teams that will be open to change and being challenged simultaneously. Future tech-immersed workplaces will allow free speech, stronger employee recognition strategies to settle the need for instant gratification, and more flexibility and benefits catering to employees’ endeavors. Such an environment will complement Gen Alpha’s characteristics and help them flourish.
Finally, Gen Z is highly influenced by the digital revolution, heavily impacting social interactions, friendships, and most importantly mental health. Born in the age of influencers and experts and their habituation to technology, Alpha will be aware of where solutions exist. Further, having witnessed financial troubles and job losses during 2020–23, this generation will actively attempt to be financially independent and more entrepreneurial. Born in the age of influencers or even families of influencers, Alpha may choose to live a more secluded and private life.
The dependence on immersive technology is bound to increase, but will also reduce the ability to solve problems, make quick decisions, and think critically and creatively. In hindsight, it may seem so but in actuality, this will complement this generation’s working style. The Artificial Intelligence segment is being introduced in almost every facet of life. In the next few years, artificial intelligence will be developed to be nonneutral (if not wholly neutral).
Framing strategies and solving problems can be great areas for companies to build their training and development models. Gen Alpha will expect integrated applications and will despise anything short of seamless and convenient. In Gen Alpha’s browser, buffering does not exist, indistinguishably, impatience is prevalent. Owing to the need for instant gratification and drive for success, it’s essential to build a continuous feedback mechanism.
Amid complex, agile processes, companies need to build people-centric strategies and promote empathetic Gen Z leaders to successfully develop the next generation. Needless to say, it’s exciting to see iPad kids — the new childhood norm take humanity forward.
