Generation Z, now coming into the workforce, has different skills, perspective from predecessors

Move over, baby boomers, Generation X-ers and millennials. There's a new generation entering the American workforce and it bears little resemblance to generations of the past.

Chelsea McNeely said she had an "ah-ha" moment a few years ago when she realized a "new generation" was entering the workforce.

McNeely, the director of online programs at Southeast Missouri State University, asked a student worker in her office to take care of several tasks, one of which was mailing a letter.

"She went back to her work station to do some of the things I asked and a few hours later I thought, 'Gosh, isn't she back from the post office yet?' so I walked over to her work station and saw on her computer screen she had Googled 'how to mail a letter'," McNeely said.

The student had used the internet to find a YouTube video on the subject as well as online instructions from the U.S. Postal Service.

At first, McNeely said she was baffled and didn't understand why the student didn't know how to use the post office.

"Then I realized she never had to mail a letter before. She always simply used her phone to call, text or email people," McNeely said. "That was the single moment when I became interested in Generation Z."

McNeely shared her story, along with other insights about Generation Z's skills, habits and workplace needs last week during a Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Series program, sponsored by The Bank of Missouri.

"I started talking to faculty and staff colleagues at the university and they shared similar stories, so I started looking at the research and discovered there was a new generation," she told the group.

The term "Generation Z" was coined a few years ago to identify people born after 1995 who have started to graduate from college and are just beginning to enter the workforce.

Members of Generation Z, McNeely explained:

• Grew up in a time of economic, political and cultural change
• Were born years after the first computer and cellphone
• Barely remember 9/11 or were born well afterward
• Put a premium on speed and convenience

By 2020, demographic experts estimate Generation Z will account for 7% of American workers. Baby boomers, defined as people born between 1946 and 1964, once the largest group of workers, now represent only 22% of the workforce as more and more members of that generation leave the workforce every year.

Members of Generation X, people born between 1965 and 1980, comprise 20% of the labor force while millennials, those born between 1981 and 1994, will account for half of all American workers by next year.

McNeely said members of the "Z" generation are unique and have characteristics distinguishing them from baby boomers, Generation X-ers and millennials.

"They're already here, they're working with us, and they're completely different than my generation, the millennials," McNeely said. "They're a very interesting group."

Among the major differences, she said is "millennials tend to be very collaborative. They like open work spaces and they like to share thoughts and ideas. Members of the Z generation are more independent and autonomous and prefer to have office spaces to themselves."

According to her research, McNeely said people in Generation Z "would rather share socks than office space."

Also compared to previous generations, McNeely said members of Generation Z are highly competitive, often use symbols instead of words in their communications and have an initial attention span of about 8 seconds and for advertising it's only about 2 seconds.

"With advertising specifically, we're seeing advertisers really have to adjust to what they're doing" when advertising to the new generation, she said. "They are very skeptical and questioning, so advertising has to be very authentic."

McNeely quoted father and son generation researchers David and Jonah Stillman -- David represents Generation X while Jonah is a member of Generation Z. According to the Stillmans, the "real world" and the "virtual world" completely overlap for teenagers and people in their early 20s who are used to living "online" and use technology and the internet in every facet of their daily lives.

"They (members of Generation Z) use technology very purposely," McNeely said. "Whereas us millennials, we've grown up seeing technology evolve, but we're still learning how it works."

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