Understanding differences between generations, and finding ways to live
together in harmony
Written by Researcher Sung Joon Jo
Seoul, August 2020
Nowadays, the global society consists of various generations and population groups.
The advancement of medical technology has dramatically increased life expectancies,
allowing different generations to live together in harmony. Every individual,
regardless of generation, experience a myriad of events throughout life, which
altogether play an important role in forming one’s values, beliefs, and behaviors.
Especially, what people experience during early stages of life – during infancy and
adolescence – has a pivotal role in one’s cognitive development. As different events
take place during different time periods, individuals from each period have distinctive
ways of thinking and behavior patterns. Such differences are the basis for setting
generational cohorts, groups of people who were born at the same time periods.
The Concept of ‘Generational Cohort’
Generational cohorts are defined by birth year instead of current age. This is because
generations get older in groups. When referring to a certain generational cohort, for
instance the millennials, you are not thinking of them as a certain stage in life; those
who belong to the cohort will age and enter different stages of life as time passes. In
other words, although individuals who belong to the millennials are aged between 24
and 39 currently, they will get older in the future, but the time period at which they
were born will remain unchanged. Generation cohorts are commonly used for
marketing, as different generation groups display distinctive consumption patterns
which makes it easy for marketers to predict consumer behaviors. When talking about
generational cohorts, people usually refer to 4 groups: The Baby boomers, Generation
X, Generation Y (also known as the Millennials), and Generation Z. The Generation
Z, or Gen Z for short, is the youngest generation among the four, and the Gen Zs are
true digital natives. What are the characteristics of Gen Zs, and what makes them so
unique?
General characteristics of each generation cohort
Before discussing the attributes of Gen Z, it would be crucial to gain understanding of
each generation cohort. The first cohort to be discussed is known as the ‘Baby
boomers.’ The Baby boomers refer to people born during the baby boom, - from 1946
to 1964 – a period in which birth rate increased at an unprecedented rate following the
end of the Second World War. The Boomers rely on traditional means of gaining
information such as television, magazines, radio, and newspaper. The Generation X is
defined as individuals born around 1965 to 1980, following the baby boomers. Most
members of the Generation X are children of the early baby boomers and the
generation before the boomers – the Silent Generation. Due to increased number of
women in the workplace, the Gen Xers faced reduced parent supervision and were
called the “latchkey generation.” Generation Y, also known as the Millennials, are
people born from 1981 to 1996. The Millennials are mostly children of baby boomers
and generation X. They have come of age during a time of technological change,
globalization and economic disruption, according to a Goldman Sachs research.
Lastly, the Generation Z are the demographic cohort that succeeds the Millennials.
Most members of the Gen Z have been exposed to the Internet and digital technology
since birth. The Internet and social media have become indispensable parts of their
lives, and it is also known that the Gen Zs are realistic, ambitious, and flexible in
workplaces. Then, how exactly are the Gen Z unique from the preceding generations?
How are the Gen Zs unique from the earlier generations?
So, it seems quite obvious that there are both differences are similarities between the
Gen Zs and the early generations. The main difference would be access to advanced
technology; members that belong to Generation Z have been able to enjoy the
convenience brought by technology. There are also a number of differences that make
the Gen Zs unique. The Gen Z is more racially and ethnically diverse compared to
previous generations, and they are known to be the best-educated generation. Using
digital technology to facilitate education, the Gen Zers are more likely to enroll
college compared to the earlier generations, and they are more likely to have a
college-educated parent.
Moreover, Gen Zers are more tolerant when it comes to accepting LGBT rights and
same-sex marriage. They also feel more comfortable using gender-neutral language
compared to the older generations.
Another difference worth mentioning would be the unique working habit of the Gen
Zs. It is widely accepted that the generation Z prefers security and stability in the
work place. This is because they have experienced the Great Recession as children,
witnessing the hardships and struggles caused by the prolonged economic downturn.
As a result, the Gen Zers are highly pragmatic, meaning that they focus on security
and money. The Gen Zs are more competitive compared to the millennials. While the
millennials reportedly prefer collaborative work, the Gen Zs want to work on their
own and acknowledge the fact that skill development is necessary to stay relevant at
the workplace. Moreover, Gen Zs want independence, and they are more likely to
multi-task compared to the millennials. And surprisingly, the Gen Zs prefer face-to-
face discussion over emailing and messaging.
In Summary, the Gen Zs in the workplace…
Prefer stability and security
Desire to work individually rather than relying on someone else
Are likely to multitask
Understand that competition is inevitable
Future Prospects – How are the Gen Zs less likely to be affected by global
crises
Up to this point, we have learned that Gen Zs are unique in that they are true digital-
natives. Some question whether Gen Zs are more immune to global crises that might
take place in the recent future. In light of the information we have discussed about the
Gen Z, the answer seems to be “yes.” The reason lies in the unique characteristics of
the Gen Zs. Namely, they have lived in a connected-community, where people are able
to share information and communicate constantly. When faced with a predicament, the
Gen Zers will be able to find a way out by sharing information on the Internet. Taking
full advantage of developed technology, the Gen Zs will be able to overcome
hardships better than any other generation. Moreover, as mentioned earlier, the Gen Zs
are realistic, ambitious, and flexible workplaces. Global crises - such as war,
economic recession, and epidemics – require rapid and dynamic changes in the way
people work. COVID 19 has brought massive upheavals in the business world: the
spread of the pandemic has changed not only consumption patterns but also marketing
strategies. More than that, most in-person interaction and meetings have been
switched to online meetings via Skype and Zoom. Since the Gen Zs are not only
familiar with digital technology but also flexible, they will be able to quickly adapt to
new environments and overcome difficulties.
Future Generations
We are living in an era of science and technology. The development of technology has
continued to affect our lives greater than ever, and will definitely continue to bring
changes to the global society. We still do not know everything about the different
generations, but we do know one thing for sure. That is, the advancement of
technology has enriched peoples’ lives, fueled national growth, brought unique
characteristics among different generations, and will continue to change the world.
At the same time, we are living in an era of great diversity – race, gender, and
generation. Soon, the Generation Alpha, a more digitally savvy generation, will
assume positions in workplaces, competing with earlier generations. As new
generations continue to emerge, we must find ways for the co-existence of diverse
generations. We ought to remember that there are differences among different
generations. We ought to understand and accept the differences, communicate with
one another, and help each other out to harmonize pre-existing generations and new
generations.
References
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zf8j92p - Millennials, baby boomers or Gen Z: Which one are you and
what does it mean?
http://fourhooks.com/marketing/the-generation-guide-millennials-gen-x-y-z-and-baby-boomers-
art5910718593/ - The Generation Guide
know-about-gen-z-so-far/ On the Cusp of Adulthood and Facing an Uncertain Future:
