Digital natives.

GEN Z is an enigma. From AI to Zoom meetings to blockchain, the generation born between 1997 and 2012 has brought about an incredible transformation in the way corporates will work in the near future. Digitisation colluded with Covid-19 and completely altered the rules of working. While we witness chaos every day, a more drastic change is possibly here to stay for good, birthing a novel generation that intends to leave a mark on the workplace environment and culture.

According to a 2021 Consumer Culture Report by 5W Public Relations, Gen Z has prioritised electronics, technology, health, and wellness. This is the generation that has never known a world without the internet. They are not familiar with analogue camera film, a CD player, a paper map or a floppy disk.

Their buying and selling is different. Their mode of working is different. Their decision-making process is quick and calculated, with information available in the blink of an eye and at the click of a finger. They are dependent on mobiles, social media, laptops, and the internet for most of their work. Their income-earning methods are entirely online, with investments made virtually while integrating virtual and offline experiences. If this trajectory continues, it will carve a path for them to pioneer nomadic careers, developing alternative ways to make money online.

True digital natives, this generation is the future of any progressive company. But the commercial giants must take a deep dive into understanding and meeting their expectations, which are entirely different from other generations. It is essential for the corporate world to provide purpose-driven employee experiences, progress and career growth. Only when companies are prepared to accommodate them will they be able to attract the right talent. Gone are the days of employees slaving away. Gone are the days of juicing the best from the all-rounders. Gone are the days of milking them to the last breath. Gen Z will not put up with this.

What does Gen Z want from the corporate world?

They grew up during the recession spawned by the global financial crisis in 2008; they prioritise working for and buying from companies that believe in the importance of sustainable choices, and they have recently lived through another major crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic. One would think that Gen Z would be a practical, cautious and non-entrepreneurial lot driven solely by handsome remuneration and immense job security. And that they would...