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Is Generation Z partying during this pandemic, or is there something else going on?

Recently the New York Times reported that over 250 cases of the coronavirus could be traced directly back to parties held at fraternities, sororities, and off-campus parties.

The members of the fraternities and sororities and all the colleges and universities are mostly dominated by generation Z. This is the generation born after 1997. They are the youngest generation in the workforce. They account for 25% of the population.

Some of you might be thinking that I am picking on the fraternities and sororities. I’ll be honest with you, I learned a lot from the 1978 film ‘Animal House’, starring John Belushi. My parents took me to see it when I was eight years old.

All these reports in the news lately about the younger generation not social distancing and behaving poorly during this health care crisis may leave us with the impression that the younger generation, generation Z, does not care about COVID 19 and spreading into others. However, research shows that generation Z does care about COVID 19 and how it is impacting them and their family members.

According to Morning Consult, generation Z views the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement as the two most impactful events in their lifetime. Every generation is impacted by the generational signposts. It shapes a generation, and the coronavirus is definitely shaping generation Z!

Every generation has been impacted by this virus. The difference is that generation Z, the youngest generation of the workforce is going to be impacted by it, and living with the effects of it much longer than the other generation.

According to Gen Z Identity Lab, 57% of Gen Z reported that if infected, they were willing to share their location through the use of apps to help track the disease and prevent it from spreading. This was the highest set of all the generations when asked this question. Also in the same study reported that generation Z was taking actions to be careful during the pandemic not just to protect themselves, but also to protect their loved ones.

According to Business Wire, 60% of Gen Z report wearing a face mask at all times while in public, followed closely by millennials at 55%. So while the virus has forced generation Z, just like it’s done to all of us, to delay plans, postpone travel, and miss out on some of life’s big moments, not all of generation Z is going out to party.

In fact, many of them are doing some incredible things to lift us up during this unprecedented time. Zoomers to Boomers began in Los Angeles, California after the pandemic. Teenagers shopped for elderly people or people who had compromised immune systems and it was not safe for them to shop for themselves. Zoomers to Boomers have now spread to several states across the country. It’s a volunteer group helping senior citizens fight social isolation through the use of technology during this crisis.

Remember that from Baby boomers, gen Xers, millennials… Gen Z, out of all the generations, Gen Z is going to live with the fallout from the pandemic the longest and it’s going to be interesting to watch them shape the new world.

Next week, we will talk about the multiple generations and explore the ways we can communicate and connect across generational lines.

Is the generational divide even as wide as we sometimes think it is?

Age is one of the primary ways by which our society is divided and with this division comes certain stereotypes about each generation.

I was interviewed on the podcast by Zale Mednick to help his audience better understand the context that shapes certain generational perspectives and to assist us in bridging the existing gaps.

Gen Z, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials…

The impact of Covid-19 has spread across all the generations. The Impact on Generation Z (people born between 1997-2012), however, is a double-edged sword, both good and bad. Being younger, they will have a greater chance to survive the virus if they catch it than their older cohorts. On the other hand, because their careers are just beginning, they will suffer the fallout from the pandemic much longer.

The majority of Gen Z is finishing school now or in the first years of building their career. We often think of Millennials as the neophytes in the professional world but we would be mistaken. Many Millennials are in their 30’s, with families and multiple years in the working world under their belt.

Gen Z however, is just getting started. This means the freshman years of their professional lives will be plagued with record unemployment, layoffs and job attrition. Gen Z is getting hit with a double-whammy situation, downturn of the economy and a fast spreading virus with no play book to fall back on.

Gen Z’s lack of experience in situations like these makes companies’ behavior during this uncertain time even more vital. It would be easy to discount Gen Z’s perceptions during this time. They are new to the workforce and may be perceived as not having a voice in the “adult” world. With the current level of uncertainty in the corporate arena, it would be easy to dismiss their viewpoint.

That would be a mistake. It may seem hard to imagine now, but there will come a time when the economy changes and the skill set Generation Z brings to the marketplace will be in high demand. Just look at the Millennials, who, as young employees, faced terrible job prospects during the Great Recession of 2008 only to find their expertise in high demand less than 10 years later.

Additionally, Generation Z has already demonstrated they are a proactive generation. According to Girls With Impact Report, 65% of Gen Z rank “making a difference to a cause they care about” as a major priority. For example, frustrated by the older generation’s lack of attention to climate change, the combative political climate and the high cost of education and health-care, Gen Z popularized the meme OKBoomer.  The meme was a call out to the older generations and to their ignorance to the causes Gen Z supported.

What does this mean for organizations during this challenging time period?

Generation Z may not be working for you now but they are watching what you do and what you do matters. Generation Z wants to see leadership in the organizations they support. Just like Gen Z’s response to OK Boomer, Gen Z will not abide by an organization that does not respond appropriately during this health-care crisis. 

Here are some examples of companies doing small things to make a big impact during the pandemic that Generation Z respects:

Landsharks https://shoptheshark.com/ an independent clothing store in Saugatuck MI, hosts happy hour on Facebook Live. TitledHappy Hour with the Sharks, the husband and wife owners play a drinking game while giving away gift cards, promoting other Michigan independent stores and celebrating high school graduates who will not be able to have a traditional ceremony. The Happy Hours are highly interactive and hilarious to watch. You do not have to be a Michigan  resident to love what owner David Lokker is trying to do for his community.

Arizona restaurant’s Beckett’s Table, https://beckettstable.com/ and sister restaurant Southern Rail https://southernrailaz.com/ launched AZ Wines for AZ Frontlines. The program not only promotes small AZ wineries, it also recognizes an AZ Frontline Hero with a complimentary bottle of AZ wine. 

When the Claremont Club, http://www.claremontclub.com/, a Southern Californian fitness center, closed during shelter-in-place order, the CEO Mike Alpert asked the members if they would be willing to continue to pay their dues while the club was closed. With the members continuing to pay, employees could continue to receive their paycheck and healthcare benefits. Ninety percent of the members chose to continue to pay their dues. According to Alpert, it is about the people not the money.

Gen Z is not content to give their time and dedication to a company who is conscientious “light.” Gen Z however, wants to go deeper. They want to witness organizations take positive action during challenging times. They want employers to protect what matters and take care of the community. Gen Z will stand behind and support those organizations that excel at this during our time of chaos and crisis. 

Resources:

 2019/2020, Girls With Impact Report, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l1sA333bB406n0Grw4W7Mc6jGrErnOsm/view

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-business-owner-mike-alpert-fights-to-keep-employees-on-payroll-claremont-club/

There are a vast variety of schools of thought when it comes to making the perfect margarita.

I have discovered however the EASIEST way to make a really good margarita. Emphasis on the word EASY and GOOD! The Margarita purists will argue that I am “cheating” with this margarita.

I will agree it is not a gourmet margarita. It is, however, the perfect margarita to make for your small stay at home celebratory group during Cinco De Mayo.