As Generation Y moves into their 30s and up the corporate ladder, Generation Z (those born between about 1995 and 2012) is set to become a newer, younger brand of consumer and employee with a different set of attitudes and expectations.
Jonah Stillman,19, is part of that generation. He serves as a brand consultant to clients that have previously included the National Football League, helping the Minnesota Vikings to better understand and connect with younger fans.
Together, Stillman and his dad, David, co-authored the book “Gen Z @ Work: How the Next Generation is Transforming the Workplace.” The two are also keynote speakers who educate and enlighten audiences on traits of Generation Z as part of their company, GenZGuru.
We caught up with Jonah Stillman to find out how marketers can appeal to Gen Z, what leaders need to know about managing them and more. The following conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.
StartupNation: What do you think brands (and particularly startups) get wrong about marketing to Gen Z?
Jonah Stillman: I think the first one is not recognizing that we are a different and unique generation. The biggest misconception in general is the fact that, most marketers think that anyone under 30 is all the same. Marketers need to realize that they’re marketing to a drastically different generation with new ways of spending money and new ways of interacting with products. I really think that the first step in successfully marketing to my generation is recognizing why we are different.
Related: How to Prepare Your Startup for Marketing to Generation Z
StartupNation: Tell us about some of those differences between Gen Z and Gen Y.
Jonah Stillman: People may hear the word “generation” and they tend to think it’s based just when you were born. Anyone studying generations will tell you that beyond that, it really is the events and conditions during those generations’ formative years that result in the way they look at the world, both as employees and consumers.
You can look at the world that millennials lived in during their formative years. They grew up during economic prosperity, during the tech boom. They were reminded daily by their parents that they could accomplish everything they put their mind to.
Now you compare that to my generation, who grew up post 9/11, in the midst of the 2009 recession. Our world wasn’t as pretty. We were told by our parents that nothing’s guaranteed, you have to fight for what you want, to be very realistic with what you can and can’t fight. So as spenders, Gen Z’ers have at a very young age become very good at distinguishing between something they need and something they want.
StartupNation: How does that play out in terms of marketing?
Jonah Stillman: We still spend money, and I think that the number one value of reaching my generation is transparency. Tell us why something costs this certain amount, why something is what it is. Gen Z is very much interested in interacting with transparent marketers because we are so able to tell what is real, what isn’t and why something is the way it is.
StartupNation: As Gen Z enters the workplace, what are companies getting right or wrong about managing them as employees?
Jonah Stillman: The millennials will likely be my generation’s front-line manager, and the millennials are the most collaborative generation in history. They’ve developed platforms like Facebook. Millennials like to think in groups, work in groups, and they’re very collaborative. However, as (Gen Z’ers) start to show up in the workplace, we are much more competitive and a little bit less collaborative. I’m concerned that as Gen Z’ers enter the workplace and are being managed by millennials, they’ll likely view us as not team players or not team oriented. It’s just that we’re a little bit more competitive, so that collaboration doesn’t come as naturally to us.
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StartupNation: What does that mean for how you manage or structure a team?
Jonah Stillman: I would encourage managers to be open minded to a shift in the way that people prefer to get work done. We know a massive trend appealing to millennials is the open office concept. We don’t necessarily like the open floor concept. (Gen Z) would rather have their own office. It doesn’t have to do with having your name on the door, it’s more about having the ability to work privately.
Another trend that we live in what is called the phygital world. In the workplace especially, there’s been a clear distinction between the physical and the digital world. However, for my generation, the lines between the two are no longer blurred. In our first national study, we asked Gen Z how they felt about remote working concepts. And over half of them said they almost don’t understand the concept of working remotely. In today’s world, we have the ability to connect anywhere to where we’re never really remote.
StartupNation: Anything else you’d like readers to know about managing Gen Z?
Jonah Stillman: Yes. As Gen Z enters the workforce, you’ll likely see a very motivated and a very driven generation. They will likely bring a lot of new fresh ideas to the workplace, and I really do think we’ll revolutionize the way we work.
