Millennials were the largest generation group in the U.S. in 2023, with an estimated population of 72.7 million. Born between 1981 and 1996, Millennials recently surpassed Baby Boomers as the biggest group, and they will continue to be a major part of the population for many years.
While Gen Z adapted to technology as it developed, Gen Alpha has known no other way of life. Their upbringing and unique characteristics set them up as a generation of trailblazers, ready to weave technology into every nook and cranny of our daily lives.
As a generation, Gen Z are the most nostalgic, with 15% feeling that they'd prefer to think about the past rather than the future. Millennials aren't much further behind at 14%, and the preference continues to taper off with age.
When it comes to the type of Professional Development, both Gen Z and Gen Y are more likely to say they would like to develop human skills over technical skills. However, Gen Z are more likely to say they are interested in developing human skills, than Gen Y are (63% of Gen Z agree compared to 55% of Gen Y).
Nearly half — 45% — of hiring managers find Gen Z to be “the most challenging generation to work with,” according to a recent survey from Resume Genius.
Initially, the group born after Generation X was coined Gen Y because it was the next letter progression in the current naming schema. In the late 1990s, authors William Strauss and Neil Howe coined the term “Millennials” to describe the generation coming of age at the beginning of the 21st century.
Recent studies reveal an undeniable problem: Gen Z is the most depressed and anxious when compared with other generations. A significant percentage of Gen Z individuals report experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Social media remains central to Gen Z's lives, not just for consuming content but for staying connected. The number of Gen Z TikTokers saying they use the platform for messaging friends and family rose by 82% between 2020-2024.
Generation X often is referred to as the forgotten generation, sandwiched between the large and culturally powerful Baby Boomer and Millennial generations. Today, Generation X commands less attention than Boomers and Millennials from both researchers and the media.
A growing discourse suggests that Generation Z (Gen Z) is endowed with higher cognitive abilities compared to their predecessors, the Millennials. This assertion prompts an exploration into the unique characteristics and experiences that might contribute to the perception of heightened intelligence within Gen Z.
As the first real digital natives, Gen Zers—speaking generally—are extremely online. Gen Zers are known for working, shopping, dating, and making friends online; in Asia, Gen Zers spend six or more hours per day on their phones.
Generation Z (Gen Z) refers to the generation born from 1997 to 2012. Gen Z is bracketed between Millennials (born from 1981 to 1996) and Generation Alpha.
Gen X was the first generation that experienced both parents working outside the home. But, unfortunately, at the same time, childcare centers and afterschool programs had not yet emerged to a significant extent. Now, the "Coolest Generation" finds itself somewhere between 42 and 56 and is hitting middle age.
Gen Z is set to become the largest and richest generation in the world over the next 10 years, according to a new report by Bank of America which found that those born between 1997 and 2012 are expected to amass over $74 trillion in income by 2040.
Gen Z is far more likely to be single than any other generation, according to a new report from Coupon Birds. While only 28 percent of millennials said they were single in the survey of 2,000 U.S. adults, a whopping 46 percent of Gen Z were without a partner.
A part of this bump can be attributed to the generation finally entering the full-time job market, leading to higher wages. But the biggest contributing factor in their financial boost is the Great Wealth Transfer, expected to hit Gen Z bank accounts in the years to come.
This aligns with research that claims Gen Z yearns for their accomplishments to be rewarded quickly. The endless stream of content and the ability to go viral in an instant provides gratification for its users.
However, the report reveals that Gen Z (aged 15-24) are unhappy. Young Americans are the most discontent with many experiencing 'mid-life crises'. But what's making them sad? The annual World Happiness Report has been published for the year 2024 and there's not much to be happy about.
After the test scores are calculated for every participant, an average of these scores is calculated for the 2 focus groups, shown in Table IV. From Table IV we can see that the average score of the millennial groups is 99.24 and the average score of the gen-z group is 101.03, the difference being 1.79 points.
New research shows Millennials and Gen Z exhibit loneliness and alienation more than other generations. It is possible to be technologically "connected" and socially disconnected simultaneously. Face-to-face meetings can be helpful for combatting loneliness.
In fact, because of the way Generation Y was parented, they tend to have difficulty with problem solving, failure, accepting and learning from mistakes, and having realistic expectations. There is decreased accountability, responsibility, and independence.
Growing up during a period of wartime along with economic depression has caused millennials to lose their sense of youth and innocence just as the lost generation did. Along with disillusionment with their current society, both generations felt a disconnect from traditional values.
They are colloquially known as "zoomers", which surprisingly was not coined after Zoom, the video chat service, but instead is a play on the term 'boomers' and refers to the fast-paced nature of Gen Z's upbringing, amidst the explosion of technology and culture.