Gen Z: The True Digital Natives

By October 12, 2016For Companies

Although it’s hardly revelatory that younger generations will be more tech savvy, the newest generation to come of age, Gen Z, are revolutionising how we even define technology.  Gen Z or iGen, have been described as the first true digital natives. They have been born into an age where smartphones, video calls and social networks are so inherent, that they no longer even consider them technology. So, how has this affected their behaviours and what does it mean for companies trying to engage with them?


Generation Z: The True Digital Natives

 

They are autodidacts: 

iGen have been using technology to self-educate from a very young age and so are very independent learners. They will respond well to an interactive learning environment so consider this when developing training methods. How can you incorporate the latest tech? How can you ensure a participatory training experience?

They are moving away from mainstream channels:

Younger audiences are spending less time on Facebook and more on visually focused networks like Instagram and Snapchat. While Facebook and Twitter still have more users, Instagram allows for a more engaged and interactive audience through visuals. A study by UCLA Powell Library found that Instagram is more effective in exploiting diverse audiences as users are more likely to see every post from the accounts they follow, while FB filters posts which it considers less relevant to users.

Generation Z

They value the live element:

Gen Z look for instant exchange of information and prefer platforms that offer this. Think of Picpal, almost the photo equivalent of a group chat, where you invite friends to take selfies. Once the invite is accepted, users have 7 seconds to take a picture before they are put together in a collage. The payoff is almost immediate.

They are multitaskers:

As digital natives, they are accustomed to using multiple channels, screens, and devices. As such they are capable of consuming large amounts of information quickly. They will work best when they have the freedom on a variety of devices in short intense spurts. To engage Gen Z, companies must be mobile optimised and open to working remotely.

 


Want to learn more about hiring Gen Z? Download our comprehensive eBook 

Generation Z

 

Author Aoife Geary

Aoife Geary is the Content Editor at Jobbio specialising in the areas of Workplace Culture, Diversity, Startups and Digital Trends. She's partial to a burrito, a bad pun and living way beyond her means.

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