People who have one way or another to do with personnel selection can increasingly hear today about certain generations X, Y and Z. But what does this mean? Who are these people and why should they be involved in cooperation? According to HR specialists, the young theory of generations opens up broad boundaries for attracting and managing personnel.

Date of birth question

For the first time, two people spoke about the peculiarities of age differences in 1991 - US researchers Neil Howe and William Strauss. They created a theory that was based on differences in the values ​​of people of different generations. These differences were studied, as well as the reasons behind them, for example, the situation in the economy and politics, technological development of society, etc. Some time later, the theory began to be applied in practice, because she has proven to be very effective in the business field. Today this theory is used more and more often.

The age theory includes three main components (generations X, Y and Z) and one additional component (baby boomers). Let's take a closer look at them.

Baby Boomers

Baby boomers are people born between 1943 and 1963. As a rule, they work collectively and play as a team. They understand self-development as an increasing ability to achieve collective goals.

Currently, most baby boomers are retired, although there are some who are still working. A distinctive feature of this category of people in Russia is their enviable endurance.

Generation X

Generation X are people born from 1963 to 1983. Their distinctive features are such features as the ability to rely only on themselves, alternative thinking, awareness of what is happening in the world, willingness to choose and change. By and large, people in this age category are loners who are focused on hard work and achieving individual success. They move through their careers for many years, adhering to one direction

Generation Y

Generation Y people are people who were born between 1983 and 2003. Their understanding of determination and success is different: in most cases, they do not like to start their professional growth from the lower levels, counting on being promoted in a few years. Their main focus is immediate growth. This is also considered their disadvantage.

However, this shortcoming can be partially justified by the desire for maximum awareness and professionalism in several areas at once, because It is not permissible for these people to be specialists in any one thing. Generation Y is the hope of modern business, because... He is characterized by the highest technical literacy, a desire to work outside of school hours and a thirst for knowledge.

Here we can add that, according to some experts, for example, the executive director of the Non-profit Partnership “Labor Market Experts” Mikhail Semkin and HR specialist at MDM Bank OJSC Olga Pavlova, in the next decade generation Y will become the main workforce.

Generation Z

Those born after 2003 belong to generation Z. It is too early to evaluate these people in terms of professionalism, given their age. And it is not possible at this time to say what values ​​will prevail in their consciousness.

But what is all this information needed for?

"Personnel hunt"

If we approach the question of “hunting” for employees correctly, then it presupposes an answer to why human resource specialists need to know about generations XYZ, because HR literally sounds like “Human Resources,” which means “Human Resources,” which means that man occupies a dominant role here.

The attention of modern HR specialists is increasingly focused on human capabilities. And it is the potential of employees, and not the material base of companies and corporations, that becomes their main wealth.

In addition, in the personnel market there is an increasingly fierce struggle for applicants, and in order to emerge victorious, it is necessary to provide talented representatives of each generation with only the most Better conditions. Plus, it is extremely unacceptable to evaluate these people on the same scale, because they may have diametrically opposed ideas about “their life’s work.” And employees can only be best understood from the perspective of the XYZ generation theory.

What conditions are acceptable for each generation?

When working with staff, you need to understand that people of different generations will have different needs.

Baby Boomers, as a generation with stable needs, are primarily focused on sustainability. It is stable conditions that are decisive here, and it is possible to motivate these people without even resorting to the use of material benefits.

The main motivation for generation X is the desire to be confident in the future and a clear knowledge of all the details of their work. In addition to this, it is recommended to use the opportunity to constantly be in the process of learning and personal growth as motivation. If we talk about financial side question, then for people who belong to generation X, the fixed salary is most interesting, and the commercial incentive system does not evoke very positive emotions in them.

Considering that generation Y is often called the “network generation,” attracting them can be very successful through the Internet, in particular, through social networks. For generation Y, the basic motivation is monetary reward, the absence of bureaucratic hassles and the technological component, for example, the presence of high-tech equipment in the workplace. In the same case, if new technologies are not introduced into the organization and the work process is not optimized, this may negatively affect the interest of job seekers in this company and activities in it.

Among other things, generation Y prefers those organizations that have the fewest prohibitions and restrictions. What is important here is a relaxed atmosphere, a free style in communicating with colleagues, the ability to dress in a familiar manner, etc. And it will be even better if everyday work is somewhat reminiscent of a game, because this generation was raised on computer games.

What else is important to consider?

Everyone is free to have their own opinion, and many may consider the XYZ generation theory to be an ordinary “fairy tale”, not worthy of attention. However, any company that does not focus on modern trends (like any company that blindly takes everything on faith) slows down its development. According to the opinion of Olga Pavlova mentioned above, HR specialists must certainly take into account the interests and characteristics of the baby boomer generations, X, Y and Z. If a company needs a person from generation Y, then X or a baby boomer will never replace him. The ideal situation is in which person X manages person Y, while paying attention to his point of view and.

If you do not pay due attention to the theory of generational differences, there will be a high probability of negative consequences for the company, because practice shows that very often a completely unsuitable person is hired for a vacant position. Striving for quick results, employees personnel service can “fit” the applicant into a mold, which subsequently causes disappointment for the company, the employee, and the person who approved his candidacy, and he will have to look for a new person.

Undoubtedly, guided by the principles of theory generation XYZ, the company can spend significantly more time assessing it, compiling and analyzing personal and professional characteristics, etc., but the result is worth it, because the company not only gets the opportunity to implement strategic plans, but also a satisfied and grateful employee.

The theory of age differences can also be used to advise existing staff, as well as job seekers. If the recruiter is able to correctly convey information to the applicant, in case of refusal, the applicant will understand that the reason for this may not be his personal indicators, but the combination of the characteristics of the labor market and the specifics of the company. In addition, knowledge about the theory of generations will help the person himself, who is looking for a job, to adjust his actions and begin to move in a new direction, if the previous one did not work out.

As for corporate culture, the XYZ generation theory helps to build it properly, because by focusing on the characteristics of generational differences, you can focus on those values ​​that are important for representatives of the dominant generation in the company. But the interests of others, of course, must always be taken into account.

In their work, personnel officers must focus on both traditional methods of personnel selection and new developments and trends in this area, because the success of the company depends on the use of the most effective strategies, and these can be found in any period of time - both in the past and in the present.

IN Lately The global network and Runet are energetically discussing Generation MeMeMe, which in Russian is called “Generation YaYaYA”. The quintessence of half of these articles: “The MeMeMe generation is not cute. It’s difficult to communicate, live and work with them.” The other half is trying to protect these guys by “debunking myths”, but it seems to only make things worse by creating confusion in concepts. Zillion decided to clarify some of the nuances and offer its position.

The essence of the problem

The problem with generations, which has been on everyone’s lips lately, is actually more complex and deeper than is formulated in articles entitled “how should we live and work with them.” Because, firstly, this is a new phenomenon of “witch hunt”: man, as the most cruel species of all the fauna of the Earth, historically needs to find a common enemy. Secondly, ironically, those who were not “targeted” by social accusers, that is, representatives of other generations, also come under attack as a result of negligence and the subsequent confusion in concepts. age groups and lifestyles. So, it is better to call the YaYaYa Generation classically - Generation MeMeMe (sounds like “MiMiMi”) - so as not to interfere with the terms (there are already so many of them). And especially not “Generation Millennials” or “Generation Y”. Because it turns out that millennials/Y have had nothing to do with it for 10-15 years. Thirdly, the inflated negativity around the generation, which is called “YAYA”, will not lead to anything good. Millennials, accustomed to the fact that they are “forever young” and that they are always scolded, take articles about the MeMeMe/YAYA generation personally and begin to write articles in their defense. Although society didn’t really have any questions about the generation of 30-year-olds, with families, mortgages, children and startups.

What is a generation anyway? Strictly speaking, not everything is clear with the definition itself. According to the dictionary, in demography, a generation, or as they also say “cohort,” is people born in the same year. Generations are also called steps in descent from a common ancestor, each of which covers 30 years. And everything seems to fit smoothly: according to this logic, the MeMeMe Generation belongs to the Millennial Generation. But in practice, a gap of three decades at our stage of civilizational development is a gigantic difference in worldviews, and it is also worth taking into account the transition across the border of millennia. Sometimes they say that one generation spans five years, and more or less this seems to be true: a year is not enough, ten is already quite a long time, and a 30-year gap means people with different paradigms of consciousness and a set of socio-technological skills. The confusion in concepts occurs due to the fact that the “acceleration of time”, the acceleration of progress, and the fact that measuring generations in thirty-year periods is not taken into account is a formalism and an irrelevant approach. Disciplines do not manage these processes, but only reflect and explore. New generations and subcultural branches are not immediately identified, but are formed within each generation - and it is possible to assess what has become a “dead-end branch” and what has taken shape and dissociated itself as a new generation only after several decades.

It’s time for us thirty-year-olds to admit that for ourselves we are forever young, but from the point of view of society and demographics we have “aged” - we are no longer the very heart of what is called youth. Thirty-year-olds are young adults. She got the historical opportunity to remain an eternally young adult, even into old age, and this can be comforted. After 30-year-olds, that is, millennials/Y, “young, long-legged and politically literate” have already grown up, who today, by inertia, are still classified as millennials. But it is already becoming clear to many researchers and journalists that this is like a “generation within a generation,” a new generation that has many differences from 30-year-olds and a different social psychology. A comical situation arises: old people lamenting about how 30- and 40-year-olds can live and work next to 20-year-olds (+/-).

This column is not really about whether the MeMeMe generation is good or bad - it is very heterogeneous. The very idea of ​​raising such issues in society only to be the first to express a provocative and obviously imperfect idea in a well-known magazine, and then watch how it spreads virally around the world, overgrown with inventions, is absurd and dubious. In Generation MeMeMe there are girls and boys obsessed with selfies and techno-fetishes, bringing obscenities to spend the night under the door of Apple Stores, trying to get on vulgar reality shows, selfish narcissists overestimating their personal value and labor market costs. Among 50-year-old celebrities and non-celebs from different countries There are also plenty of people who take comical selfies in toilets and elevators and then post them on Instagram and Facebook: strictly speaking, liking such things is a vague criterion. And in the MeMeMe Generation (the one that is self-made called YAYA) there are bright heads, young scientists and just normal guys, from whom by the age of 30 they will grow up to be very decent people and good specialists. The same can be said about any generation: technological realities and habits change, social trends rise and fall, but only one thing remains constant - society is always heterogeneous. In any generation there are people who rush to absurd or even dangerous extremes of behavior and worldview at any stage of progress.

At first, it is not clear why all this fuss is happening with a comprehensive discussion of the traits of the MeMeMe Generation and Generation Y, that is, millennials. And it looks like this: Millennials (that is, 30-year-olds with families, relationships, children, mortgages, MBA degrees and 1-3 higher educations, with their own business or a bunch of work tasks) suddenly learned that they are “problem people”: selfish narcissists, careerists, overestimators their talents, and generally do not like to think, work and wait, but want to sell themselves at a higher price, etc.

First of all, very “timely”. And secondly, all these lists of qualities and myths around which lines of defense and attack are built are absurd: any normal person strives to avoid waiting, find more effective work algorithms in order to shorten the path to the goal and make a career leap.

About overestimating their talents, inflated demands and narcissism with selfishness: the new youth belonging to the MeMeMe Generation have been given a difficult set of social trends, problems and contradictions to which they are adapting. Life in the era of universal media and mutual responsibility of social networks requires new protective mechanisms, and when going to extremes, they show “holes in reality.” This allows us to “cure” or weaken another social neurosis, such as our dependence on social media, networks and services.

The recent Internet sensation, the festival short film Noah, is all about MeMeMe. In the film, a young man, Noah, continuously switches from his (ex-)girlfriend's hacked Facebook account to a porn channel, Chatroulette, and back. Two Canadian film students, Walter Woodman and Patrick Cederberg, made a 17-minute film as their thesis and better than any article they described the difficult lifestyle situation of the MeMeMe Generation.

The fact is that the new generation, which for now can loosely include both 20-year-olds and schoolchildren, grew up/is growing up in the era of the Internet and the heyday of social media. Most 30-year-olds first experienced the Internet at college in the early 2000s. And those who are younger do not remember a time when the Internet and social networks were not immediately accessible. The Internet has set a global trend for the speed and accessibility of information and contacts, and social networks have absorbed and exaggerated all the most painful features of their most grateful and natural audience - schoolchildren, students, and young people in general. From them, the new laws of Internet sociality spread to the older generation, to 25-35 year olds, who have their own typical problems, mainly related to the issue of self-worth and social achievements: “what have I achieved compared to...?” (substitute the name of a classmate/Zuckerberg, etc.). Thus began and continues to be a continuous cycle of fake and real coolness in social media, which sometimes degenerates into comic forms. When a 20-year-old person or a middle/high school student, exhausted by typical complexes and age-related problems, opens his page on a social network and sees there a celebration of the “protective” vanity of another schoolchild/student, imitation, copying, imitation begins, and so on ultimately patterns emerge. The distance between these patterns and real young people can be incredibly large: the online image is one, but the real person is completely different, sometimes even more adequate.

There is also a great distance between those who belong to the same generation. Here is the young talented scientist Ionut Alexandru Budisteanu, with whom we recently interviewed (read also: ) After all, he can also be attributed to a lesser extent to the Millennial Generation and to a greater extent to Generation Z (this is another name for the MeMeMe Generation): he was born in 1993. Frikessa (currently) Miley Cyrus was born in 1992. The generation is approximately the same, but while Miley is demonstrating her abilities and achievements in the field of twerking, Ionut Alexandru is demonstrating her abilities and achievements in the field of developing self-driving cars based on artificial intelligence. And, by the way, he not only dreams of helping the people of Earth, but has already developed a device that helps blind people see with their tongue, while Miley demonstrates to the people of Earth the length and flexibility of her tongue. Moreover, Ionut is also quite MeMeMe in the sense of the concept - there is also a lot of “YAYA” in his words. But, firstly, this is not at odds with the matter: the main prize of Intel ISEF - the Gordon E. Moore Award is given for a reason. Secondly, in the construction of this “YAYA” there are three key meanings: “ I I want to see if I can do this project too,” “ I I want them to be proud of me, and for the neighbor’s children to follow my example” and “ I I want my inventions to become useful to all people on the planet” (literally). If this is selfishness and narcissism, then perhaps more selfishness and narcissism. Naturally, we can say that there are only a few such 20-year-old guys. Not as much as we would like, yes. And in order for there to be more of them in the transitional MeMeMe Generation, and in the next one after it, the main thing is continuous education.

If we talk about the negative qualities attributed to generations, then there is an exhaustive thesis on this subject: “each generation has its own ELLs.” And then there’s recursion: depending on the meaning of “YAYA”. Don't worry about the new generation of 20-year-olds seeming arrogant and overestimating themselves. Half of this is superficial, a mask. In the other half of the cases, the 20-year-old generation is testing boundaries and luck, seeing many examples of overnight success. And who wouldn’t want to try to find quick legal success if given the chance? Generational depreciation smooths out these sharp corners and in 15-20 years, those who are today scolded/defended as Generation YAYA will also be outraged by the vices and “vices” of those born in 2013. The same thing was done in Ancient Greece. This is simply the fatigue of the spirit of growing up and adults - and envy of other people's youth.

Another point: society loves to tickle its nerves. It is quite possible that the medieval witch hunt was essentially something similar, but it turned into such a nightmare due to general intellectual poverty and underdeveloped ideas about humanity. Man is by nature hostile. Throughout history, he searches, finds and assigns enemies to himself: it doesn’t matter whether we are talking about another nation, representatives of another faith, party or social group with an unusual image/behavior.

generation Z /MeMeMe /YAYA had a contradictory time with its own characteristics (however, just like 30-, 40-year-olds, etc.). They cope as best they can. Why further complicate their task with articles in the spirit of “how to live and work with them”? Yes, it’s normal to live and work as usual: choosing the most pleasant and adequate ones for your relationships, family, friends and work, which is a universal rule for everyone. Well, a new generation has emerged, so what? What is such an urgent need to decide what to do with them: “how to live and work with them.” A couple of years ago, “kids were scared” by hipsters. Now they have begun to promote the “YAYA” theme. And they promote it unpurposefully: it’s just a fun thing for humanity to find a common “enemy” and “make friends against” him. Then they get bored, and they take on someone new, who is still fresh in the image of a “social threat”.

What millennials and the MeMeMe generation have in common are serious social problems: with work, education and personal life. The world has become more open and at the same time sociopathic: people have a lot of quick contacts, but strong comfortable connections are problematic for many. Millennials are also a “generation of disappointed hopes”: they expected more from life than most millennials received by the time they were thirty. Both generations faced the financial difficulty of accessing classical higher education and with more high level unemployment than previous generations. And the hype around millennials and the MeMeMe generation is not harmless: it programs society and employers for negative stereotypes that manifest themselves in attitude and behavior. If, for example, a MeMeMe representative in one situation or another behaved at work differently than his 40- or 50-year-old manager was used to, such behavior will immediately be interpreted in the context of horror lists describing the strangely generalized qualities of the MeMeMe Generation. But what could really happen? Millennials and the MeMeMe Generation are truly people with a different paradigm of thinking. Although, again, not everyone: you can be a progressive 60-year-old and a dense 20-year-old. The names of generations mean not so much the years of birth and life, but rather the paradigms of thinking. So, millennials and MeMeMe are distinguished by a “horizontal” vision of social contacts, while the “parental” generations adhere to a “vertical”, hierarchical paradigm of social interactions.

Greg Kress, an American engineer, designer, physicist, futurist, researcher in the field of team building, founder and CEO of the innovative startup Radicand Lab, spoke interestingly about this topic in a recent interview with Zillion. (read also Gregory Kress: "If you can predict the outcome, you are not doing anything new." :

- I believe that most effective teams do not need a leader at all. IN best teams there is no hierarchy, and responsibility for decision-making is distributed evenly. I found out that best managers- these are the ones that are left alone. I have often encountered cases of mismanagement or being assigned to a task that was clearly below my potential. This did not happen when I managed my work myself in a team context. So in a sense, the best leader is the best teammate.

This is precisely why the lack of sacred hierarchical fear among millennials - and even more so among MeMeMe - is called arrogance: it is incomprehensible and outrageous to those who are not used to it. But in essence the idea of ​​“horizontal” social interaction- that is, without hierarchical nods - a healthier, essentially democratic paradigm. Behind its development is a future in which everyone can become truly equal, and not so that “everyone is equal, but some are more equal.” If we talk about arrogance in another context, then this is always a matter of personal ethics.

Today, several generations have been identified unscientifically or pseudo-scientifically, which appeared in the 20th century and exist in the 21st. Almost each of them has duplicate names, which also carry a slightly different meaning. There are many options for staggering generations by decade, especially when we're talking about about generations Y and Z. An option is proposed here that seems convincing, although for now the time boundaries of these generations can only be designated conditionally - time will clarify and correct.

Lost Generation

These are those born in 1880-1900. The authorship of the term belongs to the American writer Gertrude Stein: this is what she called the emigrated American writers who gathered in her house. Subsequently, the meaning of the term covered a whole group of post-war writers, whose works expressed pessimism, loss of ideals and disappointment in modern civilization. The same extended to readers who shared these sentiments. Historical events that influenced the formation of the Lost Generation: the First World War, the Great Depression and the events that led to the emergence of the USSR and the development of the Union's policy according to the Stalinist scenario.

Greatest Generation

Other names: Generation GI, Generation of Winners. Those born in 1901-1924 are included in it. The term was coined by journalist and NBC anchor Tom Brokaw (sometimes spelled Tom Brokaw). Representatives of this generation witnessed such historical events as the Second World War and the creation of the UN.

Silent Generation

This is what Time magazine called those born between 1925 and 1945. Significant historical events for him are the Korean War and the Cold War. This generation is called silent because of conformism and lack of significant cultural contribution(with the exception of the beatnik movement).

Baby Boom Generation

Other titles: Me Generation,Generation Me , Baby Boom Generation. Branches: Golden Boomers, Generation Jones, Alpha Boomers, Yuppies, Zoomers, Cuspers. These were born in the decades of the population explosion, in 1946-1964. The sharp increase in population was associated with the sexual revolution, the popularity of rock music and the hippie movement, and the evolution of the socio-political views of a democratic society. The term was coined by the New York Times. Events that were most significant for this generation: the emergence and flowering of rock music, the sexual revolution, the Vietnam War, the invasion of Czechoslovakia and May 1968 in France (a social crisis that resulted in demonstrations, riots and huge changes in French society) . The main feature of baby boomers who grew up in comfort was their rebellion against authoritarianism and “classical” moral principles. Interestingly, baby boomers as a generation were segmented into Golden Boomers, Generation Jones, Alpha boomers, Yuppies, Zoomers and Cuspers, but it was not possible to give clear boundaries to the different branches.

Perhaps it will be the same in the case of millennials and the MeMeMe Generation - this can only be assessed in a historical context, from a distance, which once again confirms the pointlessness of trying to evaluate millennials and YAYA here and now.

The baby boomer generation is also called a term coined by the writer Tom Wolfe - Me Generation. Wolfe, like Christopher Lash later, noted the rise of narcissism among younger generation. Narcissism meant the priority of self-realization at the expense of social responsibility. But here important point: socio-political and economic hypocrisy are the best demotivators that encourage people of any generation to protest or go into internal emigration and focus on self-realization and enjoying life. That is, compared to the middle of the last century, now there is no terrible new generational misfortune: everything has already happened and will be repeated. If several decades later the features of Generation Me were multiplied by three to form Generation MeMeMe, this only speaks of one thing - demotivation by socio-political and economic hypocrisy has tripled in half a century.

Generation X

Other names: Xers, Xers, Generation 13, Unknown generation. These are those born in 1965-1982. The term was proposed by British researcher Jane Deverson and Hollywood reporter Charles Hamblett, and established by writer Douglas Copeland. Events that influenced this generation: the Afghan War, Operation Desert Storm, the beginning of the era of personal computers, the first Chechen war. Sometimes people born in these years are classified as generation Y and even generation Z (although the latter were not included in the project), and sometimes they try to unite millennials (Y) and MeMeMe (Z) with the letter X. In the United States, Generation X is commonly referred to as people born during the post-Baby Boom decline. Jane Deverson's 1964 study of British youth for Woman's Own magazine found that young people "sleep with each other before marriage, are not religious, do not like the Queen or respect their parents, and do not change their surname when they marry." The journal declined to publish the results. Deverson traveled to Hollywood to publish the book with reporter Charles Hamblett. He came up with the loud name “Generation X”. Canadian writer Douglas Copeland liked the catchy title and incorporated it into his book Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, which addressed the fears and anxieties of people born between 1960 and 1965: they talked about the loss of cultural connection with the Baby Generation. boomers. It is interesting that those born between 1965 and 1982 were given other high-profile names. For example, “Generation 13” - in the book by William Strauss and Neil Howe in 1991. Strauss and Howe believed that Generation 13 was formed by:

• Dissatisfaction with authority, lack of trust in management.
• Political indifference.
• An increase in the number of divorces.
• An increase in the number of women-mothers in production places.
• Zero population growth.
• Availability of oral contraceptives.
• Growing divisions in the educational system.
• Funding cuts educational system and the difficulty of obtaining student loans.
• Increased academic demands and intellectual abilities.
• Ecological problems.
• The emergence of the Internet.
• Completion Cold War.

Millennials, or Generation Y

Other names: Generation Y, Millennial Generation, Peter Pan Generation, Generation Next, Network Generation, Echo Boomers, Boomerang Generation, Trophy Generation. Various sources refer to this generation different people. Some say that these are all those born since the early 80s. Others specify: from 1983 to the end of the 1990s. And still others capture the early 2000s. The second option - from 1983 to the end of the 1990s - is perhaps the most convincing.

You might think that two people born 1-3 years apart could belong to different generations just for this reason. Two people born on the same day can belong to different generations depending on opportunities, cultural context, growing up environment, social, educational and technological opportunities, as well as trends - this is more like the truth.

Back to Generation Y: the term was coined by Advertising Age magazine. It is believed that the formation of his worldview was influenced by: perestroika, the collapse of the USSR, the “dashing 90s”, terrorism, wars (in Iraq, Chechnya, etc.); international financial crisis, rising housing costs and unemployment; television, pop culture, torrent trackers and video hosting, the development of mobile and Internet communications, computer technology, social networks, digital media and video games, flash mob and meme culture, online communication, the evolution of devices, etc.

The main thing that characterizes this generation is involvement in digital technologies, the philosophical paradigm of the new millennium (millennium), a new round of division between liberal and conservative views. But the main thing, as they say within the framework of the classical interpretation, is the desire to delay the transition to adult life, but in fact - a concept eternal youth(albeit with depressive interludes).

In sociology, a pressing question has arisen: what is considered adulthood? Researcher Larry Nelson suggested that millennials are hesitant to take on the responsibilities of adulthood because of negative examples from their predecessors. On the one hand, this is logical and true. On the other hand, it is not taken into account that this is the Millennium Generation, that is, people with “different brains.” The coordinator of the project “Theory of Generations in Russia - Rugenerations” Evgenia Shamis suggested that Generation Y does not and will not have heroes, but there are idols, and in the future representatives of the millennial generation themselves will become heroes for other generations. This is, in general, what we are seeing in the era of startups. Generation Y has developed a special attitude towards corporate culture: representatives of this generation expect results and benefits from work, strive to adjust working conditions to their lives, prefer flexible hours, outsourcing, etc. Naturally, for those layers of managers who are accustomed to “corporate slavery”, this situation is uncomfortable. But the logic of the generation in it is transparent: people realized that life is beautiful and diverse, they need to work on what is real passion, and hierarchy is a convention, a construct of society, and in fact “all people are brothers.”

Generation Z (Generation Z), or Generation MeMeMe (Generation MeMeMe)

Other names: Generation YaYA, Generation Z, Net Generation, Internet Generation, Generation I, Generation M (from the word« multitasking"), Homeland Generation, New Silent Generation, Generation 9/11(a reference to the 9/11 Attack as a turning point in a generation). Until recently, people born before the early 2000s were “canonically” included in the millennial generation. And only now, after dozens of articles, many university professors and journalists, realizing the discordance of the resulting “generation tree,” are inclined to believe that it is incorrect to unite today’s thirty- and twenty-year-olds into one generation, because significant differences are visible, hinting at a new round of social evolution .

So, Generation Ζ (or Generation MeMeMe) are people born in the early 1990s and 2000s (Business Insider writes that Gen Z is those born from 1996 to 2010). Their philosophical and social worldview was influenced by the global financial and economic crisis, Web 2.0 and the development of mobile technologies. Representatives of Generation Z are considered as children of Generation X, and sometimes as children of Generation Y, that is, millennials.

The fundamental property of Generation Z is that technology is in their blood; they handle it on a completely different level than even millennials. The key term in this whole story is Digital Natives. In the digital world, they are locals themselves. And their parents and older sisters and brothers belonging to generations X and Y - Digital Immigrants, digital immigrants. Moreover, the entire Generation Z (GZ) was born in the era of globalization and postmodernism. Z have accumulated the features of predecessors close in time and those features that we already feel, but cannot yet accurately formulate. In ten or twenty years it will be easier: then it will be possible to compare what is being achieved in between and where it began. And since " building material"for this there are more pronounced arrogance, denial of hierarchy, selfishness and narcissism, then " dark side forces" Generation Z is intuitively called MeMeMe, that is, YAYA.

It is still difficult to look beyond the horizon and understand why human evolution “needs” these qualities of Generation Z (Generation Z). It is quite possible that they will serve something that is not fully understood even by thirty-year-olds. Timid positive assumptions can be made now: having suffered from puberty diseases, generation Z, accused of selfishness and narcissism, will take the first steps towards a balanced lifestyle of the future, in which they work for creative pleasure and social benefit, create a family out of feelings, and not because society considers It is indecent to be alone, having children not for a glass of water in old age, but to pass on their matured digital and libertarian values ​​to Generation Alpha, as demographer Mark McCrindle predicts. Negative scenarios for Generation Z are also possible: time will clarify a lot. Here is Mao Zedong’s brilliant answer to everything: “It’s too early to draw conclusions.”

Generation Alpha

The Alpha people are already among us. They were born around 2010. This is the real generation of the 21st century. Millennials, that is, today's thirty-year-olds, are actively participating in the creation of Generation Alpha - and will pass on their values ​​to them in order to build a brighter future. Therefore, the best thing we can do for Generation Alpha today is to continuously learn and help others learn: support the “bright side” of Generation Z.

Let us stipulate that all these divisions are not strict and are not fixed by science - different interpretations and positions are possible: since we are witnesses of transition processes, we can only assume that such a continuity of generations is now emerging. In general, it will be seen.

P. S.

University of Georgia psychology professor William Keith Campbell shared some interesting thoughts with Zillion about generations, individualism, and narcissism.

William Keith Campbell

(W. Keith Campbell)

Professor, Head of the Department of Psychology at the University of Georgia, Ph.D. Specializes in the study of narcissism. Author of numerous articles, including in USA Today, Time and The New York Times. Guest expert popular radio and TV shows. His books include: When You Love a Man Who Loves Himself: How to Deal with a One-way Relationship, The Narcissism Epidemic Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement”) and many others (“The Hand book of Narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Theoretical Approaches”, “Empirical Findings, and Treatments”). Official site: WKeithCampbell. Com

For every generation There are several names, and none of them are scientifically correct. We found in our research that change occurs smoothly. Someone born in 1980 will be closer in psychology to someone born in 1979 than someone born in 1990.

United States Culture, like many other countries, it is changing towards individualism. This has many positive aspects, in particular, increasing the level of tolerance. Our work is focused on the increase in narcissism as one of the negative manifestations. To research this cultural phenomenon We observe various social activities: from how people behave on Facebook to what they name their children.

Overall, watching generations, we see individualism, narcissism and self-esteem increasing - but also tolerance.

Narcissism is a grandiose or inflated assessment of oneself. Attached to narcissism are character traits such as self-centeredness, attention-seeking behavior, and a sense of being chosen. Narcissism is associated with individualism, but it is individualism with less responsibility and a sense of superiority over others. In extreme cases, narcissism can become mental disorder, but this happens quite rarely.

Professor William Keith Campbell: "I think what's really interesting is the question: why haven't the psychological traits of young people changed in line with the economic downturn that we've seen over the last five years?"

Changes in culture that we are seeing began at least in the early 1970s. So this is more than the influence of social media or reality television. I think there is an important difference between staying young and full of life—like being energetic and open to new ideas—and not growing up and giving up important adult responsibilities and duties.

There is a theory that millennials must be a very involved generation with a civic consciousness: its traces stretch from the ideas of the Russian economist Kondratieff. However, the large amount of data we collected does not support this idea. I think what's really interesting is the question: Why aren't the psychological traits of young people changing in line with the economic downturn that we've seen over the last five years?

When you do research Group differences - whether across cultures, genders or generations - always run the risk of viewing differences and stereotyping individuals in negative (and sometimes positive) ways. Each generation represents a wide variety of individuals.

In younger generations much more tolerance. At the same time, there may be a tendency to identify less with nations and more with transient groups. I don’t know whether we will have a global nation or whether the importance of belonging to a nation will simply decrease, which will become key to the organization of society.

Cover illustration: Photo by on

The dialogue on the topic of turnover and differences between generations began quite a long time ago (for example, in the teachings of the ancient Greek scientist Polybius), but scientific understanding of this problem began relatively recently, at the beginning of the 20th century. They received their first coverage in the works of Mannheim and Ortega y Gasset, who spoke about the sociological aspects of the formation of generations. Almost a hundred years later, their theories were continued and supplemented by a modern, classical concept, which was outlined by American scientists William Strauss and Neil Howe. Today, this theory has gained popularity due to its relevance and widespread popularization in social media.

The famous concept of “Baby Boom, X Y Z,” as it is called on the Internet, is used in sociology, political science, philosophy, anthropology and economic sciences.

In Russia, theories of generations Special attention paid by marketers who use knowledge about generations of consumers and develop strategies for interacting with them.

Strauss and Howe's theory of generations in their original version was based exclusively on studies of American society. Subsequently, the principles of generational theory were used to analyze processes in other countries. Among the domestic popularizers of the theory, the most famous is Evgenia Shamis, who turned the study of generational trends into a business that helps modern companies manage personnel that consists of representatives of different generations.

Here Evgenia Shamis talks about the basics of the theory of generations

The meaning of the theory

Conflicts and misunderstandings between generations are natural and understandable, because the sociocultural prototype is determined environment, which reflects the spirit of the time at this particular moment. Only by adapting to conditions is a species able to survive; it has to play by constantly changing rules. An economic crisis, famine, war, or vice versa, a sharp improvement in the quality of life directly affects how a person is formed and perceives himself in the conditions in which he finds himself.

According to Starus and Howe, generations are the totality of all people who were born in a time period of 20-25 years. Generation Criteria:

• one historical era in which representatives of a generation, being approximately in the same age category, share memories of key events, cultural and social trends;
• shared beliefs and behavior patterns;
• a sense of belonging to this generation.

The history of mankind is conventionally divided into generational eras, which are characterized by ups and downs, in other words, having a wave-like structure. The authors of the concept call these periods transformations or periods in which generations are formed according to general patterns. Transformation stages:

• Rise: society shares collective interests and focuses on the power and authority of institutions; During this phase, the generation of Prophets appears.
• Awakening: the question of the individual’s opposition to society arises, a culture of individualism develops, a cult of rebellion and opposition to the old order, fatigue from discipline; During this phase, the generation of Wanderers appears.
• Recession: individualism flourishes, state institutions are not trusted; During this phase, a generation of Heroes appears.
• Crisis: ideas of strong state institutions are being revived. In place of the old one state power a new one is emerging, which unites society under the auspices of common values. During this phase, a generation of Artists appears.

Archetypes of generations: the struggle of Wanderers with Prophets, the suffering of Heroes and the optimism of Artists

Generation of Prophets, which is born in the recovery phase after the crisis, are building a new society and believe in collectivism, a bright future and progress. IN Russian history This is the stage of the Soviet Thaw, when the first signs of freedom appeared after difficult war times and Stalinist repressions. Children who were born and grew up at this time saw the first flight into space, the effectiveness of government and its sociality. Remember how our grandparents praised Soviet medicine and education. The institutions of power regularly fulfilled their function, provided the population with work and housing, reinforcing their actions with ideological overtones. These were times when the people began to live well compared to the time of crisis that came before.

Mikhail Andreevich was born in the early fifties. When he was a boy, he wrote letters to Gagarin and dreamed of being as brave and strong as the first cosmonaut. Since childhood, Misha was sure that his country was the greatest power in the world, he loved his homeland without memory and was ready to work all his life for the common good. He goes to college, graduates as a qualified specialist, gets a job, and gets married. All this time he goes through stages that classify him as a form of community: Misha was an October boy, a pioneer, a Komsomol member, and then he joined the party ranks. By the age of thirty, Mikhail Andreevich is a specialist, patriot, husband and father of two or three children. His health was positively affected by the trend of sports, and his intellect was affected by the cultivated pathological love of reading.

His youngest daughter Elena, who was born in the early 70s, is no longer so optimistic about the future. Her youth was marked by the crises of the Cold War, her brothers fought in Afghanistan, and some classmates did not live to see thirty due to heroin addiction. The “scoop” discipline irritates her a little, as it undermines her personal aspirations and interests. At this time, television was developing, which announced to young Lena about the fall of the Berlin Wall, about the destruction of the Land of the Soviets, and about the fact that Georgia, where Lena and her family went every summer, has now become a foreign wall. At the moment when Lena graduates from college and gets married, the country in which she was born no longer exists, and so do her ideals. We need to survive. In such conditions it grows Generation X, or Wanderers.

Lena gets a job and starts earning money in all available ways. Since the system is being formed anew, by the age of thirty she already occupies a leadership position, learns to maneuver and support her family in conditions of uncertainty. At this time, personal drama is heightened, since the fall of spiritual stereotypes had a rather dramatic effect on the fate of the “X”. If in Soviet time the marriage had to be delayed until the last minute, because divorce was frowned upon, then after 1991, marriages fell like houses of cards. By the mid-nineties, Lena had one divorce behind her and several unsuccessful experiences in relationships outside of marriage.

In the dashing nineties, Elena's daughter Lucy is born. Yes, yes, the same suffering Lucy from the sensational article. Living in relative prosperity, she grows up in an atmosphere of individualism, where a person owes nothing to another, and the most important thing in life is self-realization. Mom Lena made every effort to ensure that Lucy had everything (a roof over her head, an education...), and continues to support her even into adulthood. Closer to 30, Lucy becomes a depressed “overteenager”, stuck in the illusion of her own exclusivity. This generation is also called the “Peter Pen” generation, naive and difficult to communicate with, undecided on their goals and constantly comparing themselves to others. Lucy is in no hurry to get married; behind her is a constant change of jobs and disappointments. She wears sneakers and a sweatshirt, works in an open-space as a content manager, plays PlayStation on the weekends, or goes to exhibitions or personal growth trainings. This is what the portrait of the Russian generation Y looks like, or Heroes.

After 2000, the Yers, and sometimes the Xers, who are still relatively young, have children who think in different categories. They don’t remember life without the Internet and gadgets, their world lies beyond state borders, they move freely around the planet and easily change their social circle. Now they are just entering adulthood, and they have a completely different approach to it.

Lucy's younger brother Dima, a typical representative generation Z, or the Artist, is well versed in fashion trends and actively uses cyberspace. He streams on Twitch, is present on all social networks, and does not consider it necessary to accumulate information, since there is too much of it. Dima hopes for the power of Google and is confident that his life will proceed in relative comfort, where he will not have to fight for a place in the sun. This is the generation of homebodies (Homelanders). Dima has no idols, because on YouTube every teenager can get millions of views if they offer quality content. Compared to his older sister, a digital immigrant (because there was no Internet in her childhood), he does not have to frantically study to be on the wave, he harmoniously comprehends new trends and follows them.

EeOneGuy, one of the top YouTube bloggers

Criticism of the theory and alternatives: why is Sberbank so interested in the theory of generations

Generational theory continues to develop and meets with justified criticism. Naturally, the idea of ​​cyclicality is not new: these trends are visible in both historical and economic science. However, when analyzing the data, Strauss and Howe do not take into account either demographic factors or individual personality characteristics, because not all representatives of a particular generation can be classified as the appropriate type, so the course of cycles may not proceed as evenly as researchers would like. Despite globalization, representatives of different countries face challenges different conditions, so it is hardly possible to talk about clear trends within a particular society.

In the Russian scientific community, the theory of generations in its classic version sometimes compared to horoscopes, when some signs from the description of a generation are recognized as true, while others, sometimes contradicting reality, are simply ignored. There is still debate about whether the theory is generally applicable to Russian society. The classification given in this article is very general and simplified, so each individual within a generation can agree or disagree with it.

Despite the contradictory approach, Russian companies, for example, Sberbank, are interested in researching generational trends. Trying to understand what motivates generations Y and Z will help company leaders organize the right labor process and ensure business growth. Using the example of the same Lucy and Dima, patterns of communication and setting tasks that have long been at odds with traditional methods of personnel management are considered. Evgenia Shamis' project "RuGenerations" is studying generations precisely from the point of view of HR and marketing, which is aimed at training and introducing young representatives of society into corporate processes.

The theory of Struss and Howe is far from an ideal model modern society, but its popularity among modern researchers makes us think: maybe the patterns of development of modern civilization still obey general rules. The classification given in this article is very general and simplified, so each individual within a generation can agree or disagree with it. Please leave your thoughts on how much you agree with this approach in the comments. I would be glad to hear your thoughts and examples that confirm or refute the postulates of the authors.

"On the golden porch sat: Tsar, prince, king, prince, shoemaker, tailor... Who will you be?"

Today I'll tell you about the theory of generations X, Y, Z

In 1991, a book was published that essentially predicted the September 11 terrorist attack and the 2008 financial crisis in the United States.

Former US Vice President Al Gore called the book "Generations" the most inspiring book about history: "If the United States survives quietly until 2015, then their work will be forgotten, but if they are right, then they will take a place among the great American prophets."

The idea is that generations that have the same historical experiences early in life form a collective portrait and live according to similar life scenarios. Values ​​are formed by the age of 11-12 under the influence historical events(war, human space flight, perestroika, etc.).

Generations X and Y These are those who are now from 31 to 45 years old, the second are from 21 to 30 years old. The generation of schoolchildren and to some extent the 20s are classified as Z.

Below I will give a description of each generation, and you try to relate them to yourself. We'll have a poll at the end)

So, the average basic duration of “generations” is about 20 years.

However, there are no exact boundaries separating one generation from another. People can belong to different generations depending on their growing up environment, social, educational and technological opportunities, as well as trends. Some people grew up alone, while others have younger or older brothers or sisters - this also leaves an imprint.

Researchers identify border zones - this is a period of plus or minus three years from the “official” date of the appearance of the new generation.

People born in this zone share the values ​​of both generations, which gives them greater flexibility and adaptability. This is true called "border guards"

Generation X- the term was first used by Jane Deverson in a 1964 study of British youth that identified a generation of teenagers who “sleep with each other before marriage, don’t believe in God, don’t like the Queen, don’t respect their parents and don’t change their surname when they get married.” "

Typically, X's were born from about 1963/65 to 1982/84.

Main distinguishing feature- they are very independent, since they grew up in conditions of autonomy - no one told them when, where and what to do. They themselves came from school, warmed up lunch, and went for a walk. That's what they called them - "children with a key around their neck."

Parents were too busy at work and these children learned to occupy themselves. The Xs were left alone for days on end.

They received little parental warmth, but many gifts. Therefore, as adults, they formed a “consumer boom”, buying everything that moved.

Self-reliance goes hand in hand with autonomy. They rely only on themselves. and are reluctant to share information (information is value). They thoroughly delve into everything they do and also strive to establish useful connections.

Generation X - generation lost faith in everything- in their parents, social institutions, social structure... They are more pragmatic than romantic.

Main characteristics of Generation X

1) increased intellectual abilities, global awareness, technical literacy, desire to learn throughout life;

2) pragmatism and self-reliance; autonomous work; desire to hide information; survival in critical situations.

3) dissatisfaction with the authorities, lack of trust in leadership and enormous political indifference;

They are sometimes called "Generation" Wanderers" - they are born during social ideals and spiritual quests.

The Travelers grow up as vulnerable children, come of age as alienated young adults, become pragmatic adult leaders, and enter old age after this period with more vitality.

This generation was greatly influenced by the Afghan and Chechen wars, the end of the Cold War, the beginning of the era of personal computers and the advent of the Internet. They love their computers, nature and fast food from McDonald's (even if they don't talk about it :)

Millennials or Generation Y

In the USA, the “Greek” generation is associated with the rise in the birth rate, which began in 1981-1982, and in Russia it includes the generation born with 1983 to late 1990s.

In general, the beginning of a new generation is a controversial issue. So “border guards” born from 1981 to 1985 will have to identify themselves independently :)

Main characteristics of Generation Y

The Y generation is in no hurry to take on the responsibilities of adulthood because of the negative example of the previous generation (their parents got married early, divorced early, went to work early).

They tend to delay the transition to adulthood for a longer period than their peers in previous generations, and also stay longer in their parents' home.

They are called " Peter Pan generation“, - the concept of eternal youth is close to them.

Generation Y grew up in hothouse conditions: they always had food, toys, money. “Yers” are used to having all their desires fulfilled, they are somewhat idealistic and even impractical, but what upsets “Xers” most is that they are poorly adapted to the world around them.

The relationship between generations X and Y can be illustrated by this dialogue:

- hello, egg!

- I'm a chicken...

Often Y cannot reveal their talents - they need an experienced mentor. In this regard, “Xers” and “Yers” are able to develop each other: “Xers” bring the “Yers” down to earth, and “Yers” show their elders how to live here and now.

Y is called " generation of disappointed hopes": they expected more from life than they received by thirty. They are characterized by an increase in involvement in the life of the team.

They especially often complain about the lack of feedback and information at work, and in family circle. They need nuances, they want to understand what needs to be worked on, and where everything is going well, it is important for them to share what they experience.

Baby Boomers and Xers complain that Ys read few books, and Yers themselves use completely different formats for development - travel, communication, videos, gadgets.

For Millennials, caring for the environment and integration into the global space are important. They often challenge accepted rules and are distinguished by a “horizontal” vision of social contacts. They believe that what is effective is a team that may not need a leader at all.

While baby boomers and Xers adhere to a hierarchical paradigm of social interactions.

The main complaint of hyper-responsible “Xers” to Ys is the lightness of the latter, the desire to try everything without staying long at one job, and excessive emotionality.

Representatives of the Y generation will often change jobs. They need everything and preferably at once: the world is changing too quickly. Hence another name for generation “Y” - generation of trophies, because they want returns from their work and more participation When making decisions, they prefer to use flexible working hours.

The values ​​of a generation become what is in short supply. When baby boomers grew up, books were rare—and they were extremely important to them.

"Xers" give children the opportunity to learn foreign languages ​​- in their time it was a passport to the world of success, and "Igreks" consider it important to teach their descendants the art of communication.

X and Y - the so-called " digital immigrants", since they were born when there were not many modern technologies. And their children - generation Z - are already the first truly digital generation .

After the millennials, the “young, long-legged and politically savvy” have grown up. They are also called "Generation MeMeMe" - generation "YAYA" or generation Z.

They grow up in the era of the Internet and the rise of social media and do not even remember a time without the Internet in their immediate access...

Their worldview was influenced by the global financial and economic crisis, Web 2.0 and the development of mobile technologies.

Obsessed with techno-fetishes, taking comical selfies in toilets and elevators, they bring mats to spend the night under the doors of Apple Stores...

In the digital world, they are locals, not immigrants. They are called Digital Natives.

There is significant variation in their dates of birth. Many are inclined to believe that these are people born from 1993/98 to 2014, with 1996 and 2010 most often mentioned as boundary dates.

In general, they are still schoolchildren, but are already approaching 20 years old.

Z are very loyal to brands and stick to certain ones throughout their lives. In the long run, this is a jackpot for the fashion business...

Although they are more likely to take risks and rarely wear seat belts, they have lower rates of teenage pregnancy and drug and alcohol abuse compared to Ys.

Generation Z called a generation Artists .

They are overprotected by crisis-focused adults, come of age as socialized opportunists in a post-crisis world, become action-oriented adult leaders, and mature into thoughtful older adults.

Generation Z will be affected by overprotection. After school they study in clubs or with tutors. As a result, the Zetas experience a lack of communication with their peers. They understand gadgets and technology better than they understand people’s emotions. But family will be of great value to them: it is the only thing that is safe in their world.

The next generation after Z is Generation Alpha - "Alpha people" - already among us. They were born approximately after 2010-2011 in families X and Y. Their parents will be people who decided to have offspring after thirty. Alpha people are predicted to be more balanced, positive, and less aggressive.

Wait and see...

Over the past decades, marketing campaigns around the world have been aimed at millennials - easily trained, narcissistic, struggling for social status. In just a few years, a new generation will become solvent - generation Z. How it differs and how to work with it - read below.

Five Generations That Shaped Marketing of the Century

American scientists Neil Howe and William Strauss developed in 1991 a theory of generations, according to which a new generation of people appears every 20-25 years. The new generation differs from the previous ones in habits, character, values ​​and goals.

Neil Howe

Every eighty years, the characteristics of a generation coincide, so today's teenagers resemble people born between 1923 and 1943. Scientists have described the periodicity since the first half of the fifteenth century, but the last five generations are of greatest interest to the public.

Silent Generation (born 1923-1943)

The last representatives are now 80-90 years old. The silent generation is law-abiding, conservative, patient. He manages to work best; people born during this period of time prefer to adapt to conditions rather than change them. The generation strives to save money; the main expenses are food, printed books, and interior details. Marketers attract the silent generation by showing care and attention.

Baby Boomers (born 1943-1963)

Compared to the previous one, this generation is much more active and cheerful. They tend to idealize the world, work hard, try to maintain a healthy lifestyle and love self-medication. Money for them, first of all, is the key to status. They often spend more than they can afford. The optimal marketing images for them are bright pictures of a bright future.

Generation X (born 1963-1984)

A pragmatic generation, ready to pay more for speed and comfort. They have a completely different attitude towards their health - unlike previous generations, when they get sick, they prefer relieving symptoms rather than full-fledged treatment, all for the sake of maintaining working capacity. The first of generations ready to shop like in shopping centers, and online. To appeal to Generation X, marketers need to show diversity and choice. Consumers who are not loyal will always have to fight for their attention.

Generation Y (born 1984-2004)

Millennials are fickle, narcissistic, ambitious, but do not always take life seriously. A stable job for the sake of money does not attract them; representatives of this generation are looking for pleasure and entertainment. They trust well-known brands and are loyal. Marketing companies to millennials are not promoting a product, but a lifestyle. A company without a website with a user-friendly interface and groups on social networks will not inspire confidence in them.

Generation Z (born 2004 and younger)

It is still impossible to form a final portrait of the generation, but certain characteristic features are already clearly visible. The idols of the generation are on social networks, the line between real and virtual life has been completely erased, they are practically immune to traditional advertising, but they are still eager to buy.

How does generation Z live?

Generation Z requires a significant revision of approaches to advertising companies and a change of platforms - from contextual advertising and landing pages on social networks. On the one hand, this is problematic - many proven concepts become ineffective. On the other hand, social media marketing is much cheaper than traditional marketing, so modern marketers can achieve high results at minimal cost. To know how to rebuild your advertising campaigns for a new generation, it’s worth remembering the differences between Z and Y.

Smartphones are ahead of computers

Unlike the previous generation, which prefers laptops and computers, Generation Z prefers to be online from a smartphone. The statistics below are compiled by the Global Web Index.

During the day, Generation Z spends more than seven hours online - 3:45 on the computer and 4:01 on the phone. Millennials spend roughly the same amount of time online, with 4:01 online from a computer and only 3:38 from a phone. Generation Z listens to music an average of 17 minutes more per day - 1 hour 40 minutes, and 18 minutes more watch less TV.

Pastime

• Fill your free time: 51% - Z, 44% - Y.
• Find entertainment content: 47% - Z, 40% - Y.
• Stay connected with friends: 46% - Z, 43% - Y.
• Stay up to date with the latest events: 42% - Z, 42% - Y.
• Share photos and videos: 38% - Z, 36% - Y.

Search for information

Generation Z, in search of information about goods and services, is leaving traditional sites for social networks - compared to the previous generation, search activity in them is 6% higher. The frequency of using mobile applications for the same purposes increased by 2%, while the figures for other methods decreased.

Top 5 information search channels:

• : 51% - Z, 45% - Y.
• Search engines: 48% - Z, 49% - Y.
• Mobile applications: 30% - Z, 28% - Y.
• Consumer Reviews: 29% - Z, 33% - Y.
• Websites of brands and manufacturers: 25% - Z, 29% - Y.

Status

The new generation attaches great importance to social status, which affects brand preferences.

Top 5 smartphone brands.

• iPhone: 52% - Z, 45% - Y.
• Samsung: 42% - Z, 40% - Y.
• Huawei: 16% - Z, 19% - Y.
• Xiaomi: 15% - Z, 13% - Y.
• Sony: 11% - Z, 11% - Y.

Desires and ability to pay

Due to their age, Generation Z is not yet very solvent, so its representatives cannot afford much of what millennials have. The only exceptions are smartphones.

Top 5 gadgets owned

• Smartphone: 96% - Z, 84% - Y.
• Computer/laptop: 68% - Z, 74% - Y.
• Tablet: 29% - Z, 37% - Y.
• Smart TV: 25% - Z, 34% - Y.
• Game console: 23% - Z, 23% - Y.

Opinion leaders

Generation Z is immune to traditional advertising and is tired of contextual ads. For advice, they turn to opinion leaders who, on their social media pages, advise which cosmetics to choose and where to book a hotel.

Effectiveness of Influencer Marketing:% of users who said they discovered new brands after endorsements from stars or famous personalities.

Total: 14%

Men: 13%

Women: 15%

Age:

16-24 - 17%

25-34 - 16%

35-44 - 12%

45-54 - 9%

55-64 - 6%

Wealth:

Bottom 25% - 13%

Average 50% - 14%

Top 25% - 15%

How is Generation Z different from other generations?

• Generation Z is not separating real life from the virtual, but carefully maintains the boundary between private and public life, which is why many people have two accounts on social networks.
• According to Millvrad Brown less than a quarter of this generation respond positively to advertising. They respond especially aggressively to intrusive advertisements, such as pop-ups.
• Decision-making is influenced by opinion leaders - celebrities, bloggers. The more subscribers, the higher the authority. At the same time, authorities should be as sincere as possible - Generation Z is looking for honesty in promotion.
• They quickly switch attention. Millennials have an average attention span of twelve seconds, while Gen Z's attention span is reduced by another four seconds.
• Generation Z wants to be involved, wants to be sure that their opinion matters. They easily communicate with the brand and are ready to participate in surveys and leave reviews. It will be easy to create a portrait of the target audience of this generation, but thanks to well-established communications, additional threats arise for marketers - information about a failed advertising campaign will spread very quickly.
• Unlike millennials, who are focused on career success and financial independence, generation Z pays more attention to self-realization. They believe in the ease of achieving popularity and wealth by observing the experiences of fellow bloggers who have monetized their channels.
• Generation Z strives to be active in their free time. because life experience becomes the new social currency. Positive and bright emotions are what will certainly attract representatives of this generation.
• Values ​​are shifting further and further from material to intangible. Exclusive designer bags are going out of fashion, but health care and natural products are making a comeback.

How to sell to Gen Z?

• To engage the new generation, you need to occupy all available communication channels, especially being active in the digital environment. Generation Z does not know a world without digital technologies, so they use them intuitively.
• Groups on social networks, mobile applications and brand websites must offer high-quality informative content, such as details of manufacturing processes. Generation Z stands for usefulness and openness, so these methods can win loyalty.
• Emotional involvement and imagination are the keys to successful interaction with Generation Z.
• On average, a member of Generation Z works with five devices, so it is important to create cross-platform advertising campaigns. If your website looks great on a laptop, but is completely unreadable on a phone, it will not inspire trust.
• Technology should become a natural part of the marketing process - virtual reality, augmented reality, multi-screen and cross-platform are becoming significant factors.