While dozens of research initiatives explore Generation Z’s values as consumers, few explore its attitudes about work. A new research study from Universum asks close to 50,000 high school graduates about their future careers, the necessity of higher education, and their attitudes to work and life – insights hiring companies can use to attract and retain the next generation of digital natives.

1. Gen Z’s Views on Work and Life: Americas
Kat Lynn and Kevin Troy

2. For the first time ever, members of Gen Z tell us
what they want for their futures!
2
~ 50,000
respondents

3. By 2030, many of the world's largest economies will have more
jobs than skilled people to do those jobs.
3
As a result, the talent market is going to be even more competitive than
it is today. To prepare, Universum conducted the biggest Gen Z survey
ever to help our clients predict their future workforce.
Why this study matters

4. Baby Boomers
Hard working
Specialized
Individualistic
Gen X
Self-starting
Loyal
Driven
Gen Y
Flexible
Non-hierarchical
Innovative
Gen Z
?
?
?
Generational comparison
4
?
• Tangible/material success
• Work to live
• No feedback
• Blend in
• Climb corporate ladder
• Experiential success
• Work for purpose
• Constant feedback
• Stand out
• Create your own ladder

5. What we know now
5
Grew up in
uncertain times
Most global
generation
Breaking the
education mold
Always
connected
Z

6. 1) Most global generation
6
wants to start their own companies
in order to have an impact.
43% of Gen Z
 Globally connected and well
traveled
 Gravitating toward cities, where
populations tend to be more
ethnically and culturally diverse
 Aware of global events and
business opportunities
 Recognize that the world has
significant problems, and they
want to help
For them, the desire to help change the
world for the better is not about CSR or
donating to charities.

7. 7
Within the Americas, Latin America is
particularly entrepreneurial
• Are you interested in starting your own company? (yes/ no)
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
LATAM
NorthAM
Global
Gen Z’ers who want to start their own company

8. 8
LatAm is particularly entrepreneurial
• Are you interested in starting your own company?
55%
62%
58% 58% 58%
66%
65%
67%
71%
78%
41%
38%
41%
Global LATAM Argentina Brazil Chile Colombia Costa
Rica
Mexico Panama Peru North
America
Canada USA

9. 9
How are companies responding to the desire
for entrepreneurship?
• “Hack days”
• Project work
• Process, product, culture
improvements
• Stronger communication

10.  First generation to grow up with
high speed, mobile internet
access
 Comfortable interacting online
with others
 Consume and share content with
ease
 Easily adapt to new technologies
and implement them in their
workflow
10
2) Always connected
specifically searches for employer
information through that channel. Now
imagine what that looks like for Gen Z,
who grew up using it.
60% of Gen Y
Despite the myth that Facebook is dead,

11. 11
of the world’s internet
traffic is from mobile
devices and we now
buy more smartphones
than “dumb” phones
20%
In early 2014 nearly
3 billionpeople were online
hours of video are
watched on YouTube
every month
6 billion
WhatsApp messages are
sent every day
27 billion
users worldwide
1.2 billion
pictures are
shared on social
media every day
758 million
Facebook has almost
Talent is exposed to tons of information every day
• Source: BI Intelligence http://thenextweb.com/mobile/2013/06/13/whatsapp-is-now-
processing-a-record-27-billion-messages-per-day/#!sawFj
• See also: http://www.youtube.com/yt/press/statistics.html
Are you ensuring your employer brand will stand out?

12. 12
Gen Zers are highly active in social media
is the most-used channel
globally
Facebook
is the global average
number of Social Media
channels used by Gen
Z.
4.1
• Which online networks/communities do you use? (Count of used network/communities)
• This refers to general usage
comes in at #2
YouTube
rounds out the top 3
Instagram

13. 13
Gen Zers across the Americas extremely open to
communication from employers about jobs…
• How open are you to be contacted by a company regarding work opportunities?
83% 82%
87%
74%
87%
90% 90% 90%
83%
88%
85%
91%
84%
17% 18%
13%
26%
13%
10% 10% 10%
17%
12%
15%
9%
16%
Global LATAM Argentina Brazil Chile Colombia Costa
Rica
Mexico Panama Peru North
America
Canada USA
I like it very much / I like it somewhat I dislike it very much / I dislike it somewhat

14. 14
…but hardly any of them have been contacted
about job opportunities.
• Have you been contacted by any company regarding work opportunities?
29%
23% 23% 25%
11%
21% 19%
22% 21%
25% 25%
28%
25%
71%
77% 77% 75%
89%
79% 81%
78% 79%
75% 75%
72%
75%
Global LATAM Argentina Brazil Chile Colombia Costa
Rica
Mexico Panama Peru North
America
Canada USA
Yes No

15. 15
Have you started actively communicating your
employer brand to Gen Z?

16. 16
are hopeful about their future work-life.
55% of Gen Zers
Despite economic uncertainties,
3) Grew up in uncertain times
 Grew up during the “war on
terror” and the economic crises
 More target-oriented, planning
career paths earlier
 Exposed to dramatically changing
industries, with STEM skills
becoming more critical
 Contrary to popular belief, the
uncertain times did not quell their
entrepreneurial desire

17. 17
Their greatest fear is getting stuck in a role where
they don’t fit personally and can’t grow, which
seems to fuel their entrepreneurial ambitions
• What are your greatest fears regarding your work life? (Max. 3)

18. 18
Friendliness of people
the #1 aspect of an employer that
should match one’s personality
(globally)

19. 19
is interested in finding out more about
how companies offer education to
people who have no university
degree
59% of Gen Z
Contrary to their parents, who
prioritized a college education, almost
4) Breaking the education mold
 Student loans are increasingly
unsustainable and many schools
do not accelerate earnings
enough to offset the costs
 Gen Z values experience over
tangible possessions, so the
salary argument for a degree has
less weight
 Employers are looking more for
skillsets or learning capacity,
reducing the importance of a
name brand school on a resume
 Growth of alternative education
and online learning tools

20. 20
Especially in LatAm, students really want to find out
more about alternative education options.
• Are you interested in finding out more on how companies offer education to people who have no university degree?
59%
76%
65%
80%
62%
77%
71%
76%
67%
82%
38%
42%
37%
Global LATAM Argentina Brazil Chile Colombia Costa
Rica
Mexico Panama Peru North
America
Canada USA

21. 21
“Orville Wright didn’t have a
pilot’s license.”
• Hire for potential, train for skill
• Focus on culture fit and persona hiring
• Less stringent academic requirements (i.e.
specific major)

22. The time to act is now.
22
By the time Gen Z enters the
workforce, they will have already
been guided and influenced.
The race for Gen Z starts now, and
anyone not thinking ahead will be
behind.
Key questions to address now:
• How are you planning to adapt or grow
your training and development
programs?
• Are you prepared to source talent from
alternative education options?
• Does your organization have a defined
purpose? Is it communicated?
• How is your organization differentiated
from your industry or competitors?
• Is your brand uniform globally, unique
in every market, or locally adapted from
a global brand structure?