Who the Zillennials of 2024 are and why their misrepresentation is impacting the American workforce

According to the Pew Research CenterThere are five generations in the global workforce: Silent Generation (1922-1945); Baby Boomers (1946-1964); Generation X (1965-1980); Generation Y/Millennials (1981-1996); And Gen Z (1997-2012). But there is another microgeneration that is virtually unknown to most people. Overlooked and underrepresented, Zillennials (1992-2002) are pitted against Millennials and Gen Z, struggling to figure out where they belong. And they share characteristics of both: working hard/overworking or prioritizing work-life balance and their mental well-being. The pushing and pulling ensures that the gap between generations widens and that the function of employees in the workplace is lost.

Who are Zillennials?

Who are these young professionals, now in their early to mid-twenties and in the thick of it? Since day one, the cell phone, the computer screen and the social video giant TickTock have been a big part of their lives. This in-between generation even has its own online lifestyle magazine called The Zillennial Zine, specifically designed to keep Zillennials “up to date on the weird, wacky, and insane trends of the Internet.”

I spoke with David Satterwhite, CEO of Kronos to learn more about this invisible generation. “We talk all the time about the five generations in the workforce, but also about the emerging generations, and how that will affect the future of work,” he told me. “But we often ignore the micro-generations and how those employees fit into the puzzle. Because there is limited recognition of the ‘middlemen’, their concerns and needs are not as openly discussed or accounted for in the workplace. This can lead to oversights or even unintended internal problems for organizations.”

I was curious to see how Zillennial’s misrepresentation might impact the overall workforce. “Misrepresentation of this group can lead to misaligned expectations and a lack of understanding of their needs, ineffective workforce planning and even a weakened workplace culture,” Satterwhite responded.

He believes that ignoring this group could prevent companies from meeting the needs and desires of these young professionals, widening the generation gap. “When needs are not met, detachment and disinterest arise. That’s why it’s so important that employers keep an eye on what employees want and how current programming, development and culture are meeting (or not meeting) those needs,” he states.

How Employers Can Meet the Needs of Zillennials

Satterwhite underlines the importance of employers understanding where their employees are mentally, especially in today’s evolving workplace. He advocates that employers prioritize their employees’ goals to foster a more productive culture and ease the current disengagement crisis. Not only will this help employees realign with their values, he suggests, but it will also ignite passion and motivation in their work, which serves the overall company mission.

“At Chronus, we believe that prioritizing employee goals can actually address the root causes of workplace disengagement,” he says. “Overall, focusing on employee purpose increases job satisfaction, improves retention rates, increases business growth and creates a more positive and supportive work environment.”

He recommends that companies give Zillennials the tools they need to refocus and figure out how to make their professional journey the best for them. He believes that mentorship programs can be effective solutions to drive purpose in the workplace and create pathways to better development and growth.

“At Chronus, we build mentoring programs that start by elevating employees’ purpose through a Purpose Assessment, and then match participants based on similar or different purpose archetypes, depending on the organization’s goals,” he explains. “This means that mentees and mentors are carefully matched to address specific concerns, needs and ambitions. These strategic matching plus conversation guides can improve mentoring relationships and provide participants with the opportunity to create goals that better align with their values ​​and motivations that drive purpose and a sense of fulfillment in the workplace.”

Satterwhite emphasizes the importance of psychological safety in the workplace. “Amid RTO mandates, remote work, and new technologies, employees are still learning how to find and achieve psychological safety in the workplace,” he points out. “This means creating a place where employee needs are asked and listened to. But also that something is done about these requests. By focusing on initiatives like employee purpose, mentorship for development, and ERGs for connection and rapport, companies are actively trying to build safety into the workplace and culture. Those who do not think this way will likely experience low retention rates and a loss of top talent if they do not want to meet the needs of these generations, and even micro-generations,” he concludes.

Generation gap or generational diversity

According to the Harvard Business Review, for the first time in history, many workplaces span six generations, from the Silent Generation still working – and in many cases still in key leadership roles – to the teens of Generation Alpha eagerly pursuing their first summer jobs and high school internships. In between are the baby boomers, generation X, generation Y (often called millennials) and generation Z.

With that in mind, said Barbara Martell SVP, Chief Human Resources Officer at Allianz Trade America, points out that managing a multi-generational workforce can be complex due to variations in work styles, communication preferences and technology adoption.“Effective leadership is essential to ensure employees of all ages feel valued, with generational diversity recognized as a strategic asset and not an obstacle, says Martell. He adds: “By promoting an age-inclusive culture, organizations can unlock the full potential of their workforce. boost morale, ensure regulatory compliance and encourage greater innovation, ultimately positioning themselves for long-term success.”

I also spoke with Dr. Anne Snyder, curriculum lead manager at Praxis Labs. She told me that we are charting new territory with the diversity of generations in the workforce. “There can be as many as five generations in one workplace. However, we propose moving from solving the generation gap problem to unlocking the opportunities and benefits of a multi-generational workforce,” she told me by email.

“Each generation brings different experiences, ideas and norms to the workplace, all of which are valuable. It is not the case that older generations create a ‘backbone’ that later generations build on,” concludes Snyder. “The reality is that we are not just standing on the shoulders of older generations, but there is much learning from each other at every stage of a career and across generations that can benefit everyone, including businesses.”

It remains to be seen what valuable fresh ideas and experiences the Zillennial generation will bring to the modern workplace.