Mind the Gap

May 30, 2023 – This week, we’re talking about Gen Z’s injectable use… hold still, please.

May 23, 2023 – Is Gen Z generally willing to take risks or is it risk averse? It’s hard to tell because there’s limited survey data on the topic. Some data found in the far corners of the interwebs suggest that Gen Z is more risk averse when it comes to investing. But it’s a little tough to square that in the age of meme stocks.

May 16, 2023 – As Gen Zers find their way back to the office (or begin to navigate it for the first time), mentorship is an oft-overlooked and underestimated tool that helps everyone—not just Gen Z—find their way at work.

May 9, 2023 – If you watched TV or went to the movies during the 1990s and 2000s, you were regularly treated to an unapologetically romantic view of New York City. Films and series such as Living Single, Sex and the City, The Devil Wears Prada, How to Make It in America, and even The Apprentice helped sell people from all over the world on the dream that they, too, could conquer their big-city professional dreams, share an elevator with a CEO, or start their own business.

April 25, 2023 – There is a familiar cycle of download and delete that Gen Z has come to understand all too well in its relationship with social media.

April 25, 2023 – If you’re reading this newsletter, chances are you’re already familiar with many of the stereotypes about Gen Z at work: they want to work from home, they’re “quiet quitting,” they’re actually quitting, they won’t answer a phone call, they don’t want to work hard.

April 18, 2023 – Gen Z is often thought to be a generation of activists. While that identity might result in picking up a protest poster, so far it hasn’t translated to an interest in civil-service jobs, at least according to current employment numbers.

April 11, 2023 – Even though the technology is sparking a ton of excitement in every industry, the latest evolution in AI has also brought with it a collective anxiety about job displacement and robot overlords. Joking. Kind of.

April 4, 2023 – Consumer brands spend a lot of money to attract and retain customers. In the past, that meant focusing on splashy advertising campaigns and, eventually, digital marketing to convert interested consumers into paying and, crucially, repeat customers.

March 28, 2023 – Luxury ice is a thing now. Not “ice” like jewelry. And not “ice” like Ice Spice (sad). Ice as in ice cubes. Logo-stamped and flower-suspending $14 ice cubes are just the tip of the ice … berg.

March 21, 2023 – For Gen Z, the life hack to end all life hacks is here. It’s called generative AI, and to some, it is the technological embodiment of the adage “work smarter, not harder.”

March 14, 2023 – Anyone who describes themselves as “extremely online” can confirm that time is compressed on the internet. News, fads, and controversies that once dominated our collective consciousness for weeks have just a fraction of the shelf life on social media. The swiftness with which a video goes viral also characterizes the speed with which it fades to black.

March 7, 2023 – There’s plenty of data indicating that Gen Zers are pessimistic about the world. It’s not hard to see why, considering that most of them experienced a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic during their formative years, sparking a loneliness epidemic and making everyday life newly challenging. All this coincided with global unrest and overheating economies, making job prospects in some industries iffy.

February 28, 2023 – When musician Olivia Rodrigo released her debut single “Drivers License” in 2021, the song was an instant hit. At the time, it broke the most single-day streams for a non-holiday song on Spotify, spending multiple weeks at number one and becoming a bona fide Gen Z anthem. But when it comes to their own driver’s licenses, Gen Zers are somewhat less enthusiastic.

February 21, 2023 – Capturing the food preferences of an entire generation of consumers is a tough nut to crack. While avocado toast reflected the zeitgeist in which millennials came of age, Gen Zers’ tastes are a little all over the menu, so to speak. Still, there are some consistent behaviors that these younger consumers have come to exhibit.

February 14, 2023 – Given recent tech sector rumblings, Gen Zers aiming to work in the field may feel like the short-term hiring outlook is relatively bleak. But even before this year, one group was already underrepresented in tech: Black Americans. This group makes up 12 percent of the US workforce but only 8 percent of employees in tech jobs, thanks to structural barriers and holes in the talent pipeline.

February 7, 2023 – Welcome back! This week, we’re looking at what it means to have “fun” with your coworkers.

January 31, 2023 – Welcome back! This week, we’re looking at the pros and cons of hustle culture and the gig economy.

January 24, 2023 – Welcome back—this week, we’re talking about Gen Z’s complicated relationship with privacy.

January 17, 2023 – Even though some of the Northern Hemisphere is seeing chilly temperatures, one thing that keeps getting hotter is the talent market.

January 10, 2023 – Welcome back! After our brief recess, Mind the Gap’s first issue in 2023 is (somewhat fittingly) on the scariest of CV specters.

December 20, 2022 – Do you feel like the protagonist of your own life? If not, perhaps you need to move out of NPC (nonplayer character) status and harness the much-loved trend of “main-character energy” when planning your 2023.

December 13, 2022 – Consider this: you start a brand-new job. Your only introduction to coworkers is an email with your professional bio and that one cringeworthy headshot. The “tour” is a training packet that tells you where the online files live. And the watercooler is your own kitchen sink (dishes included).

December 6, 2022 – This week we’re talking greenwashing—and not the kind that involves sweeping endless pine needles out of your living room.

November 29, 2022 – Gen Z is infamous for having a short attention span. Young people do love an endless stream of content, and short-form video is king—many spend more than six hours a day watching—but it’s not true that Gen Z can only pay attention for eight seconds.

November 22, 2022 – Welcome back—this week, we’re getting festive. The US holiday season is here, and Gen Z is ready to spend some serious cash.

November 15, 2022 – Welcome back! And happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday.

November 8, 2022 – Welcome back! I’m hoping this hits my bosses’ inboxes before they give me my performance review (wink, wink).

November 1, 2022 – Welcome back! In the Northern Hemisphere, the days are getting shorter. Warding off winter blues is my version of doomsday prepping—and maybe a reason Gen Z loves funky fashion?

October 25, 2022 – Did you ever play the game M.A.S.H. in school? It’s an American kids’ game where you write down a list of possible options for your future in a few categories.

October 18, 2022 – Welcome back—this week I commit the cardinal sin of being a joke-explainer.

October 11, 2022 – Welcome back—yesterday was World Mental Health Day, but mental health struggles affect millions worldwide every day.

October 4, 2022 – Have you ever heard someone scoff that Gen Z workers have “no sense of loyalty”?

September 27, 2022 – Welcome back—this week, we’re talking about data trust. Do you trust who’s using yours?

September 20, 2022 – In 2019, a study estimated that a Gen Zer in the United States would spend a whopping $226,000 on rent in their lifetime—and that was before the gut punch of recent rent hikes.

September 13, 2022 – Ads for apparel are part of the ever-growing body of sponsored content that people consume daily alongside regular videos and social-media posts, and they are part of an influencer marketing economy that hit $16.4 billion this year.

August 30, 2022 – Welcome—Sarah is back this week, and we’re talking about the latest work buzzword.

August 23, 2022 – Hello again! Our summer interns are here for the second week of our intern takeover. Today, we’re looking at a social issue that’s top of mind for Gen Z: a sustainable and equitable food system.

August 16, 2022 – Welcome back. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, we’re in the final stretch of summer—and the summer college break is a time when interns descend on many organizations.

August 9, 2022 – With August in full swing, back-to-school days are just around the corner. This year, make sure you avoid that last-minute scramble for college-ruled composition books (that is, if you still use paper). Internet ubiquity has already set Gen Z’s education apart, but there’s a lot more to the picture.

August 2, 2022 – So while the complicated lines between work and play keep being redrawn, please don’t take it personally if I leave your follow invite in request purgatory.

July 26, 2022 – If you or a loved one has felt like crying at a gas station pump recently, you’re not alone.

July 19, 2022 – This week, in a #throwback—remember when that was a thing?—to yesteryear, we’re talking nostalgia and Gen Z.

July 12, 2022 – Do you follow a sports team? Ever buy some merch? The NFL’s chief marketing officer said that “if you don’t acquire a fan by the time they’re 18, you’re most likely never going to get them.” A few years ago, execs feared that millennials would be the death of sports fandom—they were largely wrong, but now it’s Gen Z’s turn in the hot seat.

July 5, 2022 – Where do you get your news? I get mine from a whirlwind of my favorite digital-newspaper home pages, a couple of podcasts, and the clickbait headlines from my feeds. And of course, push notifications sharing all the news that’s fit to blast.

June 28, 2022 – Welcome back—while some start-ups have seen their growth slow in recent months, the prospect of a billion-dollar idea still has a hold on Gen Z.

June 21, 2022 – Welcome back! Have you seen the memes of employers asking for ten years of experience for an entry-level job? It’s funny because it’s true.

June 14, 2022 – Welcome back—this week, we’re talking about vacations. Bon voyage, everyone.

June 7, 2022 – Welcome back! This week, we’re looking at the buying, digital, and digital buying practices of Gen Z in Asia.

May 24, 2022 – Welcome back—this week, we’re talking Davos.

May 24, 2022 – It’s graduation season! You may be tossing your cap and doing champagne-spray photoshoots on your favorite campus steps, but soon you could be starting your first professional job. That’s why we’ve got The Graduate’s Guide to the World of Work, a first-stop destination for making sense of the world you’re entering—curated by the Gen Z folks here.

May 17, 2022 – This week we’re talking hybrid work—is it the best of both worlds?

May 10, 2022 – Welcome back! This week, we’re talking games and gamification—what’s your favorite?

May 3, 2022 – May the 4th be with you tomorrow for #StarWarsDay! This week, we're looking to the (real) future of the space industry. Sadly, wookies are not on the agenda.

April 26, 2022 – Welcome back—this week, we’re talking productivity hacks. Stick around to the end or you’ll miss how to “bake bread to hire homies.”

April 19, 2022 – Fashion is one of the top three categories for Gen Z splurges. But there’s a real divide: half the fashion posts I see are people modeling gorgeous thrifted finds, and half are massive fast-fashion hauls. We’re split on high-quality, long-lasting “slow fashion” versus the cheap, trendy clothes that are quickly made—and just as quickly discarded.

April 12, 2022 – April is Stress Awareness Month, April 7 was World Health Day, and two weeks ago, the McKinsey Health Institute launched with a mission of adding years to life and life to years.

April 5, 2022 – Same money, more problems. Inflation is at a 40-year high, and the prices of major Gen Z expenses like gas, rent, food, and tuition are rising especially quickly.

March 29, 2022 – One in five Gen Z adults in the US now identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, according to a recent Gallup poll. Our generation has seen amazing strides when it comes to all people living openly and authentically in all parts of their lives.

March 22, 2022 – Do your social values shape where you shop? Mine do, and that makes me what’s called an “inclusive consumer.” Like 45 percent of America (and growing), inclusive consumers think that retailers should support and uplift Black-owned businesses and brands.

March 15, 2022 – Welcome to the very first edition of Mind the Gap, a new newsletter for those of us in Gen Z—and the Z-curious colleagues we work with.