CURATED READS ON GEN Z IN THE WORKPLACE

Welcome to the latest edition of Mind the Gap. We hope you find our perspectives useful. Let us know what you think at Alex_Panas@McKinsey.com and Axel_Karlsson@McKinsey.com.

—Alex and Axel

first up

This edition of Mind the Gap comes to you from McKinsey Global Publishing intern (and Gen Zer) Abby Shewmaker.

“Who here feels positive about the economy?” one of my college professors asked our class last year. No response. “Negative? Unsure?” Then, nearly every student in the hall—including me—lifted their hand into the air.

Some cited a labor market they perceived to be stagnant, student loan debt, and inflation as contributing factors to their economic anxiety (it’s no surprise that “recession indicator” memes abound). For many of us, it feels like there’s an “end to predictable progress.” Meanwhile, gen AI’s proliferation is leading Gen Zers to pursue “AI-proof” trade professions.

Next, my professor pointed to a disconnect: Research shows Gen Z workers in the United States are paid more, are more educated, and experience higher levels of employment than previous generations. Indeed, those findings are echoed in a recent report on consumer behavior from McKinsey Senior Partner Becca Coggins and her coauthors.

Still, my classmates and I treated the internship search like an endurance sport. We scrolled through summer job postings online and applied to dozens of positions, vying for what could be a life-changing opportunity—no matter how unlikely it seemed we’d hear back. We passed around the same black blazer for interviews, celebrated wins, and consoled each other after losses. Despite our frustrations, we viewed the coveted summer internship as a one-way ticket to financial security and upward mobility (assuming we also could land the elusive return offer once the internship ended).

After the turbulence of the past five years, not to mention the shifting workforce dynamics— thanks in part to the explosion of remote work and gen AI and agentic AI—Gen Zers like me are looking for some stability. As a result, I narrowed my internship search to jobs in growing fields. Perhaps this pragmatism is all just part of growing up. But when it feels like the world is changing at light speed, the search for steady ground becomes more appealing.

That’s why so many students cling to the hope that they can land a summer internship. Tales of college seniors who successfully turned their three-month stints into full-time jobs spread faster than the latest dance craze on social media. Stories about job satisfaction after that return offer, however, aren’t nearly as prevalent. Securing a postgraduation job offer feels like crossing the finish line when it’s actually the warm-up lap.

In the end, I did find a summer internship. It’s been eye-opening, particularly as I learn how to experiment with AI in the workplace. Interning is just the beginning, of course, not the apex of what I will accomplish over the course of my working life.

Over the past few months, I’ve realized that the focus on landing your first job creates a singular view of success, one that revolves around financial milestones and security. It’s not wrong to crave that security, but for me, this perspective has been limiting. In my view, success for Gen Z means being willing to take risks, expanding the scope of possible career paths, and learning to evolve with the job market.

That thought doesn’t fill me with anxiety, though. It fills me with hope. 

VISUALIZE IT

Compared with the average worker, those with jobs in computers and mathematics, business and financial operations, and management prefer hybrid and fully remote work at higher rates.

WAIT, DON’T SCROLL

It’s the climb. Although major strides have been made, women still face obstacles in career advancement. These strategies can help.

Generational (and digital) divide. Gen Zers turn to social media for healthcare information nearly as much as they turn to doctors.

Agents of change. Sooner than you may think, humans and digital employees may be working side by side. Get to know your new AI coworker.

NOT US; STILL GREAT

#Dumbphone. Mobile devices and other “nostalgia tech” that were popular in the early aughts have made a resurgence on social media. [NYT]

Archived inbox. As digital notebooks and emails replace printed forms of communication and record-keeping, archivists and historians face a “digital dark age.” [Atlantic]

CROSSWORD

—Edited by Abby Shewmaker, McKinsey Global Publishing intern