The world is experiencing one of the most thrilling and dramatic changes ever. Digitisation will possibly go down as one of the major developments in human history, something that has led us to rethink how we communicate. Leading the entire transformation, of how we interact with our past, future and our environment, are Generations Y and Z.
Popularly known as Millennials and GenZ, the two generations have been the digital natives, exposed to the internet, to social networks, and mobile systems since teenage.
In the wake of the pandemic, where Work from Home/the Online Life has become the new normal, it becomes imperative for the brands to utilise the capabilities of these young, digitally empowered generations with smartphones as their extended organs and understand where they stand today.
There are insightful capabilities that these Generations bring to the table, which are a result of the 6 months of living lives online literally than only merely surviving offline.
Smart Connections
Ability to connect and create a variety of “smart contracts” can only happen with a bigger network of people that you know or do not know. They have a stronger intention of cooperation and online communication habits.
On a behavioral basis, Generations Y and Z constantly flow between different online communities that make possible by leveraging the high level of mobilisation technology. They value online communities because they allow people of different economic circumstances to interact and mobilise around causes and interests. Therefore, Millennials and Gen Z use the internet as a means of finding information and connecting with others, and very few are altered by what they do online.
Many use the internet as a means to develop social skills, which they can then apply to real life, and learn about interesting things they encounter. They spend most of their time online interacting with people he communicates with daily in everyday life.
For example, even during the COVID-19, these generations have been either interning or freelancing online. The process of building contacts and developing social skills has not been slowed down because of a pandemic.
Unique Individuality
Digital Empowerment has given these generations the ability to develop unique individualities. The internet and online resources have provided them with more flexibility to adapt to newer skills. It is a procedure from varied choices to innumerable skills to better task performances. It makes these generations better at “multitasking” than the previous ones.
With this unique individuality, they have also transformed the workplaces. They want flexible schedules and opportunities for remote work. This doesn’t mean they ‘re lazy and want simple jobs, in reality, quite the contrary. Usually, these younger generations cross the distinction between their work and home lives very skillfully and are able to work hard.
For example, many organisations have training sessions or Happy Hours, once a week. These sessions allow employees to explore and expose their unique individualities in front of their colleagues. Having shifted online, Happy Hours have become more efficient as the learning opportunities have become more exclusive. These training sessions allow flexibility and unwrapping of unique talents.
Ability to Trust
Both Millennials and Gen Z have a stronger ability to trust a stranger. They are far from following the traditional, “Don’t talk to or trust strangers”, advice. This ability allows them to experiment with trends, individuals, influencers and brands.
They are more likely to trust online banking systems as compared to Gen X. They generally perceive themselves as more fiscally responsible than their parents. Generations Y and Z are also more likely to save a decent chunk of their income by trusting budgeting apps.
Even as consumers, these generations have time and again trusted brands. They easily trust and rely on online reviews for suggestions and are not afraid to experiment with new brands. The birth of influencer marketing and innumerable new trends have been only possible because of this ability to trust.
For example, recently, Think Culture Foundation (TCF), an organisation dedicated to promoting cross-cultural understanding among the youth, did an online workshop. The workshop was focused on a Japanese art form, Origami, where a batch of 30+ students participated. This was a project based on the student’s ability to trust the NGO and it helped ensure cultural awareness among the students during the lockdown.
The game has been changed after COVID 19. It becomes crucial to digitally empower Generations Y&Z. These generations have experienced a global recession, pandemic and digital revolutions. From the earliest, they have been a part of a social network rather than the physical one. In its current epitome, Digital Space is going quickly beyond Social Media, and Generations Y and Z are the leading this digital empowerment. These generations are also shifting Generation X to the digital space and empowering them to be digitally sound.
The COVID-19 crisis is an unrivalled one in human history and caught up with a major unwelcome shock on the planet at large. The biggest challenge for the global economy as a whole was to maintain the stability of business amid lock-down, social isolation and other obstacles. In these unprecedented times, Digital Empowerment is the only way ahead.
The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.
Yan’s rich knowledge acquired through continuous studying and work experience has evolved her as an expert in strategic planning, financial and risk management, joint ventures and alliances, new market development and operations management.
She holds an MBA from the prestigious Peking University – Guanghua School of Management and is currently pursuing PhD from New York with a vision to contribute to the academic fraternity.
Yan has been the General Manager for Air China for over a decade based out Australia and has been instrumental in the growth of tourism and trade between the two nations through her innovative programs.
Yan brings to India, her rich experience from Topline’s China market, with unique and proven models built around innovative and digitally advanced practices.
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