Time - USA (2022-04-25)

We live in a time of uncertainty and change. Profound
social disruption, aff ecting how we work, how we learn
or entertain ourselves, as well existential threats to
our existence from climate change and environmental
degradation, pose challenges to our social fabric as
well as our physical and emotional well-being.

These challenges are arguably more keenly felt by younger
generations, in particular Generation Z and to a lesser
extent, Millennials. Generation Z for instance are struggling
with comparatively higher rates of anxiety, depression and
mental health conditions. Almost one in three people aged
18-25 years have been diagnosed with a mental health
condition compared to just 14.1% of those aged over 50
years old.

Generation Z and Millennials have been born into, grown up
with, and are likely to inhabit longer, a world that is changing
at an eye-watering pace, disrupting social norms and ‘the
way things are done’, throwing up new, often seemingly
intractable, problems and generating well-being pressure
points that verge on crisis level.

It has become pretty clear that these generations have
also taken it upon themselves to fi nd solutions to much of
what ails them and the world. Eff ectively deploying their
generation-particular experience and relationship with the
internet, data and technology to eff ect positive change.

DIGITAL-FIRST GENERATION

Generation Z and Millennials’ unique developmental path,
attached at the hip, as it were to the internet, has rendered
them uniquely educationally, emotionally and ethically
equipped to tackle, head-on, many of the challenges facing
them and the world.

Much of this capability stems from their seemingly natural
and eff ortless relationship with digital, data and technology,
and their inherent ability to use these to eff ect positive
change in their personal lives as well as on the world.

Generation Z in particular are children of the internet,

having never known a world without it. What does this

mean for their point of view of the world, their approach to

problem solving and their values?

In the fi rst place, their view of the world is not, as it is in

previous generations, divided in the physical and the

digital. On the contrary, digital worlds and physical worlds

have blended into one (expected) seamless experience.

They are so connected to the web that their identities,

their relationships, their passions and self expression are

inextricably entwined with it. They don’t simply view the

internet as a source of knowledge and information but(far

more importantly to them) as a means of social connection,

and everything they do from shopping to learning to

hanging out with friends to recreating and to maintaining

physical and emotional well-being is done online.

According to a recent study by WPEngine 40% of generation

Z can’t go without the internet for more than 4 hours

without feeling uncomfortable and over 50% expect the

internet to be driving most of their daily decision making

within 5 years.

Relationships, that for previous generations, required

at least some in-person contact, can for Generation Z,

exist solely online— 51% of Generation Z value digital

relationships and are friends with someone they only know

online.

All these measures far exceed previous generations and

demonstrate a comfort level and familiarity with the internet

that subsequently provides the means for Generation Z

to uniquely seek out solutions and meet needs, express

themselves and live their values. For example, the same

study has 74% of Generation Z believing that they can be

part of a social movement even if only through social media.

And 68% of Generation Z believe that websites will soon

talk to each other to off er a seamless experience one to

the other and, importantly, in the near future, to provide

predictive and highly personalized experiences. Highly

personalized and predictive services feature prominently

in the expectations of Generation Z interacting with, for

example, healthcare providers and related products and

services. Such beliefs and trust in the internet to be the

primary vehicle by means of which Generation Z act upon

the world is undergirded by two concomitant corollaries of

that intertwined relationship—comfort and familiarity with,

and knowledge and skill sets in, data and technology.

CONTENT FROM SOMPO HOLDINGS

4h

40%

of Generation Z

canʼt go without

the internet for

more than 4 hours

50%

expect the internet to

be driving most of their

daily decision making

within 5 years

51%

of Generation Z value

digital relationships and

are friends with someone

they only know online