As the oldest members of Generation Z graduate

college and begin job hunting, employers need to

understand the defining characteristics of this age

group and why treating them like their Millennial

predecessors isn’t going to cut it.

By taking purposeful steps to make your workplace

align with Gen Z’s priorities, you’ll be prepared to

recruit and retain the brightest young talent.

THE OLDEST GEN ZER WAS 10 YEARS OLD WHEN THE IPHONE 1 CAME OUT

FIRST GENERATION TO GROW UP WITH STREAMING CONTENT ON-DEMAND

23% OF GEN Z BELIEVE PERSONAL DEBT SHOULD BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS

BORN: 1997-2012 Ages in 2019: 7 - 22

MOST DIVERSE GENERATION YET

48% are from communities of color

WHAT MANAGEMENT SHOULD KNOWGen Z ≠ Millennial: Birth years aren’t the only difference between them.

61 MILLION LIVE IN THE U.S. By 2020, Generation Z will account for 40% of all consumers in the U.S.

RAPIDLY ENTERING WORKFORCE

By 2021 will account for 1/5 of labor force

PREPARING YOUR WORKPLACE FOR GEN Z

DIGITALLY SAVVYDon’t remember a time

before smartphones.

FINANCIALLY CAUTIOUSSaw parents go through

the Great Recession.

WELL-EDUCATED59% of 18 to 20-year-olds were

enrolled in college in 2017.

WHO IS GENERATION Z?

DEFINING TRAITS

COMPARED TO MILLENNIALS, GEN Z IS…

MORE independent

LESS collaborative

MORE tech-intuitive

LESS socially savvy in-person

MORE competitive

LESS team-oriented

GENERATION Z ON THE JOB

While this generation is only starting to enter the

workforce, here is what we know so far — and some

trends we expect to grow in the coming years.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

One way to offer a unique experience and

enjoyable environment that young workers

crave is through workplace dining initiatives.

WORKPLACE DINING ALIGNS WITH GEN Z TRENDS

Socially Conscious 94% believe companies should address social & environmental issues

Entrepreneurs72% of high schoolers want to start their own business

Money Makers 65% list salary as important when job hunting

Hard Workers 38% identified work/life balance as important

Researchersthey read reviews and crowd-source most major decisions

A Good FitCulture + Environment = Top Priorities

Top-notch TechInnovation + Resources = Must Haves

Authentic ConnectionFace-to-face feedback & mentorship

A Fun Place to WorkFlexible schedules & paid time off

PersonalizationCustomized careers & unique experiences

THEY ARE…

AND THEY WANT…

GEN Z ’s Food

GEN Z ’s Healthy Food

DID YOU KNOW?

Google designed offices to ensure no employee was more than 200 feet away from a food option.

DINING TRENDS

• Experiential eating

• Farm-to-table

• Plant forward

• Global flavors

EXPECTATIONS

• Fun culture & environment

• Sustainability & transparency

• Health & wellness

• Opportunity for connection

Generation Z isn’t afraid of hard work and they thrive on feedback. Early indications suggest a work environment that balances both solitary and social tasks

will serve them well. They’ll be looking for companies with strong brands and unique

differentiators — like dining options that reflect their passions and priorities.

Is your business ready for the next generation of workers? Learn how we can help you attract new talent.

62%want to eat more fruits and veggies

60%want to reduce meat consumption

33%buy organic products

56%like to watch the Food Network

52%like to watch

cooking videos on social media

SourcesPew Research Center, “Defining generations: Where Millennials end and Generaztion Z begins”

CNBC, “61 million Gen Zers are about to enter the US workforce and radically change it forever”

Aramark, “2019 Gen Z Dining Trends”

NPR, “Generation Z Is The Most Racially And Ethnically Diverse Yet”

Inc., “Generation Z and the Workplace: What You Need to Know”

Pew Research Center, “Early Benchmarks Show ‘Post-Millennials’ on Track to Be Most Diverse,

Best-Educated Generation Yet”

Inc., “The Pitfalls of Being a Gen Z Entrepreneur”

VisionCritical, “Generation Z Statistics: New Report on the Values, Attitudes, and Behaviors

of the Post-Millennials”

The Center for Generational Kinetics, “Gen Z is Learning from Millennials’ Money Mistakes”

Forbes, “The Real Reason Google Serves All That Free Food” www.aramark.com