Generation Z’s Proclivity for Technological Communication: An Exploration into its Effects on Employers’ Perceptions of Gen Z and the Intergenerational Workplace

Name

Hannah G. Whitehead, Georgia Southern UniversityFollow

Publication Date

2022

Major

Communication Studies (B.S.)

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Pam Bourland-Davis

Abstract

Gen Z’s proclivity for digital communication may be putting them at a disadvantage when shifting into professional settings. Generation Z is inclined to communicate differently than Millennials and Generation Y, the two generations that currently make up the largest percentage of the job market. The idea that Gen Z’s future employers prefer different styles of communication creates the risk of negatively influencing these employers’ perceptions of Gen Z’s professionalism and workplace capabilities. By interviewing 12 internship supervisors from varying industries amidst the Southeast who belong to Generations X and Y, the author explores the difference in communication styles between Generation Z and the X and Y Generations, in order to gain a greater understanding of whether these differences are negatively impacting Millennial and Gen X employers’ perceptions of Gen Z’s workplace potential.

Recommended Citation

Whitehead, Hannah G., "Generation Z’s Proclivity for Technological Communication: An Exploration into its Effects on Employers’ Perceptions of Gen Z and the Intergenerational Workplace" (2022). Honors College Theses. 729.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/honors-theses/729