Insider Finance - Business - Insider Today: What young workers want

December 15, 2023 • 5 min read

with Dan DeFrancesco

Happy Friday! Here’s how to do your good deed of the day, and it doesn't cost you a dime. Amazon will tip your delivery driver $5 if you thank them through the app. Here’s how to do it.

In today’s big story, we're looking at the data from a recent poll we conducted on Generation Z’s thoughts on the workplace and the economy. 

What’s on deck:

But first, let’s hear the kid out. 

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Christoph Soeder/picture alliance via Getty Images; Alyssa Powell/BI

The big story

Gen Z by the numbers

Have you ever had a question about Generation Z you were too afraid to ask? We’ve got you covered.

Business Insider, in partnership with YouGov, surveyed more than 600 Gen Zers on their beliefs.

The data, compiled here, provides a fascinating look into the ideology of the youngest generation in the workforce.

In many ways, for all its eccentricities, Gen Z is similar to other generations. They’re worried about AI. They stress about money. They want a job that pays well. 

But one area that seems unique to them is their preferred economic system.

While older generations lean toward favoring capitalism, Gen Zers are almost perfectly split between their support for socialism (28%) and capitalism (29%). 

It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach, as BI’s Jacob Zinkula reports. Certain capitalist ideas, like private home ownership and entrepreneurship, aren’t taboo for Gen Z.

But issues arise for Gen Zers when it comes to the high costs of housing and education, the healthcare system, or the general inequality that exists in the country, experts say. 

Regardless of your feelings about Gen Z’s economic position, you must take them seriously.

The generation has proven adept at making their voices heard in the workplace and never backing down.

Millennials largely entered the workforce in the shadow of the financial crisis. And while that event might have made them resent capitalism, they were also happy just to have a job. 

Gen Z has no such reservations. Emboldened by a relatively strong job market, Gen Zers have questioned workplace norms since the beginning. 

"I think now we're just going to continue to push the boundaries and ask questions, like is this meeting an effective use of our time or is coming into the office five days a week an effective use of our time?" a Gen Zer told BI’s Juliana Kaplan and Sarah Jackson.

But it'll be interesting to see how Gen Z’s ideals evolve as they age and, more importantly, when the economy shifts. White-collar jobs were largely spared during the pandemic, and many junior employees ended up better off financially in the wake of it.

If a deeper recession were to hit, as some have predicted, that’s unlikely to be the case. And Gen Z might find it harder to speak up when times are tough. 

3 things in

Markets

🔔 Before the opening bell: US stock futures rise early Friday after the Dow reached an all-time high.

Rosenberg Research

1. A veteran economist has a pessimistic view on the latest Fed news. While most investors embraced the Fed predicting three rate cuts in 2024, David Rosenberg had a different take. He believes the Fed’s latest growth projection indicates it views stocks as overpriced and a recession on the horizon.  

2. If things do go south, here’s how to invest. Vanguard mapped out seven investments to make to get ahead of a tough 2024. From the type of bonds to focus on to the benefit of investing in non-US companies, here’s what the firm recommends. 

3. The housing market won’t get better than this. It might be hard to believe, but veteran real-estate investor Barbara Corcoran says you're “dead wrong” if you think you’ll get a better deal waiting to buy a home. A drop in interest rates will just kick off a feeding frenzy, the “Shark Tank” investor said.  

3 things in

Tech

Michael M. Santiago/Getty, MarkHatfield/Getty, Tyler Le/BI

1. Nvidia has become a victim of its own success. The tech firm’s surge in stock price has led long-tenured employees to get obscenely rich, leading some not to do their fair share of work. It’s become such a problem that Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang addressed it during a recent company all-hands, according to those in attendance. 

2. Second thoughts on the Cybertruck. Now that the Tesla truck’s full details — and price — have emerged, some reservation holders are reconsidering purchasing it. Here’s what is giving people pause. 

3. Why the other Altman is stepping down. Jack Altman, brother to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, is leaving his role as CEO of Lattice, the HR startup he cofounded eight years ago. He explained why he’s moving on after helping the company navigate some hectic times. 

3 things in

Business

Cha Pornea for BI; Alyssa Powell/BI

1. Meet 10 industry leaders transforming business. From the tech we use (OpenAI’s Mira Murati) to the key policies shaping the workforce (acting US Secretary of Labor Julie Su), these people are at the forefront of important issues. Read more about the 10 leaders upending business.

2. Big changes at GM’s Cruise. The self-driving startup subsidiary of General Motors is cutting executives and laying off nearly 1,000 workers. The shakeup comes after a crash involving a pedestrian and its founder and CEO leaving the company. 

3. What’s next for music on TikTok. The app had its first in-person music event in Arizona over the weekend. Its global head of music partnerships and programming details TikTok’s ambitions to add more tools for artists. 

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The Insider Today team

Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York City. Diamond Naga Siu, senior reporter, in San Diego. Hallam Bullock, editor, in London. Hayley Hudson, director, in Edinburgh. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York City.

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