JANUARY 22 — In recent years, complaints have continuously been made about the younger generation, especially Generation Z or Gen Z, who are regarded as struggling with adapting, whether at work, in universities, or within the community.
Gen Z has been labelled as a pampered generation, who will be easily discouraged and lacking resilience.
Nonetheless, a crucial question remains, namely, are they truly unable to adapt, or has the world changed so rapidly that it has become difficult for them to adapt?
Specifically, Gen Z has been raised in an environment substantially dissimilar to that of previous generations, wherein they were born into a fully digital world, which is teeming with smartphones, the internet, and social media as part of daily life since childhood.
Gen Z has learnt, socialised, and entertained themselves through the screens of digital devices, and physical interaction, which was a natural training ground for social skills, has currently become increasingly limited.
Therefore, Gen Z appear awkward when interacting physically, especially in formal settings, such as the workplace.
Childhood, which was once frequently associated with outdoor activities and group play, has currently been substituted with a more controlled and virtual world.
Children of the past learnt empathy, patience, and compromise through real-life social experiences, whereas numerous Gen Z individuals have grown up in a safe yet isolated space.
Resultantly, social skills, such as understanding other individuals’ emotions, fitting into groups, or communicating confidently, did not naturally develop.
Aside from the influence of the digital world, modern parenting styles have also contributed to the above behaviours. Particularly, multiple parents of Gen Z have adopted an overly protective approach, despite a positive intention, namely, yearning for children to be safe and successful.
Nevertheless, unintentionally, Gen Z children were not offered sufficient opportunities to learn from small failures or perform personal decisions.
When parents manage everything, children would lose the ability to be independent and to adapt when encountering actual challenges.
The impact of such upbringing has become evident as Gen Z children have grown up. Multiple Gen Z excel academically but lack self-assurance when experiencing social pressure and job demands.
Gen Z has also become easily anxious, unsure of personal capabilities, and is inclined to avoid uncomfortable situations, which are not signs of weakness but an indication that Gen Z children did not possess adequate opportunities to develop social and emotional resilience while growing up.
The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic has also shaped the social patterns of Gen Z, particularly during crucial developmental periods, namely adolescence and early adulthood, wherein Gen Z was compelled to live in isolation, as school, university, and social activities were conducted virtually.
Accordingly, human connections were developed through screens instead of through physical touch or eye contact. When the lockdown measures were lifted, numerous Gen Z individuals felt awkward and unsure how to reintegrate into actual interactions.
Meanwhile, evaluating Gen Z only through existing weaknesses is unfair, as in actual reality, Gen Z also possesses different strengths.
Gen Z individuals are more open to diversity, sensitive to social issues, and bold in expressing personal perspectives. Concurrently, Gen Z can adapt swiftly to different technologies and possesses high levels of creativity, which suggests that Gen Z requires more guidance to balance digital competence with social maturity.
In work and educational contexts, traditional approaches may no longer be effective, and employers and educators should understand that Gen Z values open communication, immediate feedback, and opportunities to express personal opinions.
Gen Z does not reject discipline, but rather, Gen Z seeks more authentic and mutually respectful relationships. When management and teaching approaches are more empathetic, Gen Z can fully demonstrate personal potential.
The contemporary world is more complex than previously, and various issues, especially mental health, social media pressures, and economic uncertainty, produce direct impacts on the psychological well-being of Gen Z.
As such, support based on understanding rather than criticism should constantly be offered, as Gen Z does not require negative labels, but rather, the space to learn, fail, and rebound.
Gen Z is not a weak generation; instead, Gen Z is shaped by an environment different from that of the previous generation. The current world has rapidly shifted, and social challenges encountered by Gen Z are more intricate, which necessitate different adaptation approaches.
Hence, a deeper understanding of the actual context and a change in existing perspectives are required instead of evaluating Gen Z through outdated standards.
Instead of perceiving Gen Z as struggling to adapt, the key question is “Have we provided enough space and opportunity for them to learn to adapt?”
Ultimately, developing a resilient generation is not solely the responsibility of Gen Z; instead, the responsibility is shared by all existing generations.
Gen Z is a reflection of the world that all generations have collaboratively created, and an environment that nurtures, rather than penalises, should be shaped to assist Gen Z in becoming more potent and mature.
* Dr Syarifah Maisarah Syed Alwi is a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Education, Universiti Malaya and clinical psychologist and may be reached at [email protected]
** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
