Pegged to become a formidable economic and labor force, Gen Z is known for its fierce streak of independence and distinctive views and inclinations. From employers to marketers and from educators to policymakers everybody wants to know where Gen Z is headed in 2025. And along with Deloitte, Bloomberg, Newsweek and Soul App, a China’s social networking platform, many others are offering the answer to that question.
But why the hoopla? The fact is that Gen Z often leaves even the generation that came right before them, the millennials, confused and feeling old. Zoomers seem to be in a constant state of flux and forever in the midst of a paradox or two. And the stereotypes about them are simply adding to the chaos of it all. But after all is said and done, nobody can afford to ignore this generation and its quirks. So, here are the tidings about how Gen Z is expected to treat 2025.
Staring with matters of the heart, according to a recent report published by Soul App, which boasts a predominantly Gen Z userbase, the hashtag #IWantSweetLove witnessed a 41% year-over-year increase, and #DatingForMarriage amassed 3.2 billion views.
At the same time, the hashtag #QualitySingleBeatsLowRel received 1.65 million views. Also, a clear dichotomy emerged in terms of the reasons for being single. The young women surveyed by Soul App cited the desire for personal development as their reason. While young men attributed their single status to financial constraints and past relationship experiences.
Gen Z’s penchant for paradoxes are not just limited to their romantic proclivities. Even when it comes to general socializing online, Zoomers in China displayed incongruous expectations. Soul App’s report termed this succinctly as “Soft-Boiled Egg Socializing”.
In 2024, users of the social networking platform were very keen on finding a “Gu Liao” which literally translates to “guaranteed chat partner”. And what exactly is this chat partner expected to do, one might ask?
Well, Chinese youngsters want a Gu Liao who is willing to listen to their tales of agony but this chat partner has to do so without trying to get too personal. In other words, they seek empathy and a connection with just the right amount of detachment added to the mix.
But, this is hardly a “China-only” phenomenon. In 2023, the American Psychological Association pointed out that Gen Z’ers are very comfortable sharing their mental health issues and emotions online. In a report published a bit earlier, the Economist had pointed. Gen Z is not just less hedonistic and better behaved than their predecessors but also lonelier. Add to this Gen Z’s aversion for direct approaches, and what emerges is the blueprint for Gu Liao.
Unsurprisingly, this trend of paradoxes continues even when Zoomers seek some soul soothing. For instance, those at the upper end of the Gen Z spectrum are well into their twenties, yet they are holding on tightly to their childhood with the “kidult” culture. In fact, this is another Gen Z- related global phenomenon.
For the unversed, “kidult” is simply a term for an adult who is interested in children’s toys, games, etc. Make no mistake, this is not a passing fancy attributed to Zoomers. But a market that has commanded the attention of industry bigwigs like ToysRus. In Europe, the market generated €4.6bn in sales 2 years ago and the cash counters continue to ring with such purchases.
As far as dragon Zoomers go, they are increasingly reaching out for plush toys like Jellycat, Chiikawa, Loopy, and Capybara. Such is their popularity that the term “Jellycat Iron Pot Stew” saw a whopping 970% week-over-week search increase on Soul App in 2024.
But, Gen Z isn’t about, “all play and no work”. On the contrary and as opposed to all the stereotypes about them, Zoomers want to work just as hard as they play, albeit a bit differently. While this generation is willing to keep up with the grind, Zoomers will walk if their work is not shown the respect they expect. And respect for work in their dictionary means salaries commensurate to the work being done.
So, while a recent revelation from NewsWeek which spoke about possible mass resignations. Gen Z in 2025 made employers sit up and take notice, it came as no surprise. For Zoomers, employment is a transactional relationship. Gen Z’ers are demanding more growth opportunities, more benefits, higher salaries and flexible work environments in return for their talent, expertise and hard work. And if they don’t get what they want, they are willing to walk.
This should not be misinterpreted as professional fickleness. According to a Times of London article, Gen Z has a greater inclination to seek longer term and more secure work than the previous generations. In fact, these youngsters want to stay with the same organization for twice as long but they are not willing to compromise on their values and needs.
Some might term this as an annoying sense of entitlement on the part of Gen Z, but this is far from the truth. In reality, Gen Z is willing to go beyond the call of duty to meet their professional aspirations. Case in point – their willingness to shun the work-from-home trend and return to the office.
In response, they seek what they feel is rightfully theirs, so this is certainly not a case of entitlement. To some extent it ties back to the fact that overall Zoomers are optimistic about their financial standing. For instance, according to a Deloitte report, around 48% of surveyed. Gen Zers felt that their personal financial standing would improve in 2025. Now, that is a lot of optimism for a cohort that has been termed, the anxious generation.
And this optimistic outlook likely explains. Why Gen Z is willing to splurge on products and services which would make no practical sense for boomers and even Gen X’ers. Going back to Soul App’s report, in China, youngsters are only too willing to spend on “Happy” purchases. These could be collectibles, concert tickets, toys or travel packages. The idea is to derive emotional value from the spending even if the product offers no practical/functional benefit.
Possibly, this overarching urge to “feel-good” also stems from insurmountable pressures and uncertainties that Zoomers are being subjected to. Undeniably, Gen Z is facing more turmoil and greater challenges than previous generations.
Economies across the world are witnessing a downward trend and stories of layoffs are dominating newsfeeds. Together, these have given at least some Gen Z’ers a dour outlook. Unfortunately for these youngsters, the stress shows no signs of abating since. They are expected to be flexible and continue to upskill even as they work. Naturally, they are in need of an outlet and these “Happy” purchases seem to be providing just that.
Sadly, this constant push and pull is making youngsters the world over feel overwhelmed and disenchanted. But, the good news is that their indomitable spirit is leading them to seek and find ways for re-enchantment. This was another interesting observation made in Soul App’s report.
When all of the above is put together, the picture that emerges. Zoomers want stability and sustainability and they are not afraid to seek these in their own unique ways. They want to be connected but are content even with silent connections.
For these youngsters, all things meaningful take precedence over flashy and they are certainly not afraid to do things differently. So, any organizations that wants to interact with this generation in any capacity will need to understand, respect and cater to these unique aspects of Gen z’s personality.
