Let's face it: The categorization of people in different generations exists for a reason, as it conforms with the societal changes and the alterations in humans' values, preferences and characteristics. If you take a look at TikTok, you will understand how this applies for Millennials and Generation Z, two similar but also different generations. For this article, I will focus on how those 2 generations express their mentalities and feelings regarding work, on a platform that is gaining more and more interest and helps people decompress, TikTok.
Statistics show that Millennials, those born between1980 and1995, are the most educated generation, compared to older generations, and 39% of them hold a Bachelor or a Master's degree. As a result of their high education, many of them work in the corporate world. Scrolling down the For You Page on TikTok, one can see people in their late 20s and 30s, namely Millennials, satirizing the toxic corporate culture and producing humorous videos that showcase the anxiety they are feeling every day.
For example, content creator Rod usually makes videos that satirize many aspects of the corporate world and points out his generation's stress when it comes to the relationships with the boss, the co-workers, the constant fear of getting fired, the embarassement they feel when wanting to get some days-off, and stuff like that.
Laura Whaley is another example of a Millennial who satirizes the corporate world, especially the corporate jargon, the desire of businesses to bring people back to the office, and the fake interest of the corporate environment for the psychological well-being of the employees. With the pandemic leading people to realize how much more comfortable work from home is- 97% of employees and enterpreneurs do not want to return back to the office full-time according to Forbes- and how they do not want to spend the rest of their lives working in an office for many hours, the ideal conditions were created for this trend to rise on TikTok.
Meanwhile, 54% of people belonging in the Generation Z, meaning people born between 1996 and early-mid 2000s, wish to start their own company and be self-employed, as research shows, and this generation is said to be the most enterpreneurial and freelance-inclined of all. This is also depicted on TikTok, where many of them express a total lack of interest for a 9- to-5 job, and an eagerness to find alternative ways of making money, instead of the more traditional path of entering the corporate arena. TikTokers who are a part of this age group work as freelancers, and/or start several side hustles that help them earn more money.
This realization could also be connected with other research showing that, compared to millennials, members of the Gen Z mostly like working independently instead of collaborating with others, and they opt for alternative education resources, including online videos, courses etc, whereas the Millennials thought of a college degree as essential.
So these people, who most probably have never worked in an office before, due to their young age and the pandemic outbreak, are exploring various ways to express their creativity, work smarter rather than harder, and make a living from the comfort of their homes. As a result, platforms like Etsy, Depop, Fiverr and Upwork have definitely gained more traction. Christina Aivalis is an example of an online enterpreneur who shows how she makes money online at the age of 23, and Tori is a Gen Zer who launched her own clothing company at a young age.
Obviously, many Millennials are self-employed and show their businesses on TikTok, and of course there are Gen Zers who work in the corporate world. Needless to say that both options have their pros and cons, but there seems to be a general shift from traditional jobs to more flexible, self-employed working patterns, and this tendency is mostly expressed as a necessity from the younger generation, Gen Z.
Let me know in the comment section below whether you have seen this trend rising on TikTok as well, and feel free to share your thoughts about the two generations!
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