X vs. Z: Course Hero Breaks Down the Generational Workplace Divide

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Sept. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Course Hero, an online learning platform that empowers millions of students and educators to succeed, today announced findings from a survey centered around generational divides in the workplace. The data, acquired from an independent survey of over 2,000 working adults, reveals points of similarity and divergence between Generation X (defined here as employed adults 38-52) and Generation Z (defined here as employed individuals 22 and under).

"While much has been written on the topic of Gen X and Millennials in the workplace, less information is available about the relationships between Gen X and the recent college graduates that comprise Gen Z," said Andrew Grauer, founder and CEO of Course Hero. "As a platform dedicated to helping students succeed, Course Hero wanted to dive deeper into the topic to give college students the insight they need to better navigate the workplace they will soon enter."

Workplace prep at the college level has come a long way
When asked how prepared they felt leaving college and entering the workforce, Gen Z was nearly twice as likely as Gen X to say "totally prepared." Only 14 percent of Gen Xers felt totally prepared for their careers when they graduated, compared to more than a quarter (27 percent) of Gen Z who felt this way.

Gen Z wants more respect, Gen X wants them to earn it
Like every generation before them, Gen Z doesn't feel they get the respect they deserve.

When asked about their biggest pet peeves with Gen X colleagues, 34 percent of Gen Z respondents said "they don't respect me." Other top responses were "they think they know everything" (53 percent), and "they are either unwilling or unable to adapt to new technologies" (50 percent).

Moreover, when asked what Gen X coworkers could do to improve relationships, Gen Z's responses also pointed to a perceived lack of respect: "be more courteous" (23 percent) and "respect my time" (19  percent) were among the top answers.

But have they earned Gen X's respect?

When the tables were turned and Gen X was queried about their pet peeves with Gen Z, respondents said: "they are entitled" (56 percent) and "too self-absorbed" (48 percent). Social media is also a point of contention as 52 percent of Gen X respondents accused Gen Z of being "too focused on social media."

As for improving relationships, Gen X has one request of Gen Z: "take more responsibility for (your) actions." This was selected overwhelmingly by 46 percent of Gen X respondents. "Be a better team player" came in a distant second at 14 percent.

Gen X feels misunderstood…but the feeling isn't mutual
When asked how well Gen Z understands their personal values and priorities, less than a quarter (21 percent) of Gen X said "well" or "very well" while a full 33 percent said "not well." When asked the same question about their counterparts, however, nearly half of Gen Z (47 percent) said that Gen X understands their personal values and priorities either "well" or "very well."

The workplace gender gap persists 
There's a pronounced gender gap with intergenerational respect. Fully 41 percent of Gen Z women felt that Gen X does not respect them. By contrast, only 27 percent of Gen Z males cited respect as an issue.

Additionally, while 47 percent of Gen Z as a whole felt well understood by their Gen X counterparts, males were considerably more likely to feel this way than females. More than half of Gen Z males (51 percent) said Gen X understands them "well" or "very well." In fact, 17 percent selected "very well." Their female counterparts, however, were less positive. Only, 43 percent of Gen Z women felt they were understood "well" or "very well." Moreover, only 10 percent of them selected "very well."

Job satisfaction also skews along gender lines. While more than a quarter (28 percent) of Gen Z males expressed extreme satisfaction in their current jobs, only 21 percent of their female counterparts cite the same. This is actually a bigger delta than that seen among Gen X who cited extreme satisfaction at a rate of 15 percent for males and 14 percent for females.

Despite the age gap, there is widespread agreement on essential workplace skills
While nearly a third (31 percent) of Gen X respondents said that the skillsets needed for their job have changed dramatically over the last 10 years, both seasoned workers and newer entrants to the workforce are in agreement on the most essential skills for today's entry level worker. And they are all soft skills.

• Dependable/Responsible (76 percent overall, 84 percent Gen X, 69 percent Gen Z)
• Communication Skills (76 percent overall, 79 percent Gen X, 72 percent Gen Z)
• Teamwork (73 percent overall, 76 percent Gen X, 69 percent Gen Z)

And there is mutual appreciation
Despite the age difference, there is mutual admiration and appreciation across generations. When asked what they appreciate most about their Gen X co-workers Gen Z most often said:

• They are hardworking (38 percent)
• They are a source of knowledge (38 percent)

And that learning is a two-way street. Gen X appreciates Gen Z for being:

• Tech-Savvy (40 percent)
• Fresh thinkers (19 percent)

"With workers retiring later and later in life, we find ourselves in an unprecedented era where a desk may be shared by people born 40 years or more apart," said Vicki Choi, Course Hero's director of HR. "Workplaces, and individuals, thrive not when we learn to accept each other, but when we learn to appreciate each other and incorporate each other's best qualities into our own behaviors."

Methodology overview: the online survey, conducted by Survata from August 18 to September 6, 2017, polled 2,002 people that were pursuing or have obtained a Bachelor's degree or higher.

About Course Hero | Master Your Classes^TM
Course Hero is an online learning platform that empowers millions of students and educators to succeed. Fueled by a passionate community of over 17 million students and educators who share their course-specific knowledge and educational resources, Course Hero offers the biggest and best library of study documents, expert tutors, customizable flashcards, and course advice. Download the Course Hero app for iPhone or Android. Connect with Course Hero on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

For more information, contact:
Grayling PR for Course Hero
[email protected]

SOURCE Course Hero

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