Where to focus in 2020: Generation Z

“We’re seeing the beginnings of this generational shift now, and it is fascinating,” he said. “With the Millennials, we occasionally heard a horror story along the lines of a 22-year-old kid coming into a meeting, never engaging with anyone in the room and instead just staring at their phone, sending out texts and emails. So far, at least, we’re not hearing this as much about Gen Z.”

That may sound counterintuitive: With birthdates starting in the late 1990s, members of Gen Z are typically described as tech-savvy multitaskers whose habits are deeply interwoven with the accelerated growth of the Internet and social media. But one of the theories about Gen Z, Poline notes, is that its members find novelty in experiences that previous generations may have taken for granted, such as chatting with co-workers face-to-face or being in brick-and-mortar offices or shopping centers. “Maybe it’s only a hope, but it will be interesting to see if being immersed in technology from an early age, this new generation may have finally developed some appropriate boundaries and good habits around finding the right time and place for technology,” Poline said.

Over the next few years, more Gen-Z members will either take internships or land their first jobs in retail real estate. “So far, we’re hearing that Gen Z may not be as prone to rapid movement from job to job,” Poline said. “Our clients are telling us that, based on their initial observations, their Gen-Z employees seem a bit more likely to want to start someplace, grow their skill set and build something lasting. As this generation matures, we will be intrigued to see if that continues to play out.”