When i was a kid, i didn’t have a games console.

My weekends were spent out on my bike, playing footie in the park or playing knock and run with my mates. I know, I know… I’m showing my age a little here now. But kids today live in a different world. 

From as young as 2 or 3, they’re playing on iPads, watching Disney+ and getting their sticky fingers all over their parents’ phones. By the time they’re 13 they spend an estimated average of 9 hours a day on a screen. If they’re not using a computer for schoolwork, they’re binge-watching Netflix, gaming or scrolling through TikTok on their phones. They live in a digital world. An instant world. And it’s having a significant impact. Attention span is dropping drastically. 

Did you know that the average attention span nowadays is just 8.25 seconds? That’s down over 25% in just the past few years. And I reckon it’s only going to get worse. In the next couple of years, Gen Z will make up nearly 25% of the workforce. These are the kids that have been raised on YouTube Shorts and Amazon Prime next-day delivery. They aren’t likely to be patient, that’s for sure. 

What’s this got to do with you? As a business owner, everything. You see, they won’t just take over the workforce, they’ll become your customer base too. And this will have an impact on how you market, sell and deliver your service. 

Now, it’ll be no surprise to discover that I’m no Gen Z or Millennium baby. I mean, I’ve only ever watched 3 box sets in my life! I’ve not got an epic attention span myself but it’s nothing compared to this next generation of kids. Now I’m sure they’ll have a lot of good to offer too – every generation does. But the attention span issue is going to be a real challenge.

How is this going to impact the way we do business? I don’t know. To hazard a guess I’d say we’ll need to be slick, quick and super simple. Zero friction. These kids won’t hang around… 

But I’d love to hear your take on it?

What do you think will be the result of Gen Z entering the workplace? 

Chadd 

PS If you’re wondering what the 3 box sets were, they’re The Sopranos, Vikings and Sons of Anarchy