Your business & the importance of Gen Z

One of the most important topics for businesses today is how to attract Gen Z—both as new customers and as employees.

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If you don’t have a strategy to speak their language, you won’t be part of their conversation.

Disruptor companies in your sector are already dominating this game and steadily taking market share. So what can traditional and legacy companies learn from this shift to stay relevant—or better yet, stay ahead?

Welcome to the Polycrisis

Jahkini Bisselink and Thimon de Jong of Whetson recently highlighted how generational differences are reshaping the business landscape.

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We’re living through a polycrisis—a mix of ecological, financial, and geopolitical challenges all unfolding at once. And it’s widening the gap between Gen Z and older generations (Millennials, Gen X, Boomers), especially in terms of mental resilience.

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While older generations have lived through and emerged from past crises (Cold War, financial crashes, Y2K), Gen Z faces a future that feels uncertain—and overwhelming. This difference in lived experience is shaping everything from work expectations to consumer behavior.

The Rise of the Mental Health Economy

This gap in mental resilience is too big to ignore. It’s fueling the rise of a new business imperative: the Mental Health Economy.

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Brands are now expected to actively reduce stress, promote well-being, and support people through major life decisions. We’re entering the Age of Action, where your role as a brand is no longer passive. Gen Z wants guidance, clarity, and emotional support built into the customer experience.

The Human Side of Technology

Understanding how each generation consumes information is crucial:

• Gen X still relies on traditional channels like newspapers—or platforms like Reddit.
• Gen Z turns to TikTok and trusts influencers for everything, including financial advice.

Surprisingly, one-third of Gen Z also looks to their grandparents for life guidance. This makes cross-generational trust an essential piece of your strategy to reach and retain Gen Z as clients or team members.

The Takeaway

Businesses that recognize and respond to these generational shifts will thrive. Those who ignore them? Risk becoming invisible in a multigenerational world that moves faster every day.

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‍How nexxworks helps companies stay future-focused

At nexxworks, we create learning experiences that help companies think, act, and prepare for what's next

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✅ We take leadership teams into the most innovative business environments.

✅ We challenge companies to step out of daily operations and into future-focused thinking.

✅ We help organizations shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive opportunity-building.

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Let's design a tailored experience for your organization where you'll be able to connect directly with the network of businesses and people driving change

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