Do Gen Zs Tackle Life and Work Differently From Their Parents?

While there are divergences in how those aged 16 to 27 and their parents view life priorities and challenges at the same stage in life, there are also some striking similarities, an ST-Milieu survey finds.

- Krist Boo

When undergraduate Jezer Han, 22, scored poorly in the Primary School Leaving Examination 10 years ago, his father Michael Han met the news with a cold silence.

That seeded a decade-long rift that ended after Mr Han, 55, wrote a personal column in The Straits Times in which he called himself a jerk for his reaction, explaining that he thought he was helping his son by holding his tongue.

Mr Han, a lawyer and an occasional columnist, admitted he was anxious about his son's future. Singapore's society retains a somewhat "unspoken discrimination" against those who do not fit the academic mould, he said.

Dad's apology was accepted, but the younger Mr Han wished his parents had encouraged him that fateful day by accepting that there were other pathways to success.

He said: "If they had done that earlier, that 10-year strain on our relationship wouldn't have happened."

The Hans are an example of how Generation Zs define success differently from their parents. This generational gap is also reflected in the findings of an online survey, conducted by Milieu Insight for ST. In October and November 2024, the poll of 800 Gen Zs between ages 16 and 27, and 600 parents of Gen Zs explored the two generations' views on goals, stress, money, self-esteem and joblessness. The parents were asked to answer based on recollections of their views when they were in their 20s.

WEALTH MATTERS FOR BOTH BUT OTHER PRIORITIES DIFFER

Both generations want to be rich. But while parents said they had placed career growth and finding a partner as their top priorities, Gen Zs have a greater focus on work-life balance.

National University of Singapore psychology professor Sam Yam said: "Everyone wants to be economically secure. It's just that 20 years ago, the only path to economic security was career prosperity, like you get a good job and progress in whatever you're doing."