GEN-Z IN 2024

They make up one-fifth of the labor force, they have strong entrepreneurial inclinations, and they’re not afraid to make their voices heard—especially when they feel they’ve been wronged. The members of the generation born between 1997 and 2012 are coming into their own and changing the face of the workplace in the process. It’s no wonder why, in 2024, we just couldn’t stop talking about Gen-Z. This year, Inc. paid close attention to this cohort of entrepreneurs and employees. We’ve taken notice of their drive for change, as editor-in-chief Mike Hofman sat down with the youngest honorees of this year’s Inc. 5000 to understand how Gen-Z business owners are shaping workplace culture. We’ve also dug into the growing pains Gen- Zers are facing as they step into the corporate world for the first time: why they’re “consciously un-bossing,” getting fired from their first jobs, feeling unsatisfied, and quitting as a result. For these reasons, we’ve shared advice for business owners to better hire—and, critically, retain—their Gen-Z talent. As this generation has increased its buying power, we’ve also paid close attention to its digital habits (as it fueled the seemingly never-ending brat summer) and figured out the ways brands could better market to it, giving in to unhinged content that is decidedly not demure. With 2025 just around the corner, we’ll be keeping an eye on how this generation continues to reshape the working world—and paying close attention to the Gen-Z entrepreneurs who are building some of the most world-changing companies. There’s a lot to look forward to as Gen-Z continues to carve its own path forward. —Rebecca Deczynski, senior editor at Inc.