As a Gen Z-er born in 1999, I’ve been online and with a phone in my hand for over half of my life. I got a non-internet flip phone just to text my parents and play Tetris at age 9, and then got my first smartphone (a pink BlackBerry, of course) at age 11. From then, I’ve stayed connected.
I was guilty of staying up until 3am as a teenager just doom-scrolling tumblr when I had GCSE exam revision the next morning. During my university years, I’d post on my Instagram story letting my followers know I was in a dull lecture. Now in my mid-20s, my current daily average screen time sits at nearly six hours, with four and a half of those being spent on TikTok!
So, it’s fair to say that I’m a digital native. I know what’s “trending”, I see what everyone is doing via their online 24-hour stories, and I heart-react to all of my family’s Facebook posts. I’ve lived most of my life on the internet and feel connected to many people no matter where in the world they are.
However, if you call me out of the blue, I’m ignoring it.
I’ll happily scroll through my social media apps and message my friends, but as soon as I see a phone call come through, I pretend I don’t see it. Seeing a phone call suddenly ping up is anxiety-inducing. I’m used to reading and typing — I need time to prepare to speak!
The only exceptions to this are my friends and family. In fact, maybe there’s a bit too much anxiety surrounding their phone calls. If they call me out of the blue, I automatically assume it’s an emergency.
It’s interesting how my mindset surrounding phone calls has changed as I’ve grown up. When I was in primary school, I’d happily call up my friend’s home phone and deal with that awkward encounter with their parents.
“Hi, it’s Ellie. Is my friend there, please? I want to play out!”
I can think of nothing worse than that short conversation now.
The normalisation and everyday use of the internet has impacted my opinion towards phone calls. Online tools have simplified so much. If it’s there and easy to use, why not use it instead of taking the time to call?
Communication in the corporate world
As I’ve entered the corporate world, my attitude towards online communication and a distaste for unwarranted phone calls has only grown.
A recent survey by Robert Walters found that 50% of Gen Z-ers and millennials feel uncomfortable making business calls. Nearly 60% said they prefer to communicate via email and instant messaging at work instead.
That’s me in a nutshell.
If I wish to give feedback, I’ll comment it on the document. If I want to see if something has been done by my peer, I’ll send them a message. If I need to update a colleague about handover before I go on annual leave, I’ll send an email.
If people complain, my attitude is “well, that’s what these tools are there for, right?” So, why would I use a phone?
The Robert Walters’ research also estimated that only 16% of Gen Z and millennial respondents considered work calls an effective use of time. That’s my experience!
How many times have you been on a work call and thought, “this could have been an email”?
But I know that work calls are a part of the job. So, when it comes to work phone calls, I’d much rather hop on a Zoom than stick my phone to my ear.
Especially in this age of hybrid and remote working, where people are working from anywhere in the world, video calls feel more personal. And for teams, video calls are crucial to stay connected, know exactly who’s on your team, foster working relationships, and overall boost productivity.
I much prefer to see the person I’m talking to, read their facial cues, and see their initial reactions. This is how I can connect!
Even with Zoom, it’s the preparation for those calls that I need. Knowing that I have a video call scheduled on my calendar for the next day at 2pm is so much more reassuring and comfortable. I can make my notes, read up on anything I need to know beforehand, and generally get more engaged.
If I get randomly called at 2pm, I won’t feel comfortable or engaged. I’m on edge waiting to see what will be said.
The future of communicating with everyone
While we can’t ignore the impact of the internet on the way we are all connected on a global scale — and how it will only continue to grow in significance — we also shouldn’t neglect that older generations are naturally not as digitally-savvy.
Baby Boomers and Gen X may take a lot longer to send a text message on a small screen. Not all of them even have the access to the internet, and still use landline phones. The internet and the creation and simple adoption of emojis has created a whole new dialect and tone to communication. Older people have little to no idea about this, because it’s a completely new concept.
There is a middle ground that we need to find when it comes to diverse workplaces that have large age ranges in the team. These emerging attitudes brought on by internet communication advancements tell us that we need to understand each other better to stay connected.
If you work with a Gen Z-er, maybe think twice before calling them in the middle of the day. If you work with a Baby Boomer, maybe think twice before sending them a GIF.