COVID Generation

Future Memory

Will be the last generation to have memories of the time before COVID-19

Impact of COVID-19

Most profound impact compared to other generations; considered the most formative Generation Defining Moment

Ideological Worldview

Salad Bar Extremism

Primary Demographic Overlap

Generation Z (born between the late 1990s and early 2010s)

Economic Stress due to COVID-19

61% reported increased economic stress

Emotional Distress due to COVID-19

Over half reported depression and loneliness

Personal Values (compared to Gen X)

Higher levels of openness to change, self-enhancement, and self-transcendence

Resilience Level (compared to Gen X)

Lower

Mental Health and Relationships Impact

Nearly half reported mental health deterioration and relationship hardships

Defining Characteristic (as per All-In Podcast)

Suffering from online radicalization and an ideologically incoherent worldview

Late 1990s - Early 2010s

March 2020

2020

Post-COVID-19 acute phase

Although the COVID-19 pandemic will have some kind of an effect on every generation alive today, inarguably it will have the most profound impact on Generation Z – those born between the late 1990s and early 2010s. [...] In the future, there will be a time when the Millennials will be the last remaining generation to remember what life was like before the digital era. Much in the same way, some decades later, Generation Z will become the last remaining generation to have memories of the time before COVID-19. That will take place sometime after mid-century, meaning that the predicted consequences of climate change will also have become very visible and very real. [...] The younger members of Generation Z, still in school during the pandemic, faced significant disruptions. Remote learning became the norm, but the pandemic also highlighted disparities in access to technology. As AI becomes more integrated into education, these challenges persist but also present new opportunities.

The goal of the current study was to examine how Generation Z cope with the COVID crisis as compared to a previous generation – Gen X. The differences between the generations are explored not only in terms of resilience, but also in terms of basic values and attitudes. In terms of resilience, it is hypothesized that members of Gen Z will demonstrate lower levels of resilience as compared to members of Gen X during the COVID-19 crisis. [...] In terms of personal values, it is hypothesized that members of Generation Z will demonstrate higher levels of openness to change, self-enhancement, and self-transcendence than members of Generation X during the COVID-19 crisis. Members of Generation X are expected to have higher values ​​of conservation. [...] In the current study we seek to examine the difference between Generation Z and a previous generation (Gen X) in terms of coping with a global crisis (COVID-19). We compared Generation Z with Generation X because the transition between one generation and the next is often unclear, and therefore Generation Z may be similar to Generation Y in many respects (Deal et al., 2010). Generation X are the closest generation, differentiated from Generation Z, who are still present in high percentages in

Based on our research at CGK, we believe the COVID-19 pandemic is the most formative Generation Defining Moment that has shaped Gen Z at this critical time in their transition into adulthood. Gen Z is already sharing the impact of COVID-19 in our research interviews with them about their schooling, work, money, health, family, and attitudes toward the future. We shared this with the media starting in March of 2020. [...] media echoing how bad the world is around them. It’s easy to see why COVID-19 is a Generation Defining Moment for Gen Z—and the impact gets deeper the longer the event is extended and the more uncertainty, fear, and difficulty it creates. [...] Personal health, wellbeing, and safety have all been pushed to the forefront of the national and global conversation since the start of the pandemic. Although they are the youngest generation and frequently have a more carefree attitude about health due to their life stage, Gen Z still has not escaped the restlessness that surrounds coming of age in a COVID world. Here are 8 facts about Gen Z’s health and wellbeing during COVID-19: 17 ©2020 The Center for Generational Kinetics, LLC. All rights

As the world moves on from the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, many assume its impact has faded into history. However, for Gen Z and young millennials, the pandemic’s aftershocks continue to shape their reality. According to the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: The Unseen Impacts of COVID, nearly 70% of young adults (ages 18-34) say that COVID-19 guidelines were moderately or more disruptive of their lives. Unlike older generations who may view COVID-19 as a concluded chapter, [...] COVID-19 may feel like a closed chapter for many, but for Gen Z, the fallout continues. The challenge now is not just acknowledging their struggles—but actively working to create a future where they feel secure, connected, and confident in the institutions that shape their lives. For Gen Z, trust is earned through action — companies that provide stability, truth, and community will be the ones they rely on, advocate for, and engage with long-term. [...] 1. Security: Provide Security — Financial, Emotional, and Physical Gen Z and young millennials (aged 18-34) face deep insecurity across multiple fronts—from financial anxiety (61% report increased economic stress due to COVID-19) to emotional distress (over half report depression and loneliness). Businesses can build trust by championing long-term employment stability and workforce reskilling in the face of AI adoption, ensuring consistency in their purpose partnerships in a polarized, volatile