Gen Alpha has a lot going for it. For one, it was the first generation born completely in the 21st century. Second, it was born after the Y2K bug, so it grew up with digital devices, often literally thrust into their baby palms. Third, it’s a very computer-literate and tech-savvy generation. Given all of these three traits that characterize Generation Alpha collectively, it’s time to explore what the workplace will look like 10 years from now when the oldest of them are joining.
Who is Gen Alpha Exactly?
Gen Alpha is a group of babies born between 2010 and 2024 globally. Amazingly enough, they outnumber even the infamous baby boomers. There are almost 2 billion of them worldwide now that it’s 2025. So, it’s safe to say that they are the largest generation the world has ever seen! The youngest of them may be too young for daycare and the oldest in their first generation of high school.
However, they already wield enormous purchasing power and global influence, even at a tender age! They are the richest and the best educated generation ever. Also, they will start families at even later ages than Millennials and Gen Zers since most will live with their parents well into their twenties.
How Will They Change the Workplace
Since most Gen Alpha members have a digital device in their hands or near them for practically every waking moment of their lives, it’s safe to say that they’re collectively very digitally literate. That will carry over into a workplace that’s already impacted by rapid technological innovation and advancement, mainly in the form of AI!
They May Make Remote Working More Widespread
Remote working is here to stay in some form and capacity, even though some companies have tried to coerce their employees to come into the office as often as 5 days a week. Gen Z already values the ability to work remotely as it gives them more freedom, independence, and flexibility. Gen Alpha is expected to make that more widespread and frequent because they value the same.
In many ways, Gen Alpha is building upon the work culture foundation that Gen Z has or is currently laying. Companies of the future may find that they have to offer unlimited remote work and work from home opportunities to attract, and more importantly, retain Gen Alpha workers.
Entrepreneurship May Take Off in the Next Decade
Visa recently did a study on Gen Alpha, and its results were mindblowing. Most of the cohort will be entrepreneurs, sometimes immediately after having graduated from high school. They have all of the character traits needed for entrepreneurship: adaptability, creativity, and a real willingness to take risks. Only 13% want to work in a traditional office setting.
About 76% of them want to be self-employed or have a work from home side hustle. They are no stranger to uncertainty, given the rapidly changing and increasingly unpredictable world that we live in. Many Gen Alpha members will actively embrace and want to find innovative ways to resolve certain challenges. They will look online fo find these solutions.
They already have many creative and innovative tools for funding and inspiration – from various online resources to crowdfunding and social media platforms. Like the dot.coms of the late 1990’s, these startups will challenge the existing corporate status quo. Some of these enterprises will succeed and become a permanent part of the business and professional landscape.
‘Busy Work’ May Become a Thing of the Past
Routine clerical work like filing, answering phones, making appointments, copy-paste work, and various types of transcription may become old school, partly thanks to the AI revolution. But this type of ‘busy work’ may soon become old news due to another phenomena – the demand for meaningful work from younger employees.
Gen Z already demands that their employers give them meaningful and purpose-driven tasks and assignments. Gen Alpha is expected to take that demand up a notch and make it more widespread. This is already evidenced in their purchasing behaviors. VML recently did a study. It revealed that 66% of Gen Alpha want to buy from companies that make a positive difference in the world.
Since Gen Alpha was raised in a world emphasizing social responsibility and environmental stewardship, they are likely to want to work for companies with the same values. They will reward companies valuing and practicing ethical and sustainable business practices with their wallets and their employment.
Multiculturalism Will Thrive
The world is already very interconnected and multicultural and is growing even more so by the day. Thank globalization for that. So, not surprisingly, diversity and collaboration thrive because they are valued and celebrated by employers and workers. Gen Alpha will crave work environments emphasizing multiculturalism and various other types of diversity.
They will also want collaborative work environments where creativity, innovation, and communication across cultures rules. They are digital natives and very culturally diverse. So, they will refresh workplace perspectives and dynamics with new viewpoints and work practices. That will help tear down traditional hierarchies and promote a more inclusive and collaborative approach to teamwork and problem-solving.
Expect to See More of the Gig Economy
Most jobs don’t pay what they used to. So, many Gen Z workers and even Millennials find that they have to have multiple jobs, often in the form of gig work, in order to survive. This is expected to expand with Gen Alpha. Many Gen Alpha members will want freelance and contract work instead of working in a structured office-based environment.
Gig work will take off with Gen Alpha because it offers the flexibility and freedom that they crave and are already accustomed to. Many Gen Alphaers will take on gigs that allow them to learn or pursue personal interested while they earn.
The Work Place Will Be More Fluid
Indeed, ‘The Office may well be antiquated by 2034 which is when the oldest Gen Alpha members will enter the workforce. What will be replace it will be a more fluid and flexible work model which Gen Alpha workers will innovatively and creatively modify to fit their needs and interests.
