Many professionals are wondering what the workplace of the future will be like for the nascent Gen Z group, which is already influencing significant changes in the way businesses are run. It’s reasonable to wonder if Gen Z, a generation reared on social media that is adept at recognising the myriad approaches that firms use to online marketing, will begin to disrupt the current quo.

Generation Z has the ability to make a significant impact on the world of institutions that are making the difficult shift to community-led growth. By establishing an online community where representatives of the brand and its consumers may interact, a company can foster “community-led growth,” or CLG, which aims to convert casual users into devoted brand advocates.

Community managers are the people in charge of facilitating communication between the brand and its fans in various offline and online communities.

The last few years have seen an explosion in the popularity of online communities, with over 76 percent of internet users taking part in at least one type of online community and 82 percent of internet users saying they would be willing to do business with a company that valued communities.

The number of organisations with community teams has increased by 22% during 2020, according to the 2022 Community Led Report. A 25% increase in companies with community leadership presence has coincided with the growth of teams.

“By 2030, over half of all publicly traded Fortune 500 firms will employ a Chief Community Officer,” said Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanion. Gen Z has the potential to be a key player in the shift as community-led development becomes more important than traditional marketing.

This generation spent their teenage years in real-time chat-enabled Discord rooms, frequently running their own communities in their free time. Amity reports that 48% of Gen Z trusts communities substantially more than they do social media and on par with conventional news websites.

There was an 81% increase in online community participation after the COVID-19 epidemic, which occurred when many members of Generation Z were about to graduate from high school or were already there. This group may be able to turn their participation in online communities into sustained employment in community administration.

The key is to offer educational chances that aren’t available through standard schooling.

Although Gen Z has the opportunity to profit from this trend, they are not yet aware of this fledgling career option. Traditional education continues to place a strong emphasis on teaching students the foundations of marketing rather than giving them the tools they need to carry out more delicate community management activities like strategy and planning.

A community manager’s annual starting pay is typically approximately $75,000. However, information about the professional route is patchy. Opportunities to enter the sector outside of formal schooling need to be made available with more vigour. Gen Z is noteworthy for another reason: compared to earlier generations, this generation is less concerned in earning a four-year degree.

People with unconventional backgrounds are often seen to be extremely welcome in the subject of community management. Additionally, it emphasises communication and soft skills more than qualifications. Gen Z is thus in an ideal position to advance into employment in this industry by drawing on abilities they have acquired during their adolescence – without having to spend money on conventional schooling.