Back in the day, millennials used to be admired and considered cool—but not so much these days. Now, it seems that Generation Z hold all the power, so one millennial decided to put that to the test by going against her younger coworker to find out who really is the cool one at work.
The now-viral video that was shared on TikTok (@aperolabel) shows the millennial marketing manager, Anna, 31, demonstrating how she performs certain tasks. At the same time, her 23-year-old colleague, Gill, a Gen Zer, answered the same questions to get a comparison across the generations.
While they answered each of the questions differently, Gill, the social media and marketing coordinator at maternity fashion brand Apéro Label, told Newsweek that “one of the biggest differences” was how they created a love-heart symbol with their hands. Gil did this by connecting her forefinger and index fingers, whereas Anna put both her hands together in typical millennial fashion.
Other actions that the Australian colleagues performed for the TikTok clip included how they would pose for a photo; how they roll down a car window; how they would end a phone call; and even how they dance.
Anna, 31, on the left, and Gill, 23, on the right, pose and make love-heart signs during the viral TikTok video. The two colleagues had to perform certain tasks to see how their reactions differed to each other.
@aperolabel / TikTok
“Anna is on the younger side of millennials, and I’m in the middle of Gen Z, so in some ways, we are also quite similar,” Gill said. “We also share similar roles and are on the pulse of pop culture and social-media trends.”
Since the clip was shared online, it has gone viral with almost 3 million views and more than 33,600 likes. Social-media users can’t get enough of the contrasting styles across the generations, from millennials who were born between 1981 and 1996, and the Gen Zers born from 1997 to 2012.
Gill has been amazed by the reaction to the video she posted on the social-media accounts for Apéro Label.
“We’ve had a mix of responses, but it seems like everyone hates the Gen Z heart, and there is big debate about whether millennials grew up with electric windows or not,” Gill said.
“I think many Gen Zers grew up in a time where electric windows were implemented in almost every car, but for millennials, it would have been dependent on whether you could afford a car with special features like electric windows.”
Of course, it isn’t just how they dance or make a love heart that separates millennials from Gen Z. They also differ when it comes to fashion, use of technology, and their outlook on work-life balance.
Gill said the last one is a result of Gen Z entering the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, which overhauled a lot of the habits that were once the norm for employees and transformed the workplace.
“Working from home was the norm for a lot of Gen Zers when they started out, and I believe this has definitely impacted how they view corporate responsibility,” Gill added. “We are not going to work overtime unless it’s paid, or we get reimbursed with time in lieu.
“Work-life balance is much more important to Gen Z than millennials, I believe. I think it’s definitely a positive thing moving toward a healthier balance, especially with rising rates of mental health.”
The TikTok clip asking if Anna is “cool” compared to her Gen Z colleague has gained more than 230 comments so far. Plenty of people were unimpressed with the new Gen Z habits as they defended the antiquated millennial ways instead.
One comment reads: “Gen Zers can’t even figure out their hearts!”
Another TikTok user wrote: “the Gen Z doesn’t even look like a heart.”
A third person commented: “Millennial heart supremacy.”
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