Have You Heard? GOV Is Sliding Into Your DMs

Ah, Gen Z. When aren’t they in the news? While it may not surprise you to hear that this generation (generally defined as those born between 1997 and 2012) is shaking up the world, what makes them particularly interesting is their growing connection to government and how it can best serve their needs. 

This shouldn’t come as a surprise. According to a 2020 Pew Research study, this generation is more educated, more racially and ethnically diverse, and was raised almost entirely on technology. Even their slang is tech-centric, relying on shorter words and phrases in order to “be real” (authentic.)

Compared to Millennials (64%), Gen Xers (53%), Boomers (49%) and Silents (39%), more than 70% of Gen Zers say the government should do more to help solve the country’s problems. In short, Gen Z wants to be hyper-connected to government. Agencies need to lean into this. 

Here are several key things your agency should keep in mind when engaging with Gen Z (and by extension, the broader digitally-savvy public.) 

1. Use Social Media

Everyone, but especially Gen Z, is everywhere all at once including on platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn and beyond. Each of these has their own unique purpose and expectations, but agencies should approach social media with the same thoughtfulness as they might in more traditional mediums. This might mean hiring communication strategists, incorporating real-time responses, adopting issue-specific campaigns or even utilizing light-hearted humor such as that famously employed by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (@USCPSC) to publish important information like product recalls. Such efforts go a long way towards getting followers engaged and ensuring they stay informed.

As the Gen Zers say, these approaches are sure to make your messaging “slap” (resonate.)

2. Omnichannel Approaches

Even though Gen Z is rarely without their phones, using them to make voice calls is “cheugy” (uncool.) This means when they are unable to find information or need help, they’re unlikely to call a helpdesk or hotline. The expectation is that things just work. Gen Z also expects most services to be available online. Gone are the days of printed and mailed-in forms. Tax filings, passport renewals, voter registrations, unemployment benefits and FAFSA applications are just a few of the processes that Gen Z expects to access online, real-time and without issue. 

Gen Z also leans towards brevity, preferring videos, WhatsApp messages and texts to pages of content. Including a variety of ways to connect through diverse digital avenues can greatly impact how quickly a message is disseminated and received. 

3. Information Sharing and Protection

While it might seem that Gen Z is freely engaging, sharing all kinds of information across many different platforms, it doesn’t mean they are OK with revealing everything all the time. Their tech savviness means they’re an informed but skeptical population. Their trust must be maintained by asking permission before taking some sort of action, safeguarding their data and generally respecting their privacy. Or in Gen Z speak, “chill with the prying”. 

While this may sound like a lot of work, it helps the broader public, as even the Silents and Boomers are finding a growing reliance on digital and social media channels. Gen Z is shaping the future, and connecting with them would be a “major W” (big win) for federal agencies.

Emily Ryan has worked cross-functionally as a designer, full-stack developer and UX researcher to solve a variety of digital issues for public and private sector spaces, focusing on civic tech. She’s worked across start-ups, federal government and consulting agencies. She holds a BFA in Design, an M.A. in Criminal Law and is currently pursuing an M.A. in Government, focusing on technology’s influences and impacts on global democratic movements and free and open elections. In her free time she runs ultramarathons and travels, preferring locations with traditional European holiday markets, walking food tours and modern art exhibits.

Image by Bruce Mars on Unsplash