Veera Korhonen
Research expert covering United States data for society
Pandemials in the U.S. - Statistics & Facts
More than two decades have come and gone since the first of the Centennial generation (also known as Generation Z) were born and 40 years have passed since the Millennial generation first arrived. As those born in the 2000s now reach adulthood and begin to have families of their own, a new generation is emerging and is being born to a world vastly different from those before it. While no official name has been given to the generation born to Millennials and Centennials, some have coined the nickname “Pandemials” from the disruption of the COVID-19 global pandemic.
As the nation, and this new generation, moves from the office to the home, the role of technology in their daily lives becomes more apparent. And with more widespread access to technology among families than ever, it is clear that Pandemials will have their eyes on a screen more than any of their predecessors. Screen time that is sure to far exceed what is required for a job. In 2020, teenagers were already averaging around two hours a day on computers for games and leisure activities, an amount that Pandemials are sure to add to.
Work and play from home
One of the most significant changes that Pandemials will face is the new work model. Under the pandemic, the norm has shifted to remote work and families being home more than they were in the past. A large portion of millennials and centennials with children are still working from home, creating a different environment of childcare for their Pandemial children. Pandemials are raised in homes where parents must work, yet are still in the home and expected to fulfill much of the child rearing requirements in tandem with their responsibilities to their employers. This new norm, however, removes the need for families to stay in metropolitan areas where there are more job opportunities. As a result, Pandemials may be raised in an America where jobs may be held from remote locations wherever one wants to be located. And when they come of age, this new generation will most likely have more opportunities to also work from home despite the end of the pandemic.As the nation, and this new generation, moves from the office to the home, the role of technology in their daily lives becomes more apparent. And with more widespread access to technology among families than ever, it is clear that Pandemials will have their eyes on a screen more than any of their predecessors. Screen time that is sure to far exceed what is required for a job. In 2020, teenagers were already averaging around two hours a day on computers for games and leisure activities, an amount that Pandemials are sure to add to.
Economic outlooks
Although Pandemials have new and exciting technology and inventions to look forward to, there is much of their future that looks bleak. Specifically their economic future. As the nation's housing prices continue to escalate, the chance of Pandemial families owning their own home decreases. In fact, ownership of anything is becoming more difficult for future generations, as consumer prices continue to increase and wages fail to increase at a consistent pace. As shown by the consumer price index and other indicators, the new work model of the U.S. may allow this new generation of Pandemials to work from anywhere, but the homes they work in will be rented.
