As Gen Z asserts itself in the workplace, the blame is on the wall for app providers who don’t give them what they want.
Just ask Spencer Skate. “They won’t use anything that doesn’t meet their expectations,” says co-founder and CEO of digital analytics platform Amplitude.
His company witnessed this conflict while training young employees on Salesforce, an early B2B software-as-a-service (B2B SaaS) product. “We’ve come a long way in terms of ease of use,” said Skates, whose customers include Ford, NBC and Walmart.
Times are changing rapidly for Salesforce, Oracle, and other traditional B2B SaaS players.
“I’m a millennial, so I’m like, ‘Okay, I’m supposed to read the manual,'” Skate tells me from San Francisco. Generation Z? Forget it. “If they don’t act within a few seconds, that’s all they need to get out.”
There is an obvious explanation for Gen Z’s behavior. “They’ve grown up together.” [smart]This is because the software is expected to be easy to use and trained on all these consumer-side apps,” says Skate. “And now that they’re entering the workforce for the first time, they’re like, ‘Hey, you better have that experience, too.’
Some consumer apps shape that mindset more than others. “TikTok in particular has been a perfect success in terms of giving you instant access to what you want,” Skates says. “You don’t think about having to learn it or setting it up or anything else. You just start using it.”
Skate points to Slack, the collaborative design tool Figma (which rival Adobe tried to acquire for $20 billion), and the connected workspace Notion as examples of “modern” workplace apps with a similar sensibility. Amplitude, which helps clients use customer data to improve products and services, recently released an easy-to-use version of its analytics tool.
“If you don’t build software this way, you’re going to die,” Skates predicts. “What matters is how you create a great user experience.”
For app developers looking to build trust with Gen Z employees, Skates shares some tips for delivering that experience.
First and foremost, he says, don’t overwhelm users with too much content or options. “You have to put what matters most front and center.”
In a focus on simplicity, workplace apps are increasingly hiding extra functionality. “It’s hidden behind menus and things like that, so the default experience is nothing like that,” Skate says.
Your app must also be fast. “Switching between content should be quick and not require multiple clicks to access content.”
Native collaboration is also an important feature. “Having the ability to interact live with your colleagues on a web app like this is a really big deal,” Skates says.
Please pay attention to the details of the design. For example, Skates points out that over the past five years, web app navigation menus have moved from top to left. “This really makes it easier to navigate.”
The good news? None of this is rocket science.
“By simply adopting the set of principles that these great consumer apps practice, you’re already ahead of the rest of 90% of the industry,” Skates says.
But app developers still have to do their homework when it comes to Gen Z.
“Talk to them and watch them use the software,” Skate recommends. “You’ll find all sorts of weird things about their thinking and their intuition.” But Skates still says companies are building software alone rather than having people use it during development. I’m thinking. “Otherwise, the dish is done, it’s done, and you’re left behind,” he warns.
Skate’s No. 1 advice for business leaders who want to win Gen Z’s trust? Download TikTok to see how they think “differently”.
“Authenticity is really, really important,” Skate says. “A lot of the formality in companies they don’t like.”
Don’t worry.
nick rockell
Nick.rockel@consultant.fortune.com
In other news
the real deal
Sally Krawcheck wants women to believe in themselves. Ellevest’s founder and CEO explained in a recent speaking engagement that he learned how to shake off impostor syndrome as he progressed in his career. luck The Most Powerful Women Summit. While acknowledging that society tells women that they should feel like imposters at work, Krawcheck said she has always rejected that, choosing instead to outsmart men who look down on her. Ta. The veteran banker also deals with criticism by telling himself, “Nobody boos.” Smile, everyone.
storm warning
This is a tragic wake-up call for companies that don’t trust their employees to use their best judgment. After Impact Plastics’ Johnny Peterson and several of his co-workers died in the flooding caused by Hurricane Helen, his family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company. In the small town of Irwin, Tennessee, workers claim managers forced them to continue working even though they knew they faced danger. According to the lawsuit, Impact’s excuse for having staff come to work on a stormy day was because they wanted to “meet order deadlines.” That’s enough.
trade winds
I trust Donald Trump when it comes to tariffs. During a recent appearance at Chicago’s Economic Club, the Republican presidential candidate caused embarrassment by slamming foreign products. In Mr. Trump’s view, tariffs would not only swell the government’s coffers, but also protect American companies from foreign rivals and encourage foreign companies to open factories in the United States. Many economists disagree, arguing that tariffs are a tax on consumers that fuels inflation. That doesn’t sway President Trump, who may soon have the opportunity to put his plan into action.
free banking
Will the federal government trust TD Bank to correct its crime-enabling practices? TD, which became the largest bank to plead guilty to charges related to money laundering, faces a hefty $3 billion fine. must be paid. But as Leo Schwartz reports, none of the executives responsible will be in jail for the time being anyway. It’s not a one-time thing. Since the 2008 financial crisis, bankers have largely avoided prison sentences in criminal cases. Still, it would be wise not to expect the Justice Department to continue this leniency.
Trust exercise
“Mention the word ‘regulation’ in some tech industries and you’ll immediately feel a chilling effect. Concerns about stifling innovation, burdensome costs, and stifling growth have led to concerns about government overreach.” This is a typical reaction from skeptics.
But the EU, which wants to position itself as a pioneer in technology regulation and a champion of individual rights and consumer protection, has paid little attention to such concerns.
The implementation of the EU’s AI law is the latest in a series of divisive laws from Brussels, following the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which came into force in 2016. 2018 and 2023 respectively.
As expected, the AI Act has received a lot of attention, but once again there are concerns. Will Europe’s promising AI startups be able to bear the costs of the new structure? Will overregulation put EU companies at a disadvantage to their US and Chinese competitors? Will Europeans be deprived of new AI services from abroad, as international companies oppose the rollout of new AI services because they believe compliance costs are too high?”
Great question, Bob Goodson. But in the end, QUID’s founder and president came to celebrate AI regulation rather than bury it. This is not an obvious response from the leaders of AI-powered consumer and market intelligence companies. What gives?
In short, regulation is working. Goodson, who scaled his company through the implementation of GDPR and DMA, should know that. He argues that the AI Act does far more good than harm because of its emphasis on transparency. After all, AI won’t advance unless people trust it. And EU law is not asking for the moon. Is anyone there? Really Do you object to disclosing that content is generated by AI, or do you object to designing AI models to prevent illegal material from being produced?
To protect people’s rights and safety, Goodson calls for a risk-based approach to AI deployment. For example, AI systems in the medical field require rigorous testing and checks, whereas AI systems in video games will face much lower hurdles.
Goodson also advocates for a “regulatory sandbox” that would allow companies to try out innovative new technologies in a controlled environment. He wants governments to develop policies and regulations that also leverage their own AI strengths. Finally, to build trust, Goodson recommends better public education about the benefits, uses, and impacts of AI. Some intelligent suggestions.
