2 minutes
From the editor
I am raising a Generation Z child, so I was especially interested to see what our feature article about connecting with this group had to say.
This quote from author Sam Plester really spoke to me:
“This generation’s global perspectives have been shaped by catastrophe—climate crises, political upheaval, social justice movements, the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a cohort that has demanded a better, more equitable future for everyone. This has to be the Credit Union Generation.”
On any given day, my teenager wants to talk about one or more of these topics, extensively. But was I really that different at his age? Sure, the crises were somewhat different. We had the AIDS epidemic, rainforest destruction and drunk driving. We protested apartheid in South Africa and wrote postcards for Amnesty International. I was a member of the diversity club and a group called Students Concerned for the Future, both of which could still exist in any American high school today.
But there is at least one significant difference between my son and me. I could not wait to get my driver’s license and was eager to drive my friends around after passing my test on my 16th birthday. My Gen Zer, at 15, has no interest in cars or driving.
An online search and scan of headlines in various media outlets suggests he is part of a larger trend. This same scan also suggests the trend may not last, and that Gen Z, like millennials, will buy cars eventually; they will just be a few years older than previous generations when they finally do. My son may change his mind at some point and ask to drive, but I am planning for a future in which he does not.
Is your credit union planning for a similar future in which members don’t purchase as many vehicles and therefore don’t need as many vehicle loans? How will your credit union make up the difference? If you don’t have the answers to those questions, three features in this issue could help you.
First, consider the technology breakthroughs that will help you better connect with Gen Z. Read more in “Gen Z Should Be the Credit Union Generation.”
Next, work to incorporate more innovative thinking throughout your organization—and stay up on emerging technology and what it can do for your credit union. Find our feature about creating a culture of innovation , and then click here to read our 2024 technology outlook . cues icon
P.S. Join us for the final RealTalk! of 2023 on Nov. 15. Our panel will discuss what it’s like to be the first female CEO at their credit unions. Register for this free program at content.cues.org/realtalk.
