Kim Lear, founder and content director of Inlay Insights, returned to keynote the 2025 Vibe Conference earlier this month. Her talk dove deep into how Generation Z is reshaping workplace culture and consumer behavior.
Gen Z (born between 1996-2010-ish) are the newest generation to enter the workplace and marketplace, and Lear highlighted how they are affecting and changing the way we do business. Here are some highlights from the keynote presentation.
The Influence of Parents
Lear explained that Gen X parents and Gen Z kids have a close friendship dynamic, with parents often being among Gen Z's best friends. This means parents have a huge influence on Gen Z's decision-making and purchasing behaviors.
How does this affect the on-premise industry?
When interviewing and hiring Gen Z candidates, know that their decision to take a job or negotiate benefits is being influenced directly by their parents. Lear's team followed 30 students as they vetted their first employment offers, and they found that the majority of students showed the offer to their parents.
"When we think about recruitment, which is also just sales, everything is intergenerational at this point. And when we think about employment offers that we put forward, we obviously focus on the needs of the candidates and what's top of mind for them. For [Gen Z it's] PTO policy, opportunities for growth and development, things like that, but their parents are like, 'what's the dental plan?'" says Lear. " So also consider what the influencers may be looking for in order to move that candidate in the direction that you want."
A Focus on Wellness
Each generation faces a different outlook on wellness that comes from science but also the messaging from the Ad Council and the government. Lear gave the example of Gen Xers being influenced by Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No Campaign," while Millennials will remember the "this is your brain on drugs" ads.
For Gen Z, the influences were Michelle Obama's "Let's Move!" campaign, which focused on movement, nourishment, and mindfulness. Lear also noted that between 2010 and 2020, more than a dozen documentaries were released about the dangers of factory farming, the dangers of sugar, the dangers of sitting constantly, etc. Plus, the pandemic piled on top of all of this put a spotlight on preexisting conditions. The result was that Gen Z's mantra has become, "if you don't make time for wellness, you will be forced to make time for illness."
How does this affect the on-premise industry?
On-premise establishments should consider these influences in two ways. First, in hiring and the type of workplace culture that Gen Z is looking for. Lear says, "At the core of this wellbeing revolution is also a fundamental reevaluation around this question of, "what am I willing to sacrifice for my job?" Gen Z is less about "the grind" and more about the balance between work and life. They are also more likely to look for meaning in their jobs and paths to growth.
Secondly, all of this focus on wellness has another side to the coin, which is a desire for indulgences and treats. This is an area where the on-premise can really excel. Lear urges establishments to consider "what is the messaging that could be most effective in order to really capture the levity and the joy and the celebratory aspects that your industry brings?"
Social Fitness
Gen Z has always been a digital generation and has faced the effects of increased time online. One of the results of this is more time spent alone. Lear shared the following the statistics:
- The share of adults going out with friends every given night declined by more than 30% in the last 20 years
- Solo dining increased by 29% in two years
- We spent more time alone in 2023 than we did in 2021 during the hike of the delta wave of the pandemic
The pendulum is starting to swing in the opposite direction for Gen Z now as they realize this type of solitude isn't healthy or sustainable. So the importance of sociability and interaction has begun to rise. "It's these little moments of stepping away from the screen and engaging in those real life moments."
Gen Z has started to set goals around more social interaction. Lear shared more statistics around these goals:
- 16% of Gen Z ers have "dumb" phones, which is more than any other generation
- 22% of Gen Z say that they have an interest in trading in their smartphone for a dumb phone
- A study conducted with four of the Ivy League schools found that the majority of the students that participated wouldn't even consider a job that was fully remote
How does this affect the on-premise industry?
There is a growing hunger amongst Gen Z to feel what Lear called "enchanted." And this hunger is driving Gen Z to spend more on the experience economy. "There is a shift here to these in person experiences and coming back together that I think is a huge opportunity of growth for your industry over these next five years," says Lear.
The guest experience is already top of mind for many on-premise establishments, and this proves just how valuable cultivating that experience actually is.
Optimization vs. Personalization
According to Lear, Gen Z grew up as we were abandoning our obsession with convenience and replacing it with an obsession on optimization, which is a focus on making something as perfect, useful, and effective as possible.
Gen Z is looking for data and stats that can enable them to optimize things like their workout (think Peloton's stats and data versus a traditional stationary bike), or a custom vitamin regiment built especially for their individual body.
How does this affect the on-premise industry?
Lear says Gen Z is asking themselves, "is this as perfect, as useful, as effective as possible, and if not, what can we put in place in order to move the needle," about every interaction and product. On-premise establishments can keep this in mind and offer more customizable meal options, more data on calorie and nutrition, and the ability to build unique and personal experiences.
Vibe Conference 2026 will take place February 23-25, 2026 at Town & Country Resort in San Diego, California.
Contact us now to secure your program for the 2026 Vibe Conference:
Donna Bruns, Sales & Sponsorships, (for companies A-L), Email: donna@vibeconference.com Phone: 936-522-6932
Fadi Alsayegh, Sales & Sponsorships, (for companies M-Z), Email: falsayegh@questex.com Phone: 440-454-0239
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