Millennials and Generation Zs came of age at the same time that online platforms and social media gave them the ability and power to share their opinions, influence distant people and institutions, and question authority in new ways. These forces have shaped their worldviews, values, and behaviors.

Digital natives’ ability to connect, convene, and create disruption via their keyboards and smartphones has had global impact. From #MeToo to Black Lives Matter, from convening marches on climate change to the Arab Spring, from demanding eco-friendly products to challenging stakeholder capitalism, these generations are compelling real change in society and business.

The lockdowns resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed millennials’ and Gen Zs’ activities but not their drive or their desire to be heard. In fact, the 2021 Deloitte Global Millennial Survey suggests that the pandemic, extreme climate events, and a charged sociopolitical atmosphere may have reinforced people’s passions and given them oxygen.