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i Index Index Religion, Values, and Tradition Religious Tolerance Climate Change Gender Equality Charity 4 5 6 8 1 Index Executive Summary i ii Family Life Filial Relations Marriage and Wedding 11 13 9 Education and Career Formal Education and Demographic Bonus Online Learning Workplace Habits Jobs and Professions Aspiring Social Media Influencers 17 19 20 21 22 15 Media Consumption and Online Behavior Media Consumption Content Social Media Influencers Visual Media Live Streaming Metaverse 25 27 29 30 31 32 23 Entertainment, Hobby, and Leisure Hobby Travel Music and Podcast Movies and Series Mobile Games 35 40 41 45 48 33 Finance and Spending Behavior Spending Bank E-Wallet and Cashless Transactions Homeownership Investment Cryptocurrency and NFT E-Commerce Brand Affinity 51 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 49 Political Views General Views General Election Presidential Candidate Law Enforcement 65 67 69 70 63 Summary 71 Methodology Author 75 75
Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 ii Executive Summary Objective and methodology of research The availability of research about Indonesian Gen Z is very limited. This scarcity has caused the emergence of myths and stereotypes about them. Therefore, IDN Research Institute, in collaboration with Populix as our research partner, spearheaded this research to gain a deeper understanding about Indonesian Gen Z, especially their values and aspirations that shapes the way they see themselves as individuals. This research’s objective is also to explore Indonesian Gen Z’s decisions and reasons behind their lifestyles and behaviors on a daily basis. Populix conducted this research by using quantitative method. The quantitative method was conducted using random sampling in 12 cities and agglomerations in Indonesia. We continued with the qualitative method to dig more deeply about those segmentations through indepth interviews. Then, IDN Research Institute developed and wrote the report based on the insight gained from data analysis. Indonesian Gen Z by the numbers With 70.72% of its population in productive age (15 to 64), Indonesia is enjoying a demographic bonus, which is hoped to help the country achieve its golden period in 2045. The Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) is currently the biggest generation group in Indonesia with 27.94% of the total population or 74.93 million people. Their significant might even be bigger than that of the Millennials, which makes up the second largest generation in Indonesia with 25.87% of the total population or 69.38 million people. Almost half of Gen Z have entered the productive age, while the rest will be able to participate in the workforce in the coming years. As a generation that grew up after 1998 political reform in Indonesia and part of the so-called digital native, the Gen Z surely has different attitude and behavior compared to the older generations. Understanding who the Gen Z really are, starting from their lifestyle, perspective, and values to their goals and challenges in life will help us uncover the true path to Indonesia’s golden era. The definition of Gen Z in this report is male and female between the age of 15 to 24 years old in the year 2022. We divided the Gen Z into two categories; late teens who are between 15 and 20 years old and young adults who are between 21 and 24 years old. All opinions expressed are from IDN Research Institute and are intended as educational material. Although best efforts are made to ensure that all information is accurate and up to date, occasionally unintended errors and misprints may occur.
iii Executive Summary What to expect from this report Our goal is to present a clear and complete portrait of Indonesian Gen Z, as well as to offer thought-provoking analyses of issues that will affect them in the years to come. We take a holistic view of their entire life aspect, emphasizing their distinct behaviors, and identifying where opportunities can be found for businesses. Our team at IDN Research Institute hope that this research report would be a valuable tool for readers from all backgrounds and industries to understand Gen Z better, and to unlock those who shape and will lead the nation.
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1 Milennial Research
Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 3 Indonesian Gen Z were born during tumultuous years in the country’s history, nearing the fall of the New Order and Reformasi in 1998, which led to drastic changes in society. The eldest of Gen Z have started working and having their own family, two of several life milestones that define stability and maturity in one’s life journey. However, these milestones are surrounded by uncertainties in terms of one’s health, wellbeing, and even job and economic security brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is interesting to see what values and norms that the Gen Z holds on to in this search for stability during such a turbulent time. We talked to several Gen Z to ask about the role of religion and tradition in their lives, and we found that religion played a bigger role compared to tradition. The Gen Z that we talked to admitted that they considered religion as a guidance and foundation in life, as well as boundaries that set their behavior and perspective. On the contrary, these Gen Z said that they rarely practiced or held on to their cultural traditions due to the fact that their environment has become more multicultural or even let go of tradition altogether and embrace modern values and lifestyle. Gen Z are experiencing their first large-scale crisis (COVID-19 pandemic) and relying heavily on faith amid uncertainties What is the role of religion in Gen Z’s life? “Belief in God is something to hold on to in life when other people can’t be relied on.” “As a perspective and guidance in life.” “Religion rules how life should be lived.” As the way of life and source of meaning in life.” “As boundaries, in the mind and actions.”
4 Religion, Values, and Tradition Majority believes that religious tolerance practice in Indonesia is good enough 69% of Gen Z believe that tolerance between religious communities in Indonesia is good enough. 9% disagree with this statement and only 3% strongly disagree. This could reflect either hope or denial over some lingering intolerance acts that have been accepted as normal, or simply due to personal bias as most of the Gen Z in the survey are Muslim – which makes up 90% of Indonesian population and face less discrimination and intolerance as the majority. We talked to a Catholic Priest, Romo Kristoforus Lucky Nikasius, the Head of Santa Maria Regina Church in Tangerang about tolerance in Indonesia. Image 1.1 Gen Z who believe that tolerance between religious communities in Indonesia is good Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Neutral 69% 9% 3% 19% “Looking at Indonesia with a simplistic majority and minority view won’t help us unite the country. It all starts with us as an individual: Can we be an active participant in this pluralism project? The golden rule in Catholicism is to do onto others what you want them to do to you. So, if you want to be loved and respected –not just to be tolerated–, you should start loving and respecting others first.” Is the tolerance between religious communities good in Gen Z view? Identity politics still matter, but tolerance is non-negotiable. Polarization based on identity lines is not acceptable for Indonesian Millennials, who have seen the tiresome debate about religion and politics during the 2016 Gubernatorial Election in Jakarta and the 2019 General Election. Gen Z say that the religion of a political figure is an important factor in choosing a leader 61% Romo Kristoforus Lucky Nikasius, the Head of Santa Maria Regina Church in Tangerang
Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 Indonesian Gen Z take climate change seriously. 70% feel personally responsible to alleviate the impact of climate change and 66% Gen Z are willing to spend extra for more eco-conscious products. These figures show the rise of a new generation of ecoconscious consumers whose economic decision is influenced by the climate factor. Growing climate awareness, anxiety and activism “Gen Z are more vocal in demanding pro-climate justice policies as the time is more pressing. We are getting closer to 2030 [the deadline for greenhouse reduction target] and there are also more options in terms of green policies and development. As a generation that must live with the environmental disasters caused by economic growth in the past decades, Gen Z are more concerned about climate justice, to ensure that our descendants can also enjoy and live on Earth.” Image 1.2 Gen Z thoughts on climate change Feel responsible for climate change 70% Willing to spend extra for more eco-conscious products 66% Globally, Gen Z is known for their climate consciousness and activism – with Greta Thunberg as the most well-known young climate activist. In Indonesia, awareness over climate change and its impacts are also increasing. 79% of Gen Z say that climate change is a serious issue that Indonesia is facing today. As an archipelagic country located in the equator, Indonesia is witnessing sea level rise and extreme weather as impacts of global warming, resulting in severe droughts or floods. Gen Z say that climate change is a serious issue 79% 5 Decmonth Pasaribu of Extinction Rebellion Indonesia
6 Religion, Values, and Tradition “There are still problems in the government [related to gender equality]. But we are more open now, and we have more women in significant posts. Our homework is increasing the number of female workers as there’s still a huge gender gap.” 52% of Gen Z say that gender equality in Indonesia is good, but there are long way to go in improving the situation Furthermore, 58 % agree that women are equal to men and 60% believe that women can be leaders too. Now, it’s a matter of providing more opportunities and affirmative actions so that more women can unleash their potential and truly be equal to men. 5 female CEOs in FORTUNE 100 List by FORTUNE Indonesia November Edition: 1. Parwati Surjaudaja of OCBC NISP 2. Nicke Widyawati of Pertamina 3. Ira Noviarti of Unilever 4. Dian Siswarini of XL Axiata 5. Febbriany Eddy of Vale Indonesian women are breaking the glass ceiling by holding leadership positions in the government or corporate world. While Gen Z are mostly still starting their career, their Millennial counterparts are rising in key sectors such as Chusnunia Chalim, Deputy Governor of Lampung, in politics and Najwa Shihab in journalism – two previously male dominated sectors. Representation matters as it provides a female-centric perspective in decision-making. In Indonesia, political parties must allocate 30% of the legislative candidate list for female candidates to boost women’s representation in politics. In 2019, Puan Maharani was sworn in as the first female speaker of the House of Representatives. However, only 118 out of 575 seats or 20.5% in the parliament are held by female representatives. At the ministerial level, there are only six female ministers out of 34 positions (18%) in the Kabinet Indonesia Maju: Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani, Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini, Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah, Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya, and Women Empowerment and Children Protection Minister I Gusti Ayu Bintang Darmavati. Image 1.3 Gen Z thoughts about women on gender equality Agree that women are equal to men 58% Believe that women can be leaders too 60% Image 1.4 Female representation in the parliament 30% 20.5% Allocated female candidates for the parliament Actual female representatives in the parliament Chusnunia Chalim, Deputy Governor of Lampung
Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 7 On April 12, the Indonesian parliament passed the sexual violence eradication bill (RUU-PKS) into law. In the past few years, the call to pass the bill had been getting stronger as more survivors were speaking up about their experiences. 17% of Gen Z believe that sexual violence happens due to lack of regulations and law enforcement, while more than half still think that sexual violence occurs due to societal influence (36%), individual’s deviant behavior (27%), and lack of education (16%). Few Gen Z directly point to gender disparity (3%) and unequal power relations (1%). “Every religion, at its heart, teaches humans about justice and humanity. Islam does too. The ‘tauhid’ in Islam is a sacred message to not worship anything or anyone but God, which means that women must not worship men or vice versa. Hence, women are considered as God’s worshipers, equal to men. In the Quran, there’s surah An-Nisa’, meaning woman, which is a critique to Arabic culture around the birth of Islam that was considered unfair to women.” Image 1.5 Contributor factors of sexual violence Societal influences Individuals’ deviant behaviors Lack of regulations & law enforcement Lack of education Gender disparity Unequeal power relations 36% 27% 17% 16% 3% 1% Data from IDN Times show that audience’s interests about the RUU-PKS increased by 26.9% in 2021 compared to 2020, reflecting growing awareness over the importance of sexual violence eradication in Indonesia. What Gen Z believe of why sexual violence occurs: Amar Alfikar, religious scholar and Board Representative of The Global Interfaith Network
8 Religion, Values, and Tradition 12% of Gen Z say that they have donated through online platforms, meaning that charitable acts are still mostly done physically. However, the figure has increased from our 2019 findings, in which only 2.7% of Millennials had donated through online platforms. The popularity of online donation platforms has increased since the pandemic hit Indonesia, due to the accelerated digitalization and the sheer amount of people who need help amid the pandemic. Charitable act despite limited resources Image 1.7 Top 5: Kitabisa.com, Dompetdhuafa.com, Act.com (Aksi Cepat Tanggap), Past global survey has named Indonesia as “the most generous Ayopeduli.com, BenihBaik.com nation in the world” – perhaps due to zakat (obligatory almsgiving) among the Muslims and the national tradition of gotong royong (mutual cooperation). Top 5 online donation platforms: In July 2022, Tempo Magazine published an exposé of alleged embezzlement by the founder and leader of Aksi Cepat Tanggap (ACT), Ahyuddin. He allegedly used the money from charity for his own personal use. Those who held top positions at the company were also known to have staggeringly high salary and luxurious cars provided by the company. ACT is also criticized for taking too much cut at 13.7% on average from public donation campaigns, despite government regulation that limits the cut to 10%. The Social Affairs Ministry revoked ACT’s crowdfunding permit following the report. Indonesian K-Pop fandom often organizes charity drives or fundraising for certain events or causes, from helping those affected by flooding or earthquake to mangrove plantings. • In December 2021, BTS ARMY Indonesia started a fundraising campaign on Kitabisa for those who were affected by the Semeru volcanic eruption. They managed to achieve the target of Rp 90.437.789. • Seonhohada Indonesia Project also managed to reach Rp 136.109.376 for a charity drive to celebrate their idol actor Kim Seonho’s birthday. The campaign aimed to provide free food for the poor and homeless people during fasting month Ramadan. Faye Simanjuntak is one Gen Z with focus on social movement and activism. Faye is the founder of Rumah Faye, a nonprofit organization that provides safe houses for victims of child trafficking and raises awareness over the protection of women and children in the country “The first step to help is to have the willingness to do the hard work. Second is to learn, not only about the issues but also hard skills that are actually needed on the ground. Third, as we are still young and inexperienced, is to look for existing organizations or movements that need our help,” said Faye, when asked for tips on how fellow Gen Z can participate in social movement and activism. Image 1.6 Gen Z who have donated through online platforms 2.7% 12% 1 2 4 3 5 Gen Z who have donated through online platforms: Gen Z have participated in some sort of fundraising with varying degrees of frequency 58%
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Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 11 44% of Gen Z in our survey are students and 6% are unemployed, implying that they are still dependent on their parents. As the pandemic has forced the youth to stay inside their house longer due to school and university closures as well as unfavorable job markets, Gen Z is spending more time with their family compared to their Millennial counterparts when they were at the same age. “I am grateful for my parents who have continously taught, loved, and supported me to this date. Without them, I would’ve not been able to become who I am today. They are my role model when it comes to love, hard work, religion, and down to the small things.” Jerome Polin via Instagram (@jeromepolin) When asked about their priorities in life, most of Gen Z (83%) say that they want to make their parents happy. Their parents become their first priority in life, beating other and more individual goals such as earning money for future needs (81%), self development (77%), having a higher income (76%), and even having a flexible work and study arrangement. Perhaps, if one should search for a silver lining of the quarantine, is that Gen Z are spending more time with their parents and therefore increasing their appreciation of the filial relationship between them. Although, one also couldn’t deny that many Gen Z and other Indonesian children have lost their parents to the pandemic. Parents are the number one priority for Gen Z
12 Family Life Gen Z’s priorities in life 83% Saving money or funds for future needs 81% Having a higher income 77% Making my parents happy 76% Increasing or having new personal skills 75% Becoming more religious 74% Refreshing or traveling 71% Expanding social network 71% Having a flexible work or study schedule Helping other people 70% 68% Marrying and starting a family Having a child 64%
Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 13 Gen Z ideal age for marriage 26-30 years old, significantly older than Millennial or Gen X’s ideal age for marriage Starting a new family does not make it to the top 5 of Gen Z’s list of priorities. Only 71% of Gen Z say that marrying and starting a new family is their priority in life, while having a child becomes the least important priority (64%) for them. Another explanation about lack of priority in starting a family is the economy. Gen Z are starting their life as young adult at a discouraging time as the COVID-19 pandemic has hampered their education and job search, and in the larger scale, negatively impacted the economy as Indonesia experienced an economic contraction of 2.07% in 2020 and relatively slower growth at 3.69% in 2021. Perhaps, fear of having to be part of the sandwich generation also makes Gen Z more hesitant when it comes to having their own family. Interest for “sandwich generation” on IDN Times increased by 33.82% in 2021 compared to 2020, reflecting growing awareness of the phenomenon. 45% of Gen Z even agree that childfree marriage is no longer a taboo. In general, the fertility rate in Indonesia has steadily fallen in recent years. The government even targets to keep it down to 2.1 children per woman by 2025 to stabilize population growth. From 2017 to 2021, the ratio of elderly dependency steadily increased from 14.02% to 16.76%, meaning that every 100 productive age citizens (aged 15 to 59 years old) must take care of at least 17 elderly citizens. During the same period, the number of households with elderly members has also increased. In 2017, the rate of households with elderly members was 26.35%. In 2021, the rate increased to 29.52%, meaning that 1 in every 4 households in Indonesia has at least an elderly living with them. As of 2021, 34.71% of elderly people live in a three-generation household. Statistics Indonesia has not published a report on the prevalence of sandwich generation in Indonesia, but the latest population census in 2020 shows an aging population. By 2045, it is projected that 1 in every 5 Indonesians will be elderly, defined as those who are at least 60 years old. Latest figures have also shown the looming burden on Millennials and Gen Z to take care of their parents. 21 ~ 25 years old 26 ~ 30 years old 42% 53% Ideal age for marriage according to Gen Z young adults: 15 ~ 20 years old (late teens) 21 ~ 24 years old (young adults) 48% 52% Gen Z respondents age: Image 2.1 Gen Z respondents age This could be due to the fact that Gen Z are still very young, with 48% of our respondents are aged between 15 and 20 years old (late teens) and 52% between 21 and 24 years old (young adults). At this age, Gen Z are still studying and starting a career, which makes having their own family a distant step in their life milestones. However, some Gen Z are also in the “ideal age” to marry – according to their own perception. For instance, 42% of Gen Z who are aged between 21 and 24 years old say that the ideal age for marriage is when they’re 21 - 25 years old, with 53% of Gen Z at the same age group say that the ideal age for marriage is when they’re 26 - 30 years old. Image 2.2 Ideal age for marriage according to Gen Z young adults 26.35% 29.52% Image 2.3 Elderly dependency Elderly people live in a threegeneration household 34.71% 14.02% 16.76% The ratio of elderly dependency Household with elderly members
14 Family Life Gen Z still holds on to traditional gender roles, prefers intimate weddings Only 30% of Gen Z say that weddings should be a big celebration, with 39% of Gen Z disagreeing – reflecting a preference for small, intimate weddings instead. 31% say they are neutral about this, which is understandable considering that Indonesian weddings are sometimes a family affair instead of the couple’s own and the Gen Z’s ambivalent stance about marriage. Gen Z from lower socio-economic classes are geared toward intimate weddings, while those from upper and middle socioeconomic classes lean toward big celebrations. Perhaps, as lower SEC has been the most heavily impacted by pandemicinduced economic crisis, they are cutting down on unnecessary cost such as wedding celebrations. The pandemic has arguably given rise to small, intimate weddings as COVID-19 restrictions drastically limit the number of guests in an event. Pragmatism and necessity come into play in the decision to host an intimate wedding. However, several couples still host a bigger reception, attended by more guests, after the holy matrimony, usually reserved for family and closest friends. Indonesian Gen Z still have a traditional view of a family, especially when it comes to the responsibility of husband and wives. Men are still viewed as the head of the family, in terms of being the breadwinner (84%) and having the final say in household decisions (69%). 61% of Gen Z say that women have the responsibility to take care of the children and to do household chores. Men as the head of the family, being the breadwinner 84% Men have the final say in household decisions 69% Women have the responsibility to take care of the children and to do household chores. 61% Image 2.4 Gen Z’s view on responsibility of husband and wives Image 2.5 Gen Z’s view on weddings Wedding should be a big celebration Prefered small & intimate wedding Neutral 30% 39% 31% Gen Z respondents age:
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Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 17 The frontliner of Indonesia’s demographic bonus The Gen Z is touted as part of Indonesia’s demographic bonus, a condition in which a country’s working age population makes up the bulk of the population so that the income per capita increases – reflecting both high levels of production and consumption. However, Gen Z nowadays are facing challenges in their education as well as the job market, which might diminish the actualization of the demographic bonus. Indonesian Gen Z grew up under the obligatory 12-year schooling regulations, which explains how most of them have at least graduated from senior high school. However, the chance of a Gen Z finishing high school is influenced by socio-economic classes and gender. The more affluent a Gen Z is, the more education they are likely to complete 12 years of obligatory schooling. Statistics Indonesia in its 2020 Youth Report noted that the average education of Indonesian youth (defined as those who are aged 16 to 30 years old) was 10.78 years or equivalent to the first year of high school. However, there was a gap between urban and rural youth, with urban dweller having more education (11.37 years) compared to their rural counterparts (9.97 years). Between able-bodied and disabled youth, the gap was even bigger with able-bodied youth having 10.81 years of schooling and disabled youth having 7.11 years of schooling. Source: Statistics Indonesia, 2020 Youth Report Image 3.1 Indonesian youth’s years of education Image 3.2 Education of Indonesian youth Education of Indonesian youth: 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 years of schooling Indonesian youth’s years of education: Average Urban Rural 10.78 years 11.37 years 9.97 years Able-bodied Disabled 10.81 years 7.11 years Unschooled Did not finish primary school Primary school Junior high school Senior high school Higher education 0.71% 2.77% 11.97% 35.41% 38.77% 10.36%
18 Education and Career According to the World Bank in 2021, 57% of the labor force in Indonesia had a lower-secondary education (equal to junior high school) or lower. The World Bank also noted the poor learning outcome in Indonesia, which resulted in a student obtaining less education than they should have from a particular period of schooling. However, on top of personal issues and family’s economic condition, Gen Z must also face obstacles presented by the pandemic. School and university closures had hampered their education and learning process as the students are forced to study from home, with limited assistance from their peers, mentors, and teachers or lecturers. The monotonous method of online learning also added more challenges, as students became bored, not engaged, and unmotivated to learn. The World Bank published a research in September 2021 on Indonesian students’ possible learning loss and its economic impact. Indonesian students might experience a reduction between US$408 and US$578 per student in future annual earnings. On the whole, the total earning loss is equivalent to 24 to 34 percent of 2020 GDP, according to the World Bank in a report titled Rewrite the future: How Indonesia’s education system can overcome the losses from the COVID-19 pandemic and raise learning outcomes for all. According to data from Statistics Indonesia, the share of Gen Z in the country’s unemployment rate is quite big. In February 2021, for instance, out of 8.7 million unemployed population, 3.8 million of whom are part of Gen Z (those who are aged 15- 19 years old and 20-24 years old). This reflects the short-term impact of pandemic to Gen Z, particularly related to their career and income. Image 3.3 Labor force education in Indonesia Labor force in Indonesia who had a lower-secondary education (equal to junior high school) or lower. 57% 8.7 million 3.8 million Unemployed population Unemployed Gen Z Image 3.4 The share of Gen Z in Indonesia’s unemployment
Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 19 1 in 3 Gen Z are interested in online learning platform Ruangguru tops the list of online learning platforms among Millennials. The platform gained massive growth after it became one of the providers in Kartu Prakerja (Pre-Employment Card Program) catering to unemployed workers who faced difficulties in finding jobs or were laid off due to the pandemic-induced economic crisis. 50% of Gen Z believe that one’s level of education influences one’s success. 39% of Gen Z say they are interested in learning more through online platforms, with 29% saying that they are not interested. However, only 32% of all Gen Z have tried at least one online learning platform. 44% of late teens Gen Z (aged 15 to 20 years old) say that they have tried online learning platforms, as many of them are still students who have to use at least one platform for their education. For young adult Gen Z (aged 21 to 24 years old, online learning platform is more of a perk than necessity as only 21% have tried using it. Image 3.7 Online learning platforms user Untapped market: 68% of Gen Z have never used online learning platforms Ruangguru Brainly Zenius Kelas Pintar Quipper School Rumah Belajar Udemy Pahamify Others Never used online learning platforms 23% 11% 8% 3% 3% 2% 1% 0% 0% 68% Image 3.5 Gen Z’s interest in online learning platform Interested Not interested 39% 29% Image 3.6 Gen Z who already tried online learning platform Tried at least one online learning platform 32% Late teens Young adult 44% 21% 33% of Gen Z believe that today’s education system doesn’t require in-person meetings, with 24% remaining neutral on this and 43% disagreeing with the view. A similar view is found among Gen Z when it comes to preference toward in person meetings. 29% of Gen Z say that they prefer to communicate via chats compared to in person meeting, while 24% remain neutral and almost half (47%) of Gen Z say they prefer in person meeting. The pandemic might have hampered Gen Z’s ability to experience life as a young adult, especially when it comes to having social interaction and building meaningful networks or relationships at school, university, workplace, or other settings. Based on data from IDN Media, Gen Z are taking it to the internet to learn social skills. One article that is read by many Gen Z is tips on how they can get to know more people, meaning that social interaction is a skill that they have to learn from external sources instead of a natural ability. Believe that one’s level of education influences one’s success 50% Image 3.8 Gen Z‘s view in person meeting today’s education system. Agree Disagree Neutral 33% 43% 24% Prefer text chats Prefer verbal chats Neutral 29% 47% 24%
20 Education and Career One criticism that older generations often have for Gen Z is that they are lacking grit and determination at work. The stereotype is that Gen Z wants to have it easy, instead of pushing themselves and trying to be better. We find that the criticism might be based on one or two bad apples instead of representing the actual attitude among Gen Z. Unlike the popular belief, Gen Z are willing to put in the hours to get ahead in their career Almost 2 in 3 Gen Z (64%) consider a career path as an important factor when they are looking or choosing a job. Career path becomes Gen Z’s second priority after salary offered (80%), and it is considered more important than suitability to one’s interests (60%), working hours (58%), location (53%), match quality with one’s education (49%) and work environment (47%). 67% of Gen Z also say that they don’t mind working longer hours as long as they are paid more, with only 11% refusing to do so. This shows that Gen Z don’t mind putting in more effort at work, as long as they receive fair compensation for that. Data from Statistics Indonesia, published in August 2021, shows that Gen Z are working longer hours with lower wages compared to their Millennial counterparts. Interestingly, 69% of Gen Z say that they must have a work-life balance, with only 5% disagreeing with the statement. In short, Gen Z do have what it takes to succeed at work. The question is: can the workplace adjust to Gen Z’s need for fairness and worklife balance in order to retain them and allow them to flourish? Generation Average working hours per week Late teens Gen Z (15-19 years old) 44 hours Young adults Gen Z (20-24 years old) 42 hours Junior Millennials (25-29 years old) 40 hours Senior Millennials (30-34 years old) 40 hours Average monthly wage Rp 1.500.000 Rp 2.100.000 Rp 2.400.000 Rp 2.600.000 Image 3.10 Gen Z’s view on working longer hours Don’t mind it Refuse it 67% 11% Image 3.9 Important factors Gen Z’s consider when choosing a job Salary offered Career path Suitable to interest Working hours Location Match with education Working environment 80% 64% 60% 58% 53% 49% 47% Image 3.12 Importance of workplace location Prefer working from home Prefer working from office Neutral 36% 33% 32% Must have a work-life balance 69% Disagreeing with the statement 5% Image 3.11 Gen Z‘s view in work-life balance Location of a workplace might be important because only 36% of Gen Z say that they prefer working from home, with 32% remaining neutral and 33% disagreeing with the statement. As most of Gen Z are still starting their careers, perhaps it’s important for them to work at the office to learn more about the work and to build networks or have interactions with their seniors or mentors.
Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 21 64% of Gen Z are actually interested in becoming an entrepreneur. Those from the lower socio-economic class are particularly eager to be one, perhaps due to the fact that entrepreneurship offers bigger payoff compared to having regular –mostly blue-collar jobs– for the poor Gen Z. As Indonesia has a large consumer base, consumer-oriented jobs like marketing, transport, media, and public relations become top jobs that Gen Z are interested in. Computer Science becomes the second most sought-after job for Gen Z, but the interest for this type of job increases as one socioeconomic level becomes higher too. Perhaps, this is a reflection of both the education gap and ownership of tools that support computer science jobs across Gen Z in Indonesia. What jobs & profession are Gen Z interested in? Jobs Rank Upper Middle Marketing 1 34% 28% Computer Science 2 35% 24% Media ~3 19% 22% Lower 29% 18% 18% Public Relations ~3 21% 21% Transport ~3 15% 22% Finance 6 13% 17% 22% 18% 16% Logistics 7 22% 16% Human Capital 8 21% 13% Journalism 9 9% 15% 13% 18% 7% Health 10 17% 13% Research ~11 14% 7% Pharmaceutical ~11 13% 7% 8% 8% 8% Legal 13 8% 5% Food/Culinary 14 1% 1% 5% 1 1% Chef Juna Most popular entrepreneurs are chefs who have culinary businesses too, according to data from IDN Times. 2 Chef Renata Moeloek 3 Tasya Farasya When it comes to stability, 52% of Gen Z say that working at multinational companies is more secure compared to domestic ones. Only 12% actually disagree with the statement. This view is probably influenced by the fact that in the first months of the pandemic, 29.12 million workers were laid off, furloughed, or having difficulties in finding a job due to COVID-19 induced crisis. Less than one year 1 - 2 years 3 - 4 years 5 - 6 years More than 6 years 0% 12% 28% 25% 35% Image 3.13 Gen Z’s ideal length to stay at one job An overwhelming majority of Gen Z (88%) believe that an ideal length to stay at one job is at least three years, with 12% saying that the ideal length is 1-2 years. This is in accordance with their view toward a steady career path, which might be understood as one of Gen Z’s ways to have a solid ground in life considering the turbulent times they are living in. Multinational companies is more secure 52% Disagree with the statement 12% Image 3.11 Gen Z’s thoughts on multinational vs. domestic companies
22 Education and Career What skills do Gen Z consider important for their career? Skills Upper Leadership 59% Public Speaking 61% Management Skill 75% Bilingual 59% Digital Skill 63% Middle 61% 62% 72% 49% 64% Lower 48% 57% 66% 38% 49% Betting on FYP (for you page): Social media influencer as an actual career After management skill, digital skill and public speaking are considered by Gen Z as important skills that will support one’s career. While management skill has long been accepted as a necessity in corporate world or any other workplace and the increasing significance of digital skill is due to our technologically advanced society, the rise of public speaking can be due to the fact that Gen Z are more used to hearing and seeing presentable form of communication in social media or webinars. While before, one’s work performance can speak for itself, nowadays people have to be able to present themselves coherently in order to seize attention from a wider audience in social media. The omnipresence of social media in Gen Z’s lives, which become ever more palpable amid the pandemic, might influence Gen Z’s perception toward social media as an actual platform for work. No longer is social media purely social, as it can also be utilized as a source of income or to gain a network that allows Gen Z to pursue entrepreneurship in other forms. Take Awkarin, for instance. The 1997-born social media influencer became famous for being a girl who cries over a breakup in a YouTube video, but Awkarin capitalized on the overnight fame by obtaining a lot of paid endorsem*nt, before building her own social media Awkarin Jerome Polin Sisca Kohl There’s also Sisca Kohl, whose TikTok videos become an instant hit due to the sheer weirdness of the content. Sisca with her sister likes to try out various extravagant foods or turn regular food such as Nasi Padang into ice cream. She’s known for her catchphrase, “Mari kita coba” (Let’s try!). influencer management called A Team Management. She even tried starting a career in music for a brief period. Jerome Polin is another Gen Z who has made a career out of social media. Jerome gained a huge following on YouTube with Nihongo Mantappu channel, where he shared his daily life as a university student majoring in Math in Japan. In 2021, he launched a culinary business selling tea under the brand Menantea (a pun of Menanti or waiting in Indonesian language).
Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 1
Milennial Type & Adventurer 1
Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 25 Meanwhile, cable TV use is concentrated in several big cities only and among the upper and middle SEC. The low penetration of cable TV is due to low accessibility in terms of location and price, which makes it exclusive to the upper and middle SEC who might live in more urban areas with better digital infrastructure and have more disposable income. Conventional TV still reigns even among Gen Z Our findings also find that radio use is more prevalent among those from upper SEC with 8% use compared to middle and lower SEC with 5% and 4% use. This is probably due to a behavioral pattern, as people listen to radio while driving. Cable TV penetration: Image 4.3 Cable TV penetration in big cities Image 4.2 Gen Z who listen to radio by SEC Upper SEC Middle SEC Lower SEC 8% 5% 4% Gen Z who still listen to radio: Image 4.1 Gen Z who watch TV Gen Z who have watched conventional TV in the past month 82% While streaming platforms have gained popularity in social media, 82% of Gen Z say they have watched conventional TV in the past month. This is true across all socio-economic classification, age, and gender groups, with a slight decrease among the lower SEC.
26 Media Consumption and Online Behavior Digital publishing becomes the second most accessed media among Gen Z after conventional TV, with 42% of Gen Z reporting that they have used digital media outlets in the past month. Newspaper use is only at 4%, with readership concentrated only among the older Gen Z (aged 21 to 24 years old). The shift from conventional to digital media has resulted in the decision from major legacy media outlets in Indonesia to reduce their print production or stop it altogether. More women (44%) access digital media compared to men (40%), which makes digital media use slightly gendered, although in reverse to the trend among Millennials. This can be taken as a good sign and might be beneficial in ushering a more gender balanced newsroom as the media industry in Indonesia nowadays is dominated by male, both in the newsroom and in the news reports – with more male experts cited or featured in panels compared to females. We find that more Gen Z from lower SEC access digital media outlets (51%) compared to those from upper and middle SEC (35% and 41% respectively). Upper SEC Gen Z also still read magazines, even though at a lower rate compared to digital media and newspaper use. Perhaps, magazines speak more about status symbols and connection compared to its informational purpose. IDN Media has achieved gender equality in the company, with 50.6% female workers and 49.4% male workers. 6.5% of all women workers hold leadership position (managerial level and above), compared to 5% of all men workers. Women’s representation in the newsroom helps reduce male-centric reporting and gender bias as well as increasing the amount of female-related stories that the media produces. IDN Media has at least three websites with female readers as their main audience: Popbela.com (pop-culture and lifestyle content), Popmama.com (parenting), and Yummy (food and recipes). Image 4.4 Accessed media among Gen Z Digital publishing Newspaper 42% 2% Image 4.6 Digital media accessed by gender Women Men 44% 40% Image 4.5 Gen Z who access digital media by SEC Lower SEC Middle SEC Upper SEC 51% 41% 35% Image 4.7 IDN media workers by gender Female leaders among female workers 6.5% Male leaders among male workers 5% Male workers (49.4%) Female workers (50.6%) Digital publishing beats newspaper
Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 27 When asked about what topics they look for when they read digital media outlets, Gen Z shows a strong preference for entertainment and lifestyle content compared to hard news. What do Indonesian Gen Z do online? Our finding shows that news and politics readership is concentrated among the older Gen Z (24%) compared to younger Gen Z (14%). Across socio-economic class, news readership is concentrated among the middle class compared to those from upper and lower SEC. Some content is more gendered than others. We find a noticeable difference in digital media consumption among male and female Gen Z. Women are more likely to be interested in content related to food or culinary, fashion, travel, education, and entertainment news in general. Men are more likely to be interested in music, sports, technology, and automotive-related content. Chatting Access social media Listening online music Website browsing Online shopping Movie/video streaming Checking email Using digital map apps Using online transportation apps 90% 86% 58% 55% 52% 47% 40% 40% 34% Image 4.9 Online activity of Indonesian Gen Z Male Female Image 4.10 Topic preferred by gender Male Female 2% 11% Food or culinary Comedy Education Technology Entertainment Male Female 5% 4% Male Female 5% 12% Male Female 7% 2% Male Female 14% 24% Male Female 4% 4% Film Game Health News and politics Pets and animals Male Female 3% 1% Male Female 0% 1% Male Female 20% 20% Male Female 2% 2% Sports Travel Male Female 19% 2% Male Female 1% 7% Male Female 7% 0% Automotive Style Male Female 2% 5% Entertainment first. News is optional and not mandatory for Gen Z Image 4.8 Topic preferred by Gen Z News and politics Entertainment Sports Education Music 20% 18% 11% 8% 8% What topic do Gen Z like? Music Male Female 9% 8%
28 Media Consumption and Online Behavior Smartphones are used by 99% of Gen Z to access the internet, compared to 18% who use laptops and a few other various devices. In 2021, internet penetration in Indonesia reached 74% or 202.6 million users, with mobile internet users taking up most of the bulk with 195.3 million users, according to data from We Are Social and Hootsuite: Digital 2021 Indonesia. Since Indonesian Gen Z rely on mobile devices for their digital activities, choosing the right providers is key. 76% of Gen Z say that they are unwilling to switch their provider, which reflects either strong brand loyalty or convenience due to limited coverage of some providers in the selected area. Leading the mobile revolution with WhatsApp and social media Telkomsel remains the top provider for Gen Z. Post-paid services are only used by a minority (4%) of Gen Z. Chatting and social media are the top two online activities among Indonesian Gen Z when they go online. Messenger applications practically replace traditional SMS as a means of communication among Gen Z, with 99% of Gen Z using WhatsApp, followed by Facebook messenger (44%) and Telegram (34%). Japanese messenger app LINE and Chinese WeChat are only used by 10% of Gen Z in our survey, mostly by older Gen Z, despite their hegemony in their origin country. The majority of Gen Z spend more than one hour daily on social media apps, with more than a quarter saying that they spend more than three hours daily. The figure might be rising amid the pandemic as Indonesia is still facing restrictions, although looser than the previous two years. Tick tick scroll! Indonesian Gen Z and daily social media use Telkomsel Simpati 3 (Tri) IM3 Indosat OOREDOO XL Axiata AXIS Smartfren Telkomsel Kartu As IM3 Indosat OOREDOO Postpaid (postpaid) Telkomsel Halo (postpaid) byU 23% 20% 16% 14% 10% 9% 4% 3% 1% 1% Less than 15 minutes 15 - 30 minutes 31 - 60 minutes 1% 10% 13% 1 - 2 hours 2 - 3 hours More than 3 hours 24% 22% 30% Device used for internet Messenger application used by Gen Z: access: Internet penetration in Indonesia: Smartphones 99% Laptops & others Image 4.14 Messenger application used by Gen Z Image 4.11 Device used for internet access Image 4.12 Internet penetration in Indonesia Image 4.13 Providers used by Gen Z Image 4.15 Daily social media usage for Indonesian Gen Z 18% WhatsApp Facebook Messenger Telegram LINE & WeChat 99% 44% 34% 10%
Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 29 Raffi Ahmad and Nagita Slavina, a celebrity couple, have 60 million followers on their joint Instagram account @raffinagita1717 and 23 million subscribers on YouTube under Rans Entertainment. Celebrity turns into influencers: YouTube is key Baim Wong, formerly known as an actor, has 17 million followers on Instagram and 20 million subscribers on YouTube. Deddy Corbuzier, formerly known as a magician, has 18 million subscribers on his YouTube, where he hosts the Close the Door podcast. Deddy interviews various public figures and even government officials and ministers on the video-podcast. Atta Halilintar, who is now married to Indonesian celebrity Aurel Hermansyah, has 29 million subscribers on YouTube. Ria Ricis has 29 million subscribers on YouTube. Top social media influencers for Indonesian Gen Z Tasya Farasya Baim Wong Anya Geraldine Atta Halilintar Raffi Ahmad Maudy Ayunda Raditya Dika Ria Ricis Deddy Corbuzier We ask the Gen Z about social media influencers that they like, and it turns out that the figures that Indonesian Gen Z like are a mix between social media homegrown influencers and former TV celebrities turned influencers. The top 5 names in our surveys share a commonality: They all have a growing YouTube account which showcases their personal lives. All these figures manage to have strong fan bases by creating parasocial relationships in which they invite their fans into their homes and family. 35% 27% 26% 26% 22% 21% 15% 11% 11%
30 Media Consumption and Online Behavior 3 in 4 Gen Z (74%) uses Instagram daily. This is in line with the trend in the US where teens and young adults prefer Instagram over Facebook, as the latter is more synonymous to old people’s social media. For Gen Z, Instagram’s purpose is not only social (showing a curated person of one’s life and having social interaction on the platform) but also for discovery and as a shopping platform. YouTube follows Instagram as the most popular social media among Gen Z. Some internet providers in Indonesia offer extra or free quota for YouTube, which helps explain its popularity despite video being a data-heavy media. Known as video streaming platform, YouTube has now developed more social features such as allowing users to post text and photos in their feed and introduced “Shorts” to stay relevant amid the success of TikTok. The rise of short video: TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts TikTok is rising as a serious contender against Instagram, with 40% of Gen Z accessing TikTok on a daily basis. Among Indonesian Gen Z, TikTok is more popular for younger Gen Z (43% compared to older one at 36%), lower socio-economic status (44% compared to upper at 32% and middle at 40%), and female (50% compared to male at 31%). It’s safe to say that TikTok is challenging Meta’s dominance over how people spend their time and attention. The Chineseowned social media’s growth has even been mentioned by Mark Zuckerberg himself and in internal documents known as the Facebook papers. Upper SEC Middle SEC Lower SEC 32% 40% 44% Younger Gen Z Older Gen Z 43% 36% Female user Male user 50% 31% Image 4.17 Gen Z who uses Instagram daily Image 4.21 Tiktok user by SEC Image 4.19 Tiktok user by age Image 4.20 Tiktok user by gender Gen Z who uses Instagram on daily basis 74% Image 4.18 Gen Z who uses TikTok daily Gen Z who uses Tiktok on daily basis 40% Social media used by Gen Z Instagram YouTube Facebook TikTok Twitter 74% 59% 56% 40% 9% Snapchat LinkedIn Pinterest Not using any 1% 1% 1% 1% Image 4.16 Social media used by Gen Z
Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 31 NOW LIVE: Gen Z are tuning in for video and live streaming The popularity of Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok is due to Gen Z’s preferences over video-based content and livestream content. There are also several livestreaming-focused platforms such as IDN Live, Bigo, Discord, and Twitch. While Bigo is known for its vulgar content, the rest are more popular in the gaming community as professional or famous players like to stream their playing sessions on the platform. Despite originally being built as a photo-sharing platform, Instagram has now developed more video-focused features, namely IGTV (for long-form video) and Reels (for short video). Instagram also has a livestreaming feature, named IG Live, which is now utilized as more than a platform for social interaction but also as an alternative to Zoom webinars and as a commercial platform. TikTok has taken social media commerce to a new level with TikTok Live and TikTok Shop. If Instagram users have to conduct the actual transaction outside the social media platform, TikTok Shop makes it possible for all commerce activities to take place within its ecosystem. Live Streaming is not exclusive to social media platforms. Content super-app such as IDN App now have a Live feature, allowing content creators to share their content real time with an audience that can reward the streamer with virtual gifts. E-commerce platforms such as Shopee and Tokopedia also have their own live streaming feature, allowing merchants to interact with potential consumers in real time and issuing a special promotion for the viewers too. Image 4.22 Content preferred by Gen Z Types of content that Gen Z like: Video-based content Livestream Audio-based content Text-based content 75% 13% 7% 6%
32 Media Consumption and Online Behavior After Facebook (currently Meta) founder Mark Zuckerberg announced the company’s change of name and direction to focus on metaverse, the word became the latest buzzword in practically the whole internet. However, the metaverse remains a distant concept in Indonesia. Despite the high rate of internet penetration, most Indonesians only rely on smartphones on a daily basis while the use of more advanced gadgets such as VR is still limited. As with other technologies, metaverse is more familiar to those in the upper socioeconomic class compared to others. For instance, while in general only 26% of Gen Z agree that metaverse can replace real-world interaction, the rate is noticeably higher among the upper SEC (34%) compared to middle (24%) and lower (29%) SEC. 21% of Gen Z even agree that metaverse is exclusive, in the sense that it can only be used by certain people. Upper SEC Middle SEC Lower SEC 34% 24% 29% Gen Z who agree that metaverse can replace real-world interaction Image 4.23 Gen Z who agree that metaverse can replace real-world interaction What Metaverse?: A far-fetched dream in Indonesia Agree that metaverse can replace real-world interaction 26% Agree that metaverse is exclusive 21%
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Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 35 What do Gen Z like to do? It depends on money, age, and gender It is interesting that almost nobody considers doing household chores and studying as a part of their routine (not even the students and housewives that make up 44% and 5% of our survey participants). Only 1% of Gen Z from lower SEC consider studying as part of their daily routine, perhaps because they feel the pressure to perform well academically in order to have better grades that will help them gain social mobility in the future. While the interest in shopping is similar across all SEC, online shopping is more dependent on one’s level of affluence. The more affluent a Gen Z is, the more likely they shop online, with upper SEC at 42%, middle SEC at 34%, and lower SEC at 24%. Although at a glance money or disposable income seems to be the most significant reason, other factors such as familiarity with e-commerce platforms and the use to digital financial services such as e-banking, mobile banking app, and e-wallet can be significant too (find deeper elaboration in chapter VI: Finance and Spending Behavior). Our findings show that those from the upper socio-economic class are more likely to have more than a hobby. The affluent Gen Z are also represented in almost every activity in our list. The affluent Gen Z, belonging to the upper socio-economic class, say they are more likely to travel domestically (20%) and internationally (2%). For those in the middle and lower SEC, the rate of domestic travel as a daily routine is only at 12% and 10% respectively. More money, more leisure time, more pleasure: The more affluent you are, the more activities you can afford and incorporate into your daily lives.
36 Entertainment, Hobby, and Leisure Upper SEC 21% 20% 16% Biking Activities preferred by Gen Z’s SEC: Image 5.1 Activities preferred by Gen Z’s SEC Middle SEC 1% 0% 0% Golf 15% 9% 16% Fishing 14% 27% 30% Playing video games 50% 49% 49% Watching movies 65% 74% 60% Watching TV 31% 36% 36% Jogging 24% 27% 23% Shopping 42% 34% 24% Online shopping 23% 25% 26% Cooking 20% 12% 10% Domestic travel 2% 1% 0% International travel 2% 1% 4% Extreme sports 9% 6% 6% Camping 6% 5% 9% Gardening 8% 4% 3% Cultural activities 8% 4% 5% Fitness 17% 24% 31% Team sports 4% 1% 1% Water sports 4% 8% 10% Volunteering 20% 12% 19% Swimming 8% 6% 4% Mountaineering 10% 6% 8% Doing karaoke 19% 21% 23% Watching sports 23% 24% 27% Reading 62% 63% 64% Listening to music 0% 0% 0% Household chores 0% 0% 1% Studying Lower SEC
Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 37 Young adults travel more compared to their late teen counterparts for both domestic travel (16% vs 8%) and international travel (2% vs 0%). The cliche goes, “When you get older you have money and energy but no time. And later when you finally have time and money, you no longer have energy,” but the young adults Gen Z in our survey seem to have it all. Perhaps, it’s due to the amount of financing and promotion that makes travel more affordable for young adults Gen Z. World, let me introduce you to Gen Z: Young adults do more activities, enabled by their own income and freedom. As roughly half of Gen Z in our survey are entering young adulthood and start working or living on their own, it makes sense that these young adults are exploring more compared to their late teen counterparts – who are still dependent on their parents. Image 5.2 Late teen vs. young adult Gen Z’s travel activity 8% 16% Domestic travel 0% 2% International travel Late teens (15~20 years old) Young adults (21 ~25 years old) Activities preferred by late teen and young adult Gen Z: Image 5.3 Activities preferred by late teen and young adult Gen Z 19% Biking 21% 0% Golf 0% 13% Fishing 9% 20% Playing video games 32% 53% Watching movies 46% 72% Watching TV 69% 38% Jogging 33% 30% Shopping 22% 41% Online shopping 26% 31% Cooking 18% 16% Domestic travel 8% 2% International travel 0% 1% Extreme sports 2% 6% Camping 7% 8% Gardening 3% 5% Cultural activities 3% 5% Fitness 5% 22% Team sports 26% 2% Water sports 1% 10% Volunteering 5% 13% Swimming 15% 7% Mountaineering 5% 9% Doing karaoke 4% 24% Watching sports 17% 22% Reading 27% 62% Listening to music 63% 0% Household chores 0% 0% Studying 1% Late teens (15~20 years old) Young adults (21 ~25 years old)
38 Entertainment, Hobby, and Leisure Some activities are more male-dominated than others, such as outdoor and team sports, fishing, camping, mountaineering, and playing video games. Female Gen Z prefer mostly indoor activities such as watching movies or TV, shopping (both online and offline), cooking, reading, and gardening. Even when it comes to sport, there’s a noticeable difference: men are more likely to go out and exercise in a team while women choose simple exercises that can be done individually such as power walking or jogging. Activities preferred by male and female Gen Z: Image 5.4 Activities preferred by male and female Gen Z 16% Biking 23% 0% Golf 1% 1% Fishing 19% 7% Playing video games 41% 53% Watching movies 47% 75% Watching TV 67% 39% Jogging 32% 38% Shopping 17% 44% Online shopping 25% 50% Cooking 4% 13% Domestic travel 12% 1% International travel 1% 1% Extreme sports 2% 3% Camping 10% 9% Gardening 3% 3% Cultural activities 5% 5% Fitness 5% 4% Team sports 41% 1% Water sports 2% 8% Volunteering 8% 13% Swimming 15% 2% Mountaineering 9% 6% Doing karaoke 8% 10% Watching sports 30% 30% Reading 19% 63% Listening to music 63% 0% Household chores 0% 1% Studying 0% Male Female
Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 39 Home is where your hobbies are? As awareness regarding physical and mental health grows amid the pandemic, sports become part of daily routine for 90% of Gen Z in our survey. Most popular form of exercise is jogging, soccer, and cycling – all of which are done outdoors, where the players can worry less about the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Other sports such as golf and tennis have also gained popularity, although mostly in the upper socio-economic classes considering that one has to spend extra expense for the tools and the field. Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, Indonesian Gen Z are taking up new hobbies that can be enjoyed at home. Our surveys find that among these new hobbies are cooking, gardening, watching movies or TV, listening to music, and even aquascaping. Due to its popularity boom, betta fish prices skyrocketed to millions of rupiah from its regular price at Rp 15,000 (about one US dollar). These new hobbies become sort of trends that might come and go, but some remain. In the beginning of the pandemic, a lot of High-demand sports: Welcome to the great outdoor 21% of Gen Z consider watching sports as part of their daily routine. However, only 12% of all Gen Z say that they have no favorite sports at all – meaning that watching sports is one of those activities that people just do even if it’s not their particular interest. Top 5 sport leagues in Indonesia are dominated by soccer people took up cycling due to gym closures and gardening due to being forced to stay at home. However, these two activities have been considered as routine now for one in four Gen Z (26%). Activities that used to be personal like reading have transformed into a community or group activity. Due to newfound love for reading and lack of social activity amid the pandemic, some avid readers started their own virtual book clubs, like the Diversitea Book Club that is dedicated for those who are looking for more diverse reads. As these book clubs are hosted online, there is less pressure for newcomers or those who have not even finished the book. The presence of an online community such as @litbase on Twitter is also helpful for young readers with limited experience and money in order to discuss books even before making an actual purchase. Image 5.6 Gen Z watching sports even they do not have any favourite sports Watching sports as part of daily routine 21% Do not have any favourite sports at all 12% Liga Indonesia (Indonesian Soccer League) Badminton English Premier League Seri A (Italian Soccer League) La Liga (Spain Soccer League) 46% 33% 17% 17% 13% Jogging Soccer Cycling Badminton Volleyball Basketball Futsal Billiard Swimming Aerobic None 43% 32% 23% 15% 6% 5% 2% 1% 1% 0% 10% Image 5.5 Popular sports for Gen Z Image 5.7 Top 5 sport leagues in Indonesia
40 Entertainment, Hobby, and Leisure As Indonesia is loosening restrictions thanks to high vaccination rate and declining number of cases, more than half Gen Z are ready to travel again. While there is a slight difference among upper (58%), middle (52%), and lower (66%) socioeconomic classes, we are seeing a rise of appetite for travel in 2022. Our finding shows that domestic travel, particularly inland, is gaining traction among Gen Z based on their choice of transportation. While airplane still becomes the top choice of transportation (50%), it’s followed closely by car (47%), train (41%), motorcycle (32%), bus (20%), and boat (16%). Given that Indonesia is an archipelagic country, it makes sense that airplane still becomes the top choice as it is necessary for long distance travel. When traveling, transportation became key factors for 76% of Gen Z, even more than health (69%), cleanliness (58%), and paperworks (59%). Budgets seem to be the least concern for Gen Z, with only 2% –all belonging to the middle and lower SEC– saying they are considering budget as an important factor. As the Indonesian government is loosening COVID-19 restrictions by erasing paperwork requirements for travel, we might see even more Gen Z exploring new and old destinations in the country. Upper SEC Middle SEC Lower SEC Image 5.8 Gen Z who are ready to travel by SEC 58% 52% 66% Image 5.9 Concerns for Gen Z when traveling Concerns for Gen Z when they are traveling: Image 5.10 Top choice transportation for domestic travel Top choice transportation for domestic travel: Airplane 50% Car 47% Train 41% Motorcycle 32% Bus 20% Boat 16% Lost in wanderlust: 55% Gen Z are ready to travel in 2022 Who are ready to travel again? Transportation Health Paperworks Cleanliness Budgets 76% 69% 59% 58% 2%
Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 41 As Gen Z is known for their mobile-first behavior, choosing a reliable travel-booking app is crucial. Our finding shows that Traveloka is the top choice for Gen Z when it comes to securing their tickets and making online reservations (61%), as well as booking hotels (53%). Traveloka has become a favorite among Gen Z, beating local and global rivals, because it offers almost everything one needs for a trip, from the transportation to experiences that one can enjoy during vacation. Not only does it cover the activity part of the travel, Traveloka also offers financing choice with the buy now pay later (BNPL) scheme. Indonesia has a plethora of natural wonders for tourists and travelers, and it’s no wonder that visiting natural attractions has become a top pick among Gen Z (81%). Given that Gen Z is more active on social media, the natural wonders provide them a good opportunity to create worthwhile content as well. Culinary tour trails nature as the second most popular choice with 66%, followed by city tour (49%), culture (43%), and staycation (40%). While people might have to spend more time visiting natural attractions, culinary, city, cultural tour, and staycation are more practical and can be done as a one-day trip. Several groups have offered guided walking tours in various cities, such as Jakarta Good Guide that offers dozens of routes for those who wish to explore the nook and cranny of the capital city. Image 5.11 Gen Z’s Traveloka usage Buy tickets and make online reservations 61% Book hotels 53% Image 5.13 Top travel priorities Nature 81% Culinary 66% City Tour 49% Culture 43% Popular platforms for traveling: Image 5.12 Popular platforms for traveling Tickets and reservation Hotel booking 53% Traveloka 61% 25% Tiket.com 36% 13% PegiPegi 15% KAI Access 13% 8% Booking.com 11% 11% Agoda 7% 3% Trip.com 4% Redbus 4% 22% Reddoorz 16% OYO 4% TripAdvisor 3% AirBnb 3% ZEN Rooms Nature and culinary are top travel priorities Traveloka is #1 travel app for Gen Z, followed by Tiket.com Staycation 30%
42 Entertainment, Hobby, and Leisure YouTube is top choice to stream music, beating JOOX and Spotify In the age of streaming, YouTube (65%) beats music-specific platforms such as JOOX (25%), Spotify (20%), and even YouTube Music (13%) itself. This is in line with our previous finding of YouTube as the second most used social media in Indonesia. However, the use of dedicated music streaming platforms such as JOOX and Spotify is more prevalent among Gen Z compared to their Millennial counterparts. YouTube owes its popularity as a music-streaming service due to the fact that it comes as a preloaded application on most phones (as opposed to JOOX and Spotify, which users have to download first) and that it is free to access, both in terms of content and internet connection. 94% of Gen Z use their smartphone to listen to music, leaving other devices like television (13%), laptop (10%), MP3 player (7%), radio (4%) and CD player (1%) far behind. Image 5.14 Devices used to listen to music Image 5.15 Platforms used to listen to music Most popular devices used to listen to music: Popular platforms used to listen to music: YouTube 66% JOOX 25% Spotify 20% Youtube Music 13% Free being the imperative here considering that only 30% of Gen Z are interested in paying for subscriptions for music. 10% of Gen Z even say that they don’t use any platform to listen to music, which leads to the assumption that they are enjoying pirated music. Still, the willingness to pay for a music subscription service is higher among Gen Z compared to Millennials, with only 23% saying that they are willing to spend extra dime for music. The preference toward free content and platform explains why YouTube’s use far exceeds YouTube Music, which is only accessible for premium users who pay for subscription. Image 5.16 Gen Z’s interest in music subscription Don’t use any platform to listen to music 10% Smartphone Television Laptop 94% 13% 10% MP3 player Radio CD player 7% 4% 1% Gen Z Millennials 30% 23% Which generation are more interested in music subscription?
Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 43 Less than 1 in 3 Gen Z (30%) say they are willing to pay for music subscriptions. Almost half Gen Z (45%) say that they are not interested in paying for music subscriptions. Our finding shows that willingness to pay for music subscriptions does not correlate with one’s socio-economic classification. Among the upper SEC, the interest to pay for music subscription is merely at 20%, with 35% among the middle SEC and 17% among the lower SEC. Perhaps for the middle class, paying for music has also become a status symbol – providing an extra motivation to subscribe. Image 5.17 Gen Z who are willing to pay for music subscriptions Willing to pay Not interested 30% 45% Pop remains oh-so-popular among Gen Z Gen Z who choose Pop as their favourite music genre 60% When it comes to taste, our finding shows that the most popular music genre among Gen Z is, of course, pop (60%). Quite a significant population (16%) says that they have no preference and enjoy all genres. There’s also some (9%) who listen to Top 40 or whatever is on the radio. In our view, this might explain why some Gen Z forgo music subscriptions or online concerts as only few have favorite musicians or artists whose works they truly enjoy. To sum up, “Why bother?” We find the same pattern in willingness to buy tickets for online or virtual concerts, with only 21% are interested in buying tickets for online concerts. But when the Millennials have a musician or artist that they support, they will go all out. In 2022, Justin Bieber announced the Justice World Tour which includes Jakarta, Indonesia, as one of the stops. The tickets were sold out within minutes after a fiasco with the e-commerce platform that provided the ticket, prompting an additional second date, which was also sold out. In hindsight, the promoter should’ve seen it coming as in our survey, Justin Bieber is the most popular international singer among the Gen Z – beating Adele, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, and Ed Sheeran. Gen Z who are interested in buying tickets for online concerts 21% Upper SEC Middle SEC Lower SEC 20% 35% 17% Gen Z who are willing to pay for subscription: Music subscription interest by SEC:
44 Entertainment, Hobby, and Leisure The Hallyu question: 24% of Gen Z are interested in K-Pop K-Pop seems to take the world by storm, including in Indonesia. One in four (24%) of Indonesian Gen Z are actually interested in listening to K-Pop. This seems to be a relatively low number considering the fact that some local brands are using or have used K-Pop idols as their ambassador in the past year, such as Tokopedia with BTS. However, it’s still higher than the rate of Millennials who say they are interested in listening to K-Pop at 14%. The most popular Korean idols among the Gen Z who are interested in K-Pop are: BTS, BLACKPINK, and IU. Some Gen Z even specify names from their idol groups, such as Lisa from BLACKPINK and Jungkook and Taehyung (also known as V) from BTS. 32% of Gen Z say they listen to podcasts. Of these podcast listeners, most tune in for entertainment topics such as comedy and drama. However, 1 in 3 podcast listeners say that they listen to podcasts to follow news and politics. There are also those who follow specific topics such as culture (30%), health (26%), business (26%), sports (23%), investigative journalism (19%) and even religion (17%). Image 5.19 Popular topics Gen Z listen on podcast Popular topics Gen Z listen on podcast: 1 in 3 Gen Z listen to podcast, mostly for fun Comedy News and politics Society and culture Health and fitness 64% 31% 30% 26% Business Sports Journalism Religion 26% 23% 19% 17% Gen Z who listen to podcasts 32% Gen Z Millennials 24% 14% Which generation are more interested in K-Pop? Image 5.18 Generation who are interested in K-Pop In Indonesia, some podcasts are not only available in audio format but also in video. This allows the podcast to be published on YouTube too, which helps them reach an even bigger audience compared to audio-streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcast, and Google Podcast.
Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022 45 97% of Gen Z like to watch movies, with comedy, action, and horror as the most popular genre among the Gen Z. 8% say that they have no preference at all and enjoy watching all genres. Only 3% of Gen Z say that they don’t really like watching movies. 69% of Gen Z say that they watch movies on TV. Almost half of Gen Z (49%) watch movies on the internet, but only 31% use streaming apps. 35% of Gen Z watch movies at the cinemas, which might seem to be a low number but understandable considering that Indonesian cinemas only began to start operating again in mid-2021 with limited capacities. 7% of Gen Z still watch movies on DVD. Image 5.22 How Gen Z watch movies How Gen Z watch movies: Image 5.20 Gen Z who like watching movies Image 5.21 Popular movie genres among Gen Z Popular movie genres among Gen Z: On TV On internet At cinemas Use streaming apps On DVD 69% 49% 35% 31% 7% Movies: Comedies, action, and drama still reign on the big screen Enjoy watching all genres 8% Like movies Do not like movies 97% 3% Comedy 45% Action 43% Horror 39% Drama 36% Romance 32% Animation 19% Thriller 16% Musical 10% Fiction 9% Sciencefiction 5%
