Lenovo’s first Think Report found that many Millennial and Gen Z workers worldwide are struggling to think beyond survival mode. What does this mean for the workplace?
Deep thinking is giving way to survival thinking, according to a Lenovo study
The ability to think clearly, deeply and productively is one of the most valuable professional skills in the workplace today—but it’s also becoming one of the most endangered. In honor of the Lenovo ThinkPad’s 30th anniversary, Lenovo partnered with Zeno to survey a global audience on the state of thinking. And the findings were concerning.
While there is a significant sense of optimism around the power of thinking to help us make better decisions, be kinder and problem-solve together, a significant ‘thinking gap’ has emerged among younger workers. Just 34% of all 5,700+ respondents reported that they spend all or most of their thinking time in clear, deep and productive thinking.
Not surprisingly, the past several years have seen a decline in people’s ability to think deeply and reflectively. The study, which focused on Millennial and Gen Z workers in the U.S., U.K., Germany and Japan, found that many people are burned out, struggling to make ends meet and fatigued. Because of this, their thought lives are revolving around these immediate challenges rather than the deeper, more meaningful types of thinking that can lead to better outcomes.
One concern that comes through in Lenovo’s Think Report is that the compromises these young people have had to make in their thinking to cope with the pressures of 2020 onward are not temporary. Rather, they seem to represent a shift away from higher-order thinking in the workplace and beyond.
What we’re thinking
The study defined four types of thinking that young people wish they could engage in more often:
1. Critical Thinking: Ability to evaluate facts from opinions and true information from false
2. Collaborative Thinking: Openly engaging with and building on the ideas of others (e.g., brainstorming, discussion groups, etc.)
3. Reflective Thinking: Introspective thinking, in which one is aware of and evaluates themselves and their lives, as well as how their actions may impact others
4. Higher Order Thinking: Clear, deep, productive thinking
Instead, many young people find themselves stuck in practical/survival thinking, which the report defines as “a compromised mindset.” Tellingly, 76% of U.S. respondents say that the ability to think quickly and multi-task is ‘extremely important.’ While these abilities may sound positive, they’re actually antithetical to the kind of deep, meaningful thought that leads to the best results.
Why is survival thinking on the rise? Fewer than 1 in 5 individuals today feel their life is getting easier, while 4 in 5 feel their life is either getting harder or staying the same. Most respondents cited the pandemic and social unrest of the past several years as the reason their thinking has been negatively impacted.
For U.S. respondents, other obstacles to what the study calls ‘clear/deep/productive thinking’ include having too many things on the mind (63%), distractions (62%), fatigue (58%), burnout (56%) and not feeling mentally healthy (55%). This segment reports losing over two and a half hours daily due to their inability to think effectively.
Another factor hampering young people’s ability to think is the ‘tech clutter’ in the workplace, caused by the unplanned remote work experiment of the pandemic. Tech clutter refers to a plethora of helpful tools, but little knowledge or preparation to use them effectively. This contributes to distraction and multitasking, both enemies of deep thinking.
Thinking strategies
When asked, “If it meant better thinking, how would you change your life?”, participants would consider spending more time outside (72%), reading more (67%), exercising more (66%), meditating more (60%), spending less time on social media (60%) and looking for technology to assist their quality of thinking (56%).
The study also defined conventional and unconventional strategies that young people would employ in order to improve their quality of thought. In the U.S., the top four conventional strategies are:
1. To go to a quiet place
2. To listen to music
3. To be present
4. To spend time in nature
Unconventional strategies that U.S. respondents were willing to try include:
1. Improving posture
2. Adding more greenery to space
3. Doodling, painting or drawing
4. Cutting out sugar consumption
5. Clothing that helps motivate
Thinking at work
If you’re in any position of leadership at work, the thinking gap among younger workers should have you worried. By 2030, Millennials and Gen Z could comprise almost 75% of the workforce. Employees who cannot think in modes beyond that of survival will be less innovative, less resilient, less collaborative and less able to cope with the challenges of everyday work.
What we think drives everything we do. Burnout and fatigue were among the top reasons that respondents could not think clearly, deeply or productively. Not having the time, energy or space to think deeply could have catastrophic effects on both the personal lives and professional performance of your team. Maybe it already has.
So what can organizations do about it? Employees should be encouraged to balance their use of technology with the time and space to be alone with their thoughts. For in-person workplaces, quiet environments designated for thinking will demonstrate the organization’s commitment to a healthy thought life and encourage employees to make use of the space. Leaders can also model a healthy balance of using technology and unplugging from it at regular intervals to clear their mind.
Of course, thinking is not just a solo endeavor. Collaborative thinking, such as brainstorming, is vital for new ideas to emerge and problems to be solved. To increase the standard of thought in the workplace, leaders should ensure that their teams are thinking together rather than in siloes.
Better thinking, better world
When asked about their perspective on high-quality thinking, U.S. respondents resoundingly value (86%), enjoy (82%) and benefit from (85%) clear/deep/productive thinking. They believe it will help them make better decisions (86%), help their mental wellbeing (85%), help them feel present/patient (84%) and increase their self awareness (84%). High-quality thinking is closely connected with one’s ability to achieve not just professional goals, but also personal objectives.
Across all markets, nearly 80% of respondents believe that societies need to develop new approaches to thinking. The good news is, we all have the capacity to improve our level of thinking. Finding a quiet place, utilizing the creative side of our brain, using technology wisely and fostering a learning & development culture can all contribute to better thinking—and the better world that we all want to create.
