The Future Report

Here at McCrindle, we often describe ourselves as social researchers. This area of work can be defined as a field that offers a unique lens into understanding human behaviour, societal trends, and the dynamics that shape our communities. In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with McCrindle’s Research Lead, Steph Razey, to discuss her reflections and experiences gathered from yea...

In an era marked by rising education costs and growing concerns about the financial stability of future generations, grandparents are emerging as crucial pillars of support. While their commitment to their grandchildren's education is unwavering, a recent study that we conducted for the Futurity Investment Group has unearthed fascinating insights into the financial aspects of this support syst...

Our world is experiencing the biggest generational change since the birth of the Post-war Baby Boomers.  In today’s workforce, we have the Baby Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y and Generation Z all mixing. It is critical to understand the attitudes, values and expectations of the diverse generations. In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with McCrindle’s Managing Director, So...

Generation Alpha describes the current generation of children born since 2010. With over 2.8 million births worldwide every week, they are projected to become the largest generation in history, surpassing two billion by 2025. Generation Alpha already holds considerable brand influence and purchasing power. They shape the social media landscape, influence popular culture, and drive consumer trends....

In the realm of modern workforce dynamics, understanding how employees engage with self-learning, feedback, and professional development is paramount for fostering a thriving workplace culture. Each generation have a nuanced approach to work with distinct approaches they take towards these integral aspects of their careers. In recent times, Gen Z has been accused of needing constant validation fro...

Generation Y, also known as the Millennials, are a generation who have chosen differently when it comes to traditional life markers by delaying marriage, children, and the purchasing of their first home. This generation are currently in their family forming years, now pursuing leadership roles. They are the parents of Generation Alpha, and are a highly innovative, technological, and social generat...

Generation X describes those born between 1965 and 1979, which currently places them in their early forties to mid-fifties. They witnessed the introduction of computers in schools and homes, becoming the first generation to experience working parents and higher rates of divorce. Termed the “latch-key kids” and the “home alone generation,” they developed independence, flexibility, and a peer-orient...

Today’s Baby Boomers are the ultimate ‘downagers'; redefining expectations of their life stage, and reinventing retirement. They are buying and selling property later in life and remaining active in the workforce later than ever before. This is all a response to the improved life and health realities – otherwise known as the longevity boom. In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits d...

Those tasked with the important job of parenting Generation Alpha are likely to be those of Generations X and Y. While most Baby Boomers were shaped in households where fewer mums worked outside the home, today the majority of parents are two-income earning. Along with the massive increase in the proportion of mums working full-time, expectations towards fathers have also changed, as many have bec...

Gathering together remains an important part of the cultural makeup of Australia. However, the place in which community is found has evolved. When you think about where the heart of the community is for you, maybe it is the local park or sports ground, perhaps it’s a cafe, or even the local shopping centre. In the wake of the pandemic, the way communities come together has evolved, reshaping the s...

Here at McCrindle, we believe data tells a story. While we work with numbers and statistics on a daily basis, we are also acutely aware that these numbers represent people’s beliefs, opinions, and values. They paint a picture of the varying sentiments across people groups, and can help guide strategic thinking. One way that statistics and stories can add real value is to a company’s public relatio...

Welcome back to another season of The Future Report podcast! To kick this one off, we’re delving into two topics that we’ve conducted some recent research on, both of which reveal a lot about our society - tattoos and coffee. Our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with McCrindle’s Managing Director, Sophie Renton, to discuss these fun and interesting findings.

Obtaining a quality education is incredibly valuable. Not only does education equip us with knowledge, it equips us with friendships, opportunities for to develop leadership qualities, ways to contribute, and most importantly, the ability to learn. But, how much of a financial impact does providing a quality education have? This was the purpose of the research we conducted on behalf of Futurity In...

How important do you think statistics are? We, of course, believe that they are incredibly important - but perhaps not everyone feels the same way. However, research, numbers, and statistics do have the opportunity to effect real change. Why? Because behind the statistics are real people and their stories. And stories are powerful. In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with soci...

Choosing a name for your child is a huge decision! It’s very personal, and with more naming options than ever before, it can be hard. Analysing baby names over time also paints a fascinating snapshot of that era. While the Builders generation (born before 1945) chose traditional names such as Peter, Paul, John, Karen, Jennifer or Sharon for their children, in the 1980s, we saw Baby Boomer and Gen...

Like many other aspects of society, marketing has changed over time. Cutting-edge technologies are changing how organisations connect with consumers.   But it's not just about technology - there is also the human side of marketing, and how consumers have changed over time. All of this is reshaping the landscape as we know it. In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with McCrin...

Economic uncertainty, the rising cost of living, and rising interest rates are having impacts on Australians, as well as the "recessionette" environment that we find ourselves in. Despite these tough times, people still have financial dreams, goals and aspirations. In today's episode, our host, Ashley Fell, sits down with social researcher and futurist, Mark McCrindle, to discuss som...

Never in the history of the world has education been more accessible, more flexible, and more vulnerable to disruption. That’s why, in the latest instalment of our future of education study, we chose to not only identify these disrupters to the future of education, but also the unique opportunities that flow from them, so that we can all play a part in equipping students to thrive in this changing...

The waves of change impacting the education sector are perhaps unparalleled. There are the demographic trends of new generations entering the classroom, combined with the challenges of attracting and retaining younger staff, technological transformations, social changes, funding challenges, global influences, empowered parents (and students) and the growing expectation of holistic student developm...

Although it seems like Artificial Intelligence has only been on our radar for the last couple of years, it has in fact been something talked about and considered for decades. In recent years, AI has been utilised in the background, but now with it becoming more accessible and its use widespread, what does it mean for the way humans work and the type of work they will do in the future? It’s an impo...

Every generation has different characteristics. They have different motivators, preferences, and ways of engaging with companies. Learning about these is vital for organisations to remain relevant for the future. This is especially the case for not-for-profits and charities, who rely on donors and supporters to continue to do great work in our communities. Our latest report about the not-for-profi...

Australia has long been blessed with stable governments, high-functioning democracy, and the rule of law. However, what actively enables the flourishing of our society is not just government and its agencies, or even our local communities, but the for-purpose sector. While the retail sector facilitates vitally needed communities of interaction, and our diverse local suburbs for many are communitie...

According to a recent study, the average amount of time that an employee stays in one job is now down to two years and nine months. This means that for a school leaver today, who will live longer and work later into their life, we predict that they will have 18 jobs, across 6 careers, in their lifetime. Now when we share this forecast, sometimes people audibly gasp in shock. And that’s understanda...

Generation Z describes those born between the years of 1995 and 2009. That places them in their late teens and twenties, today. People in this life stage are often viewed as a bit of an enigma by other generations – particularly those older than them. They wear different fashions, they listen to different music and at times it can feel like they speak a different language. While their age does pla...

It is undisputed that the world of work is undergoing a massive transformation. From artificial intelligence to robotics and automation, what humans currently do and what we will be doing for work in the future is changing. Yet, it is not only technological shifts that are having big impacts on the workforce. Although they redefine our world, social and demographic changes also have profound impli...