The younger generations—Millennials and Gen Z—have very different attitudes towards work than their predecessors, and they are prepared to stand up for what they believe on the job.
Key Details
- A new Deloitte study finds that younger generations are willing to be more confrontational against employers—rejecting assignments, turning down job offers, etc.—to live up to their beliefs.
- This year’s annual Deloitte Global Gen Z and Millennial Survey found young employees want to be morally and ethically aligned with the companies they work for and to drive societal change through their jobs.
- The survey notes that respondents say employers have made notable progress on issues they care about, including diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), building proper work-life balances, and addressing social issues.
Why It’s Important
It is no surprise that young people do not share the values of older generations. Many Millennials and Zoomers have a very different life philosophy than their elders and prefer to find meaning in life outside of work. They have largely led the ongoing “Quiet Quitting” and “Great Resignation” phenomena, contributing to ongoing worker shortages and creating concerns about productivity.
Deloitte claims that nearly four in 10 respondents have rejected work assignments due to their ethical concerns, and more than a third have rejected job offers due to concerns about mental health, environmentalism, or diversity. Less than half of respondents say big businesses’ impact on society is positive, Fortune notes.
Studies have shown that Millennials and Zoomers are difficult to employ and require special attention to open dialogs between them and older generations. However, many companies have attempted to embrace the ideals of the new generations—embracing remote work opportunities, meeting their needs and expectations, and embracing changes to the workplace.
Notable Quote
“Gen Zers and millennials want to take part in driving change through their individual work–and they are more likely to stay in their current organization when they feel empowered to do so. In fact, respondents have indicated for some time that they are more confident in influencing societal change through their work rather than through their personal choices. Yet only half of this year’s respondents feel empowered to drive change at work, while one-third say that decisions are made from the top down within their organizations and that their feedback is not often acted upon,” writes Deloitte representative Elizabeth Faber.
