What Today’s Workforce Really Wants

Key Points

- All employees, but especially younger generations in the workforce, increasingly want a lot more from their job than a good salary.

- Millennials and Gen-Zers want to work for organizations that consistently reflect their values.

- To keep their workforce onboard, organizations need to be passionate about creating a DEI workplace.

The reality of today’s workforce is more nuanced than just money

For decades, employers have worked on the assumption that employees’ primary, even only, motivation when choosing (or staying in) a job is money – and more of it, if they can climb up that greasy corporate ladder.

But the reality of today’s workforce, especially its younger generations, is often much more nuanced. Survey after survey may show that the top priority of most school or university leavers when seeking work is a fair salary but they are looking for a lot more on top of this. (1) As one Gen Z employee puts it: “[Where work used to be about what employees could offer companies], now it’s all about what Gen Zers are expecting from work.” (2)

Gen Zers and Millennials are choosy and value-driven

Deloitte’s 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey reveals that Gen Zers and Millennials are, above all, “choosy” and not prepared to jump into any old job just because the pay is halfway decent. (3) They want to work for companies whose values align with their own and will even walk away from a job if they feel the organisation isn’t a great match. And diversity, equity and inclusivity (DEI) is perhaps the key value here: Gen Zers, Millennials and, in fact, everyone wants to be in a workplace that reflects – and respects – their cohort, their world ... themselves as a whole person. They will research a company’s DEI data and reputation before applying for a job; they will look closely at the people across the table from them in an interview; and, once in a job, they will continuously assess how comfortable and recognised they feel in the organisation... and then adjust their plans accordingly.