At work, younger generations expect more

The past year has been rife with evolving ideas about what future workplaces might look like. There’s been a shift in what workers expect from their jobs and who those workers are. And this shift is being powered by Gen Z workers, who bring new energy and a different mindset to the workplace.

By 2025, more than a fourth of the workforce will be Gen Z (people born between 1997 and 2012). The younger cohort of workers is more vocal and diverse than its predecessors and is prioritizing pay and work-life balance. Gen Z expects something completely different in the workforce than the generations before them.

Gen Z workers are struggling with financial anxiety and pushing for more purposeful and flexible work, according to a Deloitte Gen Z and Millennial report. Those who were satisfied with their employers’ societal and environmental impact said they are more likely to want to stay with their employer, according to the Deloitte report.

Employees are no longer interested in burning the midnight oil, said Mandy Price, co-founder and CEO of Kanarys, a tech company that provides organizations with diversity, equity and inclusion data.

“They're not looking to be at an organization and be there long-term for 20, 30 years," Price said of Gen Z workers. "The way they think of the workforce and their place in it is just very, very different."