together rising

Older generations can be swift to dismiss youngsters, but when it comes to Millennials and Generation Z, common stereotypes about young people being lazy and narcissistic don’t hold much water.

For one thing, scientific research shows that generational differences are often more myth than reality. Rather than being a “Me Me Me Generation,” students currently entering college and young professionals entering the workforce are driven by a desire to make a positive impact on their local communities, and the world.

According to Deloitte’s 2022 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, nearly a quarter of Gen Z respondents chose to work for their employer because they offered a positive culture, and nearly two in five Millennials and Gen Zers turned down a job or assignment because it didn’t align with their personal values. A full 90% of Millennials and Gen Z say they are making at least some effort in their personal lives to reduce their impact on the environment, and they expect their employers and the businesses they buy from to do the same.

With Millennials and Gen Z now representing the majority of employees in the workforce, their desires are hard to ignore, but there is a payoff for companies that make an effort to meet their needs. Sixty-six percent of Gen Zers will stay at their organization for five years or more when they feel empowered and heard in the workplace.

All of this is why Dr. Abe Baksheshy, a professor of Organizational Behavior in the Entrepreneurship and Strategy Department at the David Eccles School of Business gets really hot under the collar when he hears people criticizing or dismissing the capabilities of younger students and workers.

“It drives me crazy when people make a statement like, ‘Millennials or Gen Z are lazy or entitled,’” Bakhsheshy said. “It’s just not true. The research does not support that.”

A Generation Built to Make an Impact

Millennials (born between 1981 and 2000) and Gen Z (born after 2001) came of age in a more socially conscious world, Bakhsheshy said. More of them have college-educated parents than previous generations, and many of them are digital natives with no memory of the world before smartphones. That access to technology means access to more information about environmentalism, racism, sexism, mental health, and political polarization.

“They look at us and say, ‘Wait a second, you guys didn’t do such a great job,’” said Bakhsheshy, who is a Baby Boomer himself.

That disillusionment with the way things have always been done is especially pronounced for the members of Gen Z, who are now starting college or getting their first jobs. Once on track to inherit a strong economy and record low unemployment, COVID-19 changed the landscape of the world they are entering. According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in March 2020, half of the oldest Gen Zers (ages 18 to 23) reported that they or someone in their household had lost their job or taken a pay cut because of the pandemic.

Because the system failed them, Bakhsheshy said, Millennials and Gen Zers don’t buy into the system the same way older generations did. And what those older generations perceive as laziness, entitlement, or disengagement is actually younger generations looking for new ways of doing things that prioritize equality, flexibility, and positive impact over profits and corporate loyalty. According to a survey conducted by Monster, 74% of Gen Z workers ranked purpose in their job as more important than a paycheck.

“This generation saw what happened in corporate America, what’s happening around the world, and it’s caused them to be more civic-minded,” Bakhsheshy said. “They want to know how they can make a difference for other people and leave a footprint.”

Delivering the Impact Younger Generations Expect

One way to understand the impact Millennials and Gen Zers want to have as employees is to look at their behavior as consumers, Bakhsheshy said. For example, two-thirds of Millennials and Gen Zers say they prefer to buy sustainable products – and they are willing to pay more for them. A quarter of Millennials and Gen Zers say they buy more from socially responsible companies, while only 8% of Baby Boomers say they care about the same thing. And, with their social-media savvy, Millennials and Gen Zers are not afraid to call out companies that don’t walk the talk. On the flip side, they are just as likely to become advocates and ambassadors for companies that are authentic, transparent, and honest in their efforts to make positive social change.

The tactics companies use to attract younger consumers are the same things they should do to attract younger employees, Bakhsheshy said.

“They are also likely to want to work for those companies, not just buy from them,” he said. “I don’t buy this nonsense that they are only interested in money. Just look at this generation. They want to make a difference.”

That means companies – and older workers – need to shift the focus from maximizing profits to building team-oriented, purpose-driven environments with plenty of coaching and mentoring opportunities that can help younger workers develop as employees, and as people.

Most importantly, the time for companies to start changing is now, Bakhsheshy said. With Millennials representing 42% of the current workforce and Gen Zers accounting for 30% of the current workforce, companies can’t afford to stay stuck in their ways for long.

“It’s no longer ‘My way or the highway.’ Maybe in earlier generations they got away with that, but not this generation,” Bakhsheshy said. “These younger workers have to feel they are making a difference in the lives of others and that their job is meaningful to them.”

Building Impact-Oriented Workplaces that Last

Millennials and Gen Zers have a clear picture of what they want from their jobs and employers, Bakhsheshy said, and they are willing to move between companies, delay accepting a job, or even take a pay cut to get what they want. One thing they won’t do, though, is settle. So, it’s time for employers to get on board with the impact-oriented outlook of their next generation of workers.

One thing companies need to get used to? Millennial and Gen Z workers are not interested in sacrificing everything for a company or a job – especially if that loyalty is not reciprocal. Forty percent of Gen Zers in the workplace want to interface with their bosses every day, Bakhsheshy’s research shows, while 84% of them expect their employer to provide formal education and training opportunities.

“Employers have to get to know these young men and women personally,” Bakhsheshy said. “They can’t be numbers anymore.”

The payoff, however, will far outweigh the effort of transitioning to the impact-oriented, personal way of doing business that Millennials and Gen Zers prefer, Bakhsheshy said. Overcoming outdated perceptions of what productivity looks like, and leaving behind incorrect stereotypes of what younger generations are capable of, can help companies attract the employees and the customers they need to thrive in a new corporate landscape where doing good is one of the most important measures of success.

To Bakhsheshy, the choice is obvious, and his message to companies that want to change to meet the needs and expectations of younger workers is simple: It won’t be as hard as you think. But for companies not willing to transition to an impact-oriented way of doing business that puts people over profits, his warning is dire.

“You don’t want to change?” Bakhsheshy said. “You’ll be history in no time.” ■

11 Ways to Make a Positive Impact in Your Workplace

Get to know your coworkers.

Show up to company events.

Treat others with respect.

Facilitate better communication.

Develop and use problem-solving skills.

Try to be more empathetic.

Offer to help.

Speak up when you notice something.

Have a positive attitude.

Seek and accept feedback.

Identify your own strengths and weaknesses.