But are you up to the job? Mark’s article, “Gen Z Wants To Change The World—At Your Company,” published at Forbes.com on December 10, 2019.

“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi

Generation Z is taking Mahatma Gandhi’s wisdom to heart—and their career choices are reflecting it. According to a recent study by Girls With Impact, fully 45% of Gen-Zers want to work for a company that makes a positive difference in the world. They also intend to donate some of their earnings to the causes they care about, thus making a double impact.

Born between the early 1990s and mid-2000s, Gen Z comprises roughly 33% of the world’s population and is projected to overtake Millennials in sheer numbers this year. The impressive size of this generation makes it imperative for employers to understand, engage, and retain them.

Paycheck is important, but purpose is key. Gen-Zers are seeking purpose in their work at a much higher rate than previous generations, for whom pay was almost always the most important consideration. Yes, the workforce’s youngest generation wants financial security, but they are not willing to sacrifice their vision of a better world to pay the bills.

Simply put, Gen Z doesn’t want to work for a company where pursuit of the almighty dollar is the only outcome. They want more—and that’s a good thing.

Be the company Gen Z wants to work for

A company culture of giving back has always been foundational to attracting and retaining talented workers, but today, companies must take an even more proactive approach. Younger workers are searching for impact-driven companies who vocally champion a better world and take practical steps to effect positive change. Here are three ways your own company can meet their needs:

• Value their commitment. Gen Z’s passion for effecting positive change is something to be lauded, not judged or dismissed. Their compassion for marginalized groups and causes is just one more reason to appreciate and encourage their positive, new roles in the world.
• Brand your cause. Find a philanthropic niche and make it part of your brand with all your stakeholders. Meaningful charitable partnerships can create an added sense of purpose for both the customers you serve—and the people you hire to serve them.
• Create opportunities for innovation. With 65% of Gen Z wanting to personally create something world-changing, they’re motivated to seek out a workplace that will embrace and empower that inventive spirit. Girls With Impact recommends that educators replace STEM with STEEM—science, technology, engineering, entrepreneurship, and mathematics—and that employers inspire Gen-Z workers to drive internal intrapreneurship.

Younger workers know when a company’s charitable involvement is rote—or real. Gen Z is here to truly make a difference, so why not help them shake the world by becoming the company they want to work for?

Read at Forbes.com

About The Author

Mark Perna

Mark C. Perna is an international speaker and bestselling author. He also serves as CEO of TFS Results, a strategic consulting firm at the forefront of the national paradigm shift in education and workforce development.

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