This summer, for the first time, the majority of those graduating from school and becoming part of the workforce are part of Generation Z. And now they’re speaking up about what they want in the workplace.
A new study from Door of Clubs, a campus recruiter used by CVS, Bank of America, and other major companies, is shedding light on the things the newest employees want from their employers.
In what may be the largest survey yet of Generation Z, the startup polled 5,000 students from more than 100 colleges who will soon be entering the workforce. And some of what they had to say may surprise you.
The No. 2 employer benefit that is important to Gen Z, second only to healthcare, is mentorship. More young employees want a mentor program in the workplace than care about time off or the ability to work remotely.
“What we didn’t see coming is the importance that Gen Z places in mentorship,” Door of Clubs writes in a Medium post about the survey. “Going back just a few years, mentorship would hardly be considered a benefit, let alone be ranked as a top consideration.”
Gen Z also opened up about what inspires their loyalty. If you want to prevent the job-hopping that young professionals have become known for, salary is a factor but it’s not the most important one. Traditional retention strategies, such as growth potential/promotions, are part of the equation. But the biggest key to getting them to stay put for more than three years is an empowering workplace culture.
They also want to work for companies that are purpose-driven; they want an employer that supports the causes they believe in. The societal issues they hold most dear reflect both the time we live in and the nature of Gen Z itself: The most racially diverse generation in history cares about equality more than any other cause, by far. The rest of the causes they want their employer to support include the environment, health, students, and poverty.