What's the key to Gen Z and millennial employees' job satisfaction?

Having a sense of purpose at work is an important factor for the job satisfaction and wellbeing of Gen Z and millennial employees, according to a new Deloitte report.

The report, which surveyed nearly 23,000 respondents across 44 countries, revealed that 86% of Gen Zs and 89% of millennials find having a sense of purpose at work as somewhat/very important for job satisfaction and wellbeing.

In fact, 50% of Gen Zs and 43% of millennials have rejected an assignment based on their personal ethics or beliefs.

Another 44% of Gen Zs and 40% of millennials even rejected a potential employer for similar reasons, according to the report.

Among the common reasons for rejecting assignments and employers include environmental impact or contributing to inequality through non-inclusive practices.

"This speaks to how important it is for an organisation to not only set and communicate a clear purpose, but to actively listen and respond to its people to ensure employer and employee values remain aligned," the report read. "This will likely foster a workforce which is more engaged, motivated, and loyal."

^{Source: Deloitte}

Environmental impact important to young employees

Young employees' emphasis on environmental sustainability comes as majority of Gen Zs (62%) and millennials (59%) feel anxious or worried about climate change in the past month, according to the report.

And for more than six out of 10 of them, businesses have a moderate or significant influence over protecting the environment.

As a result, 54% of Gen Zs and 48% of millennials said they are putting pressure on their employers to take action on climate change.

"Protecting the environment is the societal challenge where respondents feel businesses have the greatest opportunity and necessary influence to drive change. And Gen Zs and millennials are pushing business to do so, through their career decisions and their consumer behaviours," the report read.

According to the report, around a quarter of Gen Zs (26%) and millennials (23%) plan to change jobs or industries in the future due to environmental concerns.

In fact, 20% of Gen Zs and 19% of millennials have already done this.

Among the measures they want their employers to invest on include education and training on how to be more sustainable.

They also want employers to provide "employee subsidies or sustainable choices," and for their offices to renovated to be greener.

^{Source: Deloitte}