Gen Z and the Search for Career Purpose

Each time a new generation steps into the professional arena, they inevitably bring fresh perspectives to the workplace alongside them. Gen Z, the latest to enter, stands out with their purpose-driven approach. A 2024 United Way survey highlights this, showing that 53% of Gen Z would decline a job offer if the company's mission didn't align with their personal values and beliefs. What fuels Gen Z's quest for purpose, and how should employers adapt? In this edition of The Energy Papers, we delve into these questions.

The Generational Shift?

Gen Z’s worldview has been largely shaped by beginning their early career journey during COVID—a time when traditional attitudes towards work gave way to urgent global issues like social injustice and health crises. They entered the workforce with a keen awareness of life's fragility and a desire to make meaningful contributions. Critics may question their ambition, but I’d beg to differ. Gen Z still harbors career ambitions, but their motivation is simply rooted in a higher purpose. They seek careers that offer more than just financial security—if they're dedicating a third of their lives to work, they want that time to contribute meaningfully to important causes or, at the very least, provide personal career fulfillment.

This purpose-driven mindset sharply contrasts with the hustle culture embraced by their Millennial leaders and colleagues. Millennials began their careers in the wake of the 2008 financial crash, witnessing layoffs and economic instability firsthand. This adversity fueled a relentless drive to work hard and secure their futures, often at personal cost. Gen Z, now observing these effects from the sidelines, questions the wisdom of sacrificing well-being for long hours without impactful results or substantial pay. Their perspective challenges the status quo with a poignant question: "Shouldn't there be more to life?"

The Quest for Career Purpose

Gen Z recognizes that life is more than just work— they value the human experience as a whole. While reports indicate that Gen Z shows lower work engagement than previous generations, dismissing this as 'laziness' overlooks the deeper issue. To ignite their engagement, Gen Z needs roles that allow them to operate from their "zones of genius" — with tasks and responsibilities that align with their natural talents, passions, and abilities.

The search for purpose is not a linear journey but one that is filled with clues along the way. Where can Gen Z begin this quest for deeper meaning? Despite distancing themselves from traditional religion more than any other generation, a significant 77% of Gen Z identifies as spiritual, according to the National Library of Medicine. By balancing physical, psychological, and social aspects of life through spiritual health practices, they can gain immense clarity on carving out a purpose-driven path. Additionally, Gen Z tends to find comfort in archetypal tools like astrology and Human Design, which help them better understand their own behavioral patterns and the overarching narrative of their career. While the pursuit of purpose may seem elusive, committing to ongoing discovery and alignment unlocks the profound self-understanding needed to find it.

How Leaders & Employers Can Adapt?

The evolving expectations of the Gen Z workforce are disrupting traditional talent management processes, retention strategies, and engagement rates. Leaders and managers can adapt by embracing purpose-driven leadership, fostering an environment where Gen Z employees can align their personal and professional goals to reach their full potential.

Becoming a purpose-driven leader entails making career development a central focus of managerial approaches. This means encouraging Gen Z employees to reflect on their goals, understanding the "why" behind their work, and helping them link their personal aspirations with their professional roles. Given that Gen Z faces unique mental health challenges due to the uncertainties of their formative years, prioritizing wellbeing is crucial. Leaders can support this by conducting regular check-ins on their wellness practices, offering work-life balance advice, and setting wellbeing as a standard expectation for achieving professional success.

Employers must learn how to align with Gen Z's values and demands without stretching talent management costs beyond sustainability. Gen Z values employers who genuinely prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion as integral to their workplace culture. They view these principles as non-negotiable, reflecting their lived experiences as the most racially diverse generation. They seek employers committed to their wellbeing and who take meaningful action on social and global injustices. Navigating these complexities company-wide is challenging, and change will not happen overnight — but employers can start by identifying and addressing these areas through strategic planning that benefits both employees and the organization's bottom line.

What Lies Ahead for Gen Z and the Corporate World

Until change comes, we can expect Gen Z to continue showing less loyalty to companies than previous generations, as their search for career purpose persists. Many, driven by entrepreneurial interests, will venture into their own projects or leverage our digital age through content creation. They'll seek "good enough jobs" that offer financial stability while allowing deeper fulfillment outside of work.

Gen Z has made it clear—it's time for a change. While change can be unsettling and complex, it's not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, change is necessary for better opportunities to emerge. Here's to discovering what that looks like in the corporate world in the years to come.

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? 2024 JILLIAN KNOWLES