As an interview question, the “tell us why you want to work here” query is a bit of a minefield. Should you ‘fess up and say it’s for the money, or because you detest your current colleagues and can’t wait to get as far away from them as possible?
No, hang on––that’s not bound to go down too well, so you’d better make something up about a sense of purpose, furthering your career or that you just love the ethos and culture of the company. Job done, right?
The reality is that for many workers, money is the biggest motivating factor for making a job move. In fact, a recent survey found that discontent over salary and benefits packages was the top reason UK workers wanted a new job. That was followed by a lack of opportunities, the location of their job, job security and the work itself.
But this all flips on its head when we consider younger workers. Gen Z, or those born between 1997-2015, currently makes up more than 20 per cent of the workforce in the UK. This is a cohort of people with a different take on what matters in the world of work.
Belying their digital native status, these younger workers prefer face time with their managers, and according to the most recent Gen Z Research Report from Deloitte, place value on cultivating working relationships.
One in three Gen Zers in the workforce say they don’t feel cared for at work, and the report also found that this generation ranked time-off as their top compensation preference––whereas for older workers, this comes in twelfth.
With 61 per cent reporting that work is a significant part of their identity, the work they do has to align closely with their values as a result. These employees want to see their workplaces take greater social and environmental responsibility, developing and committing to DE&I and ESG policies, for example.
For younger workers, the fact that green jobs are on the rise is a boon. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), it is estimated that 24 million jobs worldwide could be created by the green economy by 2030 alone.
With some of the fastest-growing green jobs in fields such as ecosystem management, environmental policy and sustainable procurement, green jobs are also en route across finance, fashion technologies and transport.
In the near future, it may be possible for Gen-Z workers to have it all: a career with meaning and a healthy pay packet. In the meantime, as Deloitte’s report highlights that only half of Gen Zers feel they’ve been trained well enough to be successful at work, upskilling and learning and development are vital also.
While wanting purpose and empathy at work have been tagged as Gen Z traits, it is true that this is what many workers want. If your current role isn’t scratching that itch, you may be looking for a new job opportunity. There are thousands to discover on the The London Economic Job Board, like the three below.
Metaverse company Improbable believes that the next revolution in entertainment and society will come from massive virtual worlds. If you’d like to get on board, the company is seeking a Group Management Accountant for its Finance Team. You will be critical in the team’s success, by implementing and leading accounting policy and procedure across the wider Improbable group. You will need a minimum of two years’ management accounting experience and be
ACCA/CIMA qualified, with two or more years’ experience.
Travel company TravelPerk has been named the fastest-growing SaaS startup in the world, and is seeking a Senior UX Operations (she/he/them) role in London. This is a wide-ranging role with plenty of opportunity and will require an official degree in communications, project management or other related fields or equivalent practical experience as well as three to five years’ or work experience.
Or, at Cleo, a fintech company that’s building an AI that helps users make the best money decisions from day one, a role as a Senior Data Scientist – Chat Advisor is on offer. Cleo strongly encourages applications from people of colour, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, parents and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Find a career with purpose by visiting The London Economic Job Board today
