Generation Z includes people born between 1997 and 2012. This generation will soon be more numerous than the Millennials and they have a radically different perspective on careers and how they define success in life and in the workplace.
In a survey given a choice of accepting a better paying job that is more boring, versus work that was more interesting but didn’t pay as well, Generation Z was fairly evenly split over the decision. To win the hearts of Generation Z, companies will need to demonstrate their commitment to a broader set of societal challenges such as sustainability, climate change, and hunger.
Workplace culture greatly affects whether workers stay in a company or not. Now more than ever employees have high expectations on an employer’s values. Especially climate change is a big concern for the generation Z.
In a study from 2018 from the consulting firm Deloitte, 77% of Generation Z respondents said that it was important for them to work at organizations whose values aligned with theirs. They are particularly concerned about the issue of climate change compared to older generations. Also in the UK, the company Bupa found in 2021 that 64% of the survey Generation Z consider it important for employers to act on environmental issues, and 59% would work longer for responsible employers. In Australia Generation Z workers are willing to reject jobs based on climate change values.
This explosion of interest in values-related work is also reshaping the educational landscape. Increasing numbers of university students are seeking out environment-related careers and programs related to social impact. In the last years, sustainability has become one of the top industries where students want to work.
There is clearly an enormous need for more climate action as well as eager young people who want to work in this space. However, workers are not optimally matched to the available jobs. LinkedIn has released a first report on the state of green economy in February 2022. The report is focusing on how and where people are contributing to the transition to a green economy, where there are gaps, and what companies and individuals can do to help fight the climate crisis.
The report shows that green talent has increased from 9.6% in 2015 to 13.3% in 2021 – a cumulative growth rate of 38.5%. Job postings requiring green skills grew at roughly 8% annually since 2015, while the amount of people learning green talent grew only roughly 6% annually in the same period. Among all manufacturing sectors the automotive industry has shown the highest growth rates in green talents. The fastest growing green skill globally was shown in the sustainable fashion industry. Traditional fashion jobs such as fashion designers and stylists are increasingly applying sustainable fashion skills. Workers skilled in sustainable fashion also showed activity in many other industries such as media, design, manufacturing and even IT services. The fastest growing greening roles were compliance manager, facility manager and technical sales representative. The fastest growing green jobs were sustainability manager, wind turbine technician and solar consultant. Green talent increased in all age groups but fastest in Millennials. Globally, in 2021 there were 62 women for every 100 men considered green talent. This gender gap remains unchanged since 2015.
Climate change is an inescapable presence in the future of work. The job market will continue to evolve in response. Currently there is a need for people with the skills to respond to new environmental regulations. There is also an expanding need of green talents in the areas of supply chain sourcing, big data, AI and blockchain, as they relate to sustainability. In the end every job will need to be a sustainability job at some level. It is a subject that simply cannot be ignored any longer.
