Eighty-seven per cent of Gen Zs and young millennials in British Columbia will only work for a socially and environmentally responsible company, according to a new survey conducted by the British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA) among members of the Angus Reid Forum.
The survey covered 18-34 year-olds living in B.C. and aims to learn more about what Gen Zs and young millennials look for in the workforce. Based on the findings, 61% will only work for responsible companies, while 65% would work even harder for companies that are socially and environmentally responsible. However, 49% of respondents would actually take a slight pay cut to work for such a company.
“We’re noticing that many younger British Columbians are redefining what’s important about work,” said Shawn Pettipas, BCAA’s Director of Corporate Purpose, in a statement. “They look beyond a job description and have high expectations about the values and actions of their potential employer.”
He also added that these job seekers are doing their homework. “We hire for a wide variety of roles, and social and environmental responsibility comes up in pretty much every interview. They’ve read our Impact Report, and they ask how they’ll contribute to (the) purpose and make a difference.”
Pettipas said Gen Zs and young millennials want to make sure the company/job is a fit for their values. He also said accountability is important to this generation, with 62% of respondents noting that they would like to work for a company that puts corporate purpose at the centre of how they operate.
