Gen Z and Millennials Seek Meaningful Work in AsiaGen Z and Millennials Seek Meaningful Work in Asia Deloitte’s Sonia Breeze emphasizes the importance of aligning organizational goals with the values and priorities of younger generations in the Asia Pacific business landscape. Purpose and Sustainability Gen Z and millennials demand meaningful work that aligns with their values. Employers must prioritize sustainability and social impact initiatives to attract and retain this talent. Breeze highlights the importance of “providing employees with opportunities to get involved in sustainability initiatives or innovative projects that can help them connect with the organization’s mission.” Mental Health and Well-being Despite positive mental health initiatives, half of Gen Z and millennials in Asia Pacific report poor mental health. Breeze encourages organizations to maintain a visible focus on mental health from the top down. “Senior leaders need to openly communicate the importance of mental wellbeing, share their own experiences of mental health issues and emphasize the need to both prevent and address challenges,” she advises. Hybrid Work and Flexibility Hybrid work models positively contribute to work-life balance and mental health. Breeze shares Deloitte’s Work Well transformation initiative as an example of promoting consistent wellbeing. Employers should also explore innovative working models that prioritize employee well-being and reduce burnout. Continuous Learning and Development Continuous learning and development opportunities are crucial for engaging and adapting to the changing business landscape. Breeze emphasizes the need for “ongoing training and upskilling.” Deloitte’s Global AI & GenAI Fluency Month upskilled professionals in generative AI use. Psychological Safety and Trust Creating a psychologically safe and trust-based work environment is essential for reaping benefits. Managers must maintain open dialogue, address mental health needs, and support professional growth. “By showing care and building trust, managers can empower employees to share their challenges and access the resources they need to thrive,” Breeze says. Inclusivity and Sustainability Younger generations expect organizations to adopt environmentally friendly and sustainable policies. Inclusive leadership is crucial for ensuring that work is sustainable for all. Breeze concludes, “Inclusive leadership that promotes gender equality, cultural diversity and the inclusion of marginalized groups will be crucial.”
Deloitte’s Sonia Breeze urges organizations to adapt to the need of young talent in Asia for meaningful and sustainable roles.
As the Asia Pacific business landscape continues to rapidly change and evolve, organizations are faced with a critical challenge: attracting and retaining top talent from younger generations. The pandemic, global instability, and rapid technological advancements have caused Gen Z and millennials to reevaluate their career priorities.
Speak with HRM AsiaSonia Breeze, Chief People and Purpose Officer, Asia-Pacific at Deloitte, explains how organisations can navigate this new terrain.
“Gen Zs and millennials want purposeful work and aren’t afraid to turn down work that doesn’t align with their values,” Breeze emphasized. This desire for meaningful work goes hand in hand with a commitment to sustainability and social impact. “Employers must incorporate these priorities into their operations and culture, and provide employees with opportunities to get involved in sustainability initiatives or innovative projects that can help them connect with the organization’s mission,” she added.
The Deloitte 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, which collected responses from nearly 23,000 individuals across 44 countries, highlighted the priorities of these generations. The research also found that addressing climate change and embracing emerging technologies like generative AI are critical to workplace satisfaction. By aligning their strategies with these priorities, organizations can foster an engaged, purpose-driven workforce that can adapt to the changing needs of the modern world.
Despite the generally positive outlook, the research revealed a worrying trend: only half of Gen Z and millennials in Asia Pacific report good or excellent mental health. Financial worries, family wellbeing, long working hours and a lack of recognition are key stressors. Breeze acknowledged this, saying: “However, many respondents are optimistic and believe their employers take their mental health seriously. Despite positive changes, there is room for improvement in enabling people to talk openly about mental health in the workplace.”
“Senior leaders must openly communicate the importance of mental wellbeing… They must go beyond role models to setting standards and expectations from the board level and creating a positive work culture where perceived stigma is reduced and available support is used where needed.” – Sonia Breeze, Chief People and Purpose Officer, Asia Pacific, Deloitte
To address this, organisations need to maintain a visible focus on mental health from the top down. Senior leaders have a critical role to play in this transformation. “Senior leaders need to openly communicate the importance of mental wellbeing, share their own experiences of mental health issues and emphasise the need to both prevent and address challenges. They need to go beyond role modelling by setting standards and expectations from the board level down and creating a positive workplace culture where perceived stigma is reduced and available support is utilised where needed,” she advised.
New hybrid work patterns are also positively contributing to work-life balance and mental health. Breeze cited Deloitte’s Work Well transformation initiative, which includes goals for partners to positively impact the wellbeing of their teams, as an example of how organisations can promote consistent wellbeing.
The Future of Work: Flexibility and Inclusivity
Looking ahead, Breeze predicted that innovative work models will be essential to meet the changing needs of Generation Z and millennials. “Employers will need to explore innovative working models, such as effective hybrid working arrangements, that prioritize employee wellbeing and reduce burnout,” she said. Using generative AI, certain tasks can be automated, including reducing workload, and employees can focus on more valuable and satisfying work.
Continuous learning and development opportunities are also crucial, as Breeze continued: “Employers must also build in continuous learning and development opportunities, providing ongoing training and upskilling to maintain an engaged and adaptable workforce – a crucial asset in today’s ongoing changing business landscape. At Deloitte, we held our Global AI & GenAI Fluency Month, where we upskilled our professionals in Asia Pacific to understand the best practices for using generative AI in the workplace.”
READ MORE: Young workers are driving generative AI adoption in the Asia-Pacific region
Creating a psychologically safe and trust-based work environment is key to reaping these benefits. Managers must be empathetic and equipped to maintain open dialogue with their teams, address mental health needs and support professional growth. She emphasized the importance of this approach, stating, “By showing care and building trust, managers can empower employees to share their challenges and access the resources they need to thrive.”
In addition, younger generations expect organizations to adopt environmentally friendly and sustainable policies, including those that encourage carbon footprint reduction through remote and hybrid work models. “Inclusive leadership that promotes gender equality, cultural diversity and the inclusion of marginalized groups will be crucial to ensuring that work is sustainable for all,” she concluded.
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