Gen Z Are Quitting Jobs That Don't Align With Their Values

Following the Great Resignation where record numbers of employees globally quit their jobs and Quiet Quitting – a name given to a trend where employees over time actively chose to not go ‘above and beyond’ in the workplace, it’s perhaps no surprise that Gen Z and Millenials don’t quite have the same unshakeable loyalty to the workplace that previous generations had. 

A Higher Salary Isn’t Enough 

According to new research conducted by Censuswidein collaboration with professional social media website LinkedIn, 6 in 10 employees have stated that they wouldn’t work for a company that didn’t share their values and for 53% of those, even a pay rise wouldn’t be enough. 

In fact, a fifth of professionals are currently considering leaving their jobs and 60% are looking specifically for companies that align with their personal values. These values include work-life balance (62%), opportunities for career growth (43%) and diversity, equity and inclusion (37%) being the most popular priorities. 

A Global Phenomenon 

This data, based on 2,065 workers aged 18+ between 24.03.23 and 29.03.23 aligns perfectly with current job listings on LinkedIn. Entry-level jobs that reference culture and values have increased by 154% over the past two years and jobs that reference a work-life balance increasing by 65% in that time. 

Basically, when it comes to the workplace, it’s more than just a job to many professionals. 90% of Gen Z and millennials have considered or are considering leaving their workplace for one which more aligns with their values.

This is in contrast to 79% of Gen X and 74% of Baby Boomers but these numbers do suggest that this is not a trend that will be fading anytime soon and employers should put their words into action. 

Sophie Elbourn (29)left her job at a marketing agency in the fenestration industry due to a mismatch in values: “My previous company was churning out the same content for each client. Actions didn’t sit right with me and I wanted to be more creative in my work.

“When looking for new roles, I like to find out more about the company culture and what they stand for, as opposed to location or experience which I feel are becoming less important factors.

“With everything that’s going on in the world I think you need to work for a company that aligns with your values. I’m so much happier at my current company. I’m fulfilled, encouraged, and motivated to be the best employee I can be.”

A New Job Search Filter

To help jobseekers, LinkedIn has introduced a new job search filter that enables users to search for job opportunities based on the values that matter most to them. They can also learn about a company’s values on their LinkedIn company page and signal to potential employers that they’d like to work there by spotlighting their LinkedIn profile.