“I don’t like it here.” 

Yikes. 

Muttered beneath the breaths of thousands of Millennials and Gen Zers, these 5 words are starting to change the workplace ... and fast. 

Sadly, we've just hit the tip of an iceberg. 

Nearly a year after the Big Quit hit headlines, businesses are reeling from a mass of management problems that stem from years of neglect. See, 7 in 10 companies fail to put digital employee experiences in place. And, the younger generation has taken notice. 

The tide is changing. 

It's a big deal.

Pie chart with 46% 

Millennials and Gen Z are 46% of the workforce. [1,2]

That means basically half of the available employees in the U.S. care about happiness. In fact, 5 in 10 prefer unemployment to unhappiness. So much so, that 55% will quit if a job interferes with their personal lives. [3]  

Talk about a clear shift in power.  

Think of it as an evolution to put happiness first. 

And ... 

This post-COVID trend isn’t going away. 

Smart leaders embrace change. 

Yes, I get it. 

No one really wants to change. It’s uncomfortable. But when it comes to the future of your workplace — change is essential.  

And it’s time.  

This shift in power, from employer to employee, has made things hard. Millennials and Gen Zers want to work at companies that are an extension of themselves and stand for something. 

They want authenticity, purpose, and meaning.  

You can offer that. 

You just need a plan—now. 

2 People High Fiving

So, build it. 

Craft your employee experience around: 

  1. Safety. 
  2. Energy. 
  3. Growth. 

That’s how you win. 

Maslow was right. 

Safety is the first step. Productivity and innovation both hinge on a high level of employee engagement. To reach them, consider using a platform that can reward their efforts to engage, learn and grow. [4]  

Then, help them see improvement. Find ways to build their energy, so they can focus it at work. You can do this by reducing meetings and making it easier to level up their skills in simple, short ways.  

Finally, encourage them to grow. Ask them about skill sets they’re interested in. A recent study showed that 94% of employees will stick around if given the chance to learn.  

Need help? 

You can get all three. Find out how. 

References: 

  1. The Big Picture: Trust Is the New Employee Experience (SHRM Blog)
  2. Millennials in the Workplace Statistics: Generational Disparities in 2022 (TeamStage)
  3. What We Know About Gen Z in the Workplace (Great Place To Work)
  4. Gen Z and Millennials Would Rather Be Jobless Than Work for a Company They Don’t Like. Workplace Diversity and Flexibility Are Also a Must (Finurah)
  5. Introducing Forrester's Employee Experience Index (Forrester)