If your organisation hasn’t already embraced the benefits of CSR, now’s the time: Gen Z’s expectations are reshaping the workforce.

With Gen Z on track to make up 30% of the global workforce by 2030, employers are facing growing pressure to adapt.

According to Resume Genius’ 2024 Gen Z Workers Report, nearly half (45%) of hiring managers say Gen Z is the most challenging generation to work with. Surprisingly, 45% of Gen Z hiring managers agree, saying their own generation is the most difficult to manage.

This perceived difficulty isn’t due to a lack of capability. Instead, it reflects a generation that is more vocal about their expectations: from flexible working and mental wellbeing support to diversity, equity, and a genuine commitment to social and environmental issues. Gen Z aren’t afraid to tell their employers what they want – and employers should take this opportunity to listen.

In a job market where talent competition is high, understanding and responding to these expectations is critical. And for many organisations, the missing link could be their CSR strategy.

Gen Z wants purpose, loud and clear

Unlike previous generations, Gen Z doesn’t see purpose as a “nice to have.” It’s core to their decision-making. Research shows that:

  • 75% of Gen Z consider a company’s social impact when choosing where to work (YourCause)
  • 92% engage in CSR programmes when given the opportunity (YourCause)
  • 70% of employees overall say they wouldn’t work for a company without a strong sense of purpose (Aflac’s CSR Survey Report)

According to new research by the Oliver Wyman Forum and The News Movement: “Holistic wellbeing, social and environmental activism, and personal fulfilment top their list of values driving workplace engagement.”

If your employee value proposition (EVP) doesn’t speak to these values, loudly and authentically, Gen Z candidates will quickly move on.

What HR teams need to know

To attract and retain Gen Z talent, CSR must move beyond annual donations or one-off volunteering days. It needs to be embedded in company culture and visible throughout the hiring journey.

Here’s how HR teams can respond:

1. Understand and respect Gen Z’s mindset

As hiring expert Charlotte Steggall explains: “Gen Z doesn’t have any different needs to other generations, they just vocalise their needs better.” That includes flexibility, openness, and alignment with personal values.

And if your business isn’t delivering on social and environmental action, flexibility, or transparency, you’ll find it difficult to retain your Gen Z talent too. This generation is more likely to leave a job that doesn’t meet expectations – 1 in 4 plans to change jobs in the next 6 months.

And they’re not afraid to prioritise “Hobbies & Interests” on a CV, something 57% of Gen Z hiring managers rate as one of the three most important parts of a resume.

They want to bring their whole selves to work, and they expect their employer to support that.

2. Align your CSR strategy with your EVP

Your CSR strategy can be one of the most powerful tools in your recruitment arsenal – if you use it right. Gen Z wants to know what your company stands for and how employees can be part of that.

This means:

  • Providing regular, accessible opportunities for employees to engage in social and environmental impact
  • Ensuring leadership models CSR behaviours from the top
  • Making your commitment to DEI, sustainability and wellbeing visible across your careers site and employer brand materials

When CSR becomes a daily, lived experience – not just a corporate policy – it resonates.

3. Educate and engage

Gen Z employees entering the workforce may not yet fully understand the value of a great benefits package. That’s an opportunity for HR to educate – not just about pensions or healthcare, but about the broader value of CSR.

CSR initiatives can drive community, build culture, and give employees meaningful ways to contribute beyond their day jobs. When employees feel their company’s values align with their own, they’re more likely to stay long-term.

In fact, retention triples at companies where employees feel their work is meaningful, according to Great Place To Work’s 2023 report.

The bottom line

In a fast-changing talent landscape, CSR is a differentiator – and for Gen Z, it’s becoming a deciding factor.

A strong CSR strategy won’t just help you appeal to values-led candidates – that’s just one of many CSR benefits that can help your business, including:

  • Increase engagement and productivity
  • Improve retention
  • Strengthen your employer brand
  • Future-proof your culture

Gen Z is already reshaping the workforce. Forward-thinking organisations are meeting them there – with authenticity, purpose, and impact.

Talk to an expert at OnHand,the all-in-one CSR partner for purpose, planet, and people, to take your CSR efforts to the next level.

 

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