Gen Z is Looking for Purpose at Work: Will They Find It?

Gen Z is stepping into the workforce with a clear vision: They want jobs that align with their values — and they’re willing to walk away from jobs that don't. In recent surveys, more than 85 percent of Gen Z say that having a sense of purpose is essential to their satisfaction at work. Over 40 percent say they've left a job or plan to because of climate or sustainability concerns, and those concerns are increasingly widespread. In a 2024 study of young Americans, 85 percent said they're worried about climate change, 43 percent said their climate concerns impact their mental health, and nearly 40 percent said it negatively affects their daily lives. 

Given their worries about the future, it's not surprising that young people are looking to make a positive impact with their careers. But as sustainability, diversity and other impact roles face political pushback, what's in store for young people as they step into the workforce? How can employers support them — and meet their expectations — so they can continue to attract the best and brightest? 

We explored these questions and more with Net Impact CEO Karen Johns in the latest edition of "What the...?," a new video series co-hosted by TriplePundit and our parent company 3BL to dive into the big questions on business leaders' minds as the incoming U.S. administration throws shakeups across the sustainability and social impact space.

Net Impact is a global member community for emerging leaders, engaging more than 100,000 students and young professionals in all corners of the world. "Net Impact students at a bunch of business schools from UCLA to Michigan and others had this radical idea that business could be a force for good in the late '90s, and it's great to see how that's evolved over three decades," Johns said. "Almost every generation, every decade or so, they reinvent what that looks like." 

Though today's young people are entering the workforce and advancing their careers at a time when the impact space is under increasing scrutiny, Johns still sees plenty of potential for young people to break in and get involved. Still, she's quick to remind young people that their path into an impact-focused career may not be linear. 

"I've had opportunities to engage with C-suite leaders, and I always start with: What's your origin story? How did you get to have this title? Because it's rare that I meet someone who's sitting in a chief sustainability officer role or C-suite role who woke up at 10 or at 18 or even 24 and said, 'This is the job for me.' It was oftentimes a winding path," Johns explained. 

Her top advice for young people? "Get a job," she said, joking that she sounded like her mother. "Go to a company that you want to work for, because in many cases, that's the beginning of a journey, not the end. Especially now when the headwinds are probably stronger than they have been in a long time, they should give themselves some grace." 

Our conversation touches on questions like: 

• As more young people look to have a positive impact in their careers, what can employers and more established professionals do to support them?

• Does a “career in sustainability” even mean what it used to, or is sustainability now relevant across all roles and industries? 

• If companies really want to attract and keep Gen Z talent, what’s one thing they need to change? 

• What advice can we offer Gen Z professionals who want to make a difference but may feel disillusioned by corporate sustainability and everything happening in the news right now? 

Watch the 15-minute interview here or bookmark it for later.