Young Europeans no longer interested in Money!

The ìEmploying the Next Generationî report shows clearly that employers will have to carefully consider a different approach if they want to recruit, reward and retain future generations entering the workforce.

ìTo be happy in whatever they doÖî That was the most important criterion in a survey, carried out by Generation Europe and the FutureWork Forum, of more than 3,000 European university students and recent graduates polled on their views and expectations of the workplace of the future. Very important also was to work in a flexible environment for companies that put a priority on ethical practices. Overall, life/work balance issues dominated the results, with few showing little direct interest in amassing power or money.

Criteria such as ìwanting to be happy in whatever I doî, ìbeing able to work outside my countryî, ìbe respected by family and friendsî, ìachieving a good life/work balanceî and a ìneed to work for an organisation with a good reputationîÖ were listed as significantly more important than, for instance, ìa desire to lead, manage and supervise peopleî, ìan expectation of achieving power and influenceî, ìto work for a multinational businessî and ìmaking money to be self-sufficientî.

Commenting on the findings, Catie Thorburn, president of Generation Europe, and Mike Johnson, chairman of the FutureWork Forum, draw attention to the fact that ìthere is no doubt that in the next few years we are going to see the creation of a true European generation. Tomorrowís leaders in business, academia and politics are mobile and have grown up in an increasingly border-less world and all share a language they understand, speak and write ñ English.î

Finally, this next generation is not at all concerned where emerging technology will take us. The majority of the sample believes that technology acts as an enabler, freeing individuals to do more interesting work and as a force for good that will assist us in tackling broad issues of concern like climate change, poverty and world health.

Quotation from the research is encouraged with appropriate reference: Source ìEmploying the Next Generationî published by Generation Europe and the FutureWork Forum 2006. Price / copy Ä25 (post paid).