Dear Employer,
I joined your organisation full of hope six months ago. Like many of my Gen Z peers, I was drawn to your promises of development and growth. Yet here I am, wondering if I made the right choice.
The numbers tell our story: over 62% of us are willing to switch jobs in the next 12 months. We’re not job-hopping for the sake of it – this is us responding to what’s missing.
What We’re Actually Looking For
We’ll be straight with you. Salary matters – it’s our top concern and the primary reason many of us move on. When nearly half of my friends who switched jobs got immediate pay increases, staying put begins to feel like falling behind.
But our loyalty isn’t just for sale to the highest bidder. We’re looking for organisations that offer clear career pathways that we can actively work towards. Job security matters to us, but not in the traditional sense – we want to build skills that keep us valuable in a changing world.
To us, work-life balance is more than just a nice-to-have; it’s essential to our wellbeing. We want the flexibility to work remotely some days, clear boundaries between work and personal time, and the trust to manage our own schedules. When an employer respects these needs, we notice – and we stay longer.
The Business Case We Both Care About
I understand you’re running a business with budget constraints. But here’s the reality we both face: when my colleague left after ten months because the promised growth opportunities and mentorship never materialised, replacing them wasn’t just disruptive – it cost nearly twice their annual salary.
Companies that genuinely invest in early careers programs are the ones gaining a competitive advantage. When my friend’s employer implemented structured development pathways with regular check-ins, their retention improved dramatically. Their team became more stable, more innovative, and ultimately more profitable.
Building Our Future Together
I want to grow with your organisation. I want to contribute meaningfully and develop professionally. But I need to know my career pathway is clear, my salary reviewed regularly, and my work arrangements flexible.
When you evolve your EVP to reflect what truly matters to us, you’re not just appeasing young workers – you’re making a sound business decision that benefits everyone.
Sincerely,
Your Gen Z employees
Solving the Tech Talent Bottleneck
At Brightworks, we see this challenge every day. We understand the pressure you’re under to attract and retain Gen Z talent while managing budgets and organisational constraints.
If you’re nodding along as you read this, questioning how to improve your retention rates, we’ve created something to help. Our Gen Z EVP Checklist provides practical, actionable strategies to help you reimagine your EVP through the Gen Z lens.
Download it for free today:
The talent you need is out there – let’s create an environment where they’ll want to stay and grow.
Need specific advice for your program’s challenges? Contact us at hello@brightworks.net.au – we’ll help you build a graduate experience that graduates genuinely value and stakeholders recognise as successful.
