Climate concerns prompt job exits among Gen Z, millennials: Deloitte research
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — In an era of “global boiling,” Gen Z and millennials are taking a proactive stance by quitting jobs that don’t prioritize the planet’s health.
New research from Deloitte shows that around 45% of these workers have already quit a job or plan to do so over climate concerns.
The consultancy firm surveyed over 22,800 Gen Z and millennials in 44 countries and discovered that climate change is a major source of anxiety. In the past month alone, 62% of Gen Zs and 59% of millennials reported feeling anxious about the state of the planet.
Young workers demand sustainable workplaces
More than 70% of respondents stated that they consider a prospective employer’s environmental policies when job hunting. For 25% of Gen Z and millennials, this has influenced their decision to accept or reject a job offer.
Additionally, a third of respondents said they would meticulously investigate an organization’s sustainability measures before considering future employment opportunities. Some of the initiatives that respondents desire are offering more sustainable products or services to customers and committing to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions within the next decade.
Meanwhile, a Yale study previously revealed the willingness of some to accept less pay for greater moral satisfaction. Over half of recent business school graduates would take lower salaries to work for environmentally responsible companies.
Gen Z and millennial workers also desire subsidies for making sustainable choices, such as cycle-to-work schemes, and seek out green office locations. Surprisingly, the most popular initiative to attract environmentally conscious young employees is sustainability training.
Desired employer initiatives
However, not all young people are prepared to abandon environmentally unfriendly jobs. Even those who aren’t considering quitting are voicing their concerns and demanding change from their current employers.
Approximately half of Gen Zs (54%) and millennials (48%) admitted to putting pressure on management to adopt eco-friendly practices, a steady increase from 2022 when 48% of Gen Zs and 43% of millennials reported doing the same.
“It requires employers to constantly listen and adjust their strategies. But those who do get it right will have a more satisfied, productive, engaged, and agile workforce who are better prepared to adapt to a transforming world,” the report said.
Climate change poses grave health risks to global workforce
A new report from the International Labour Organization (ILO) reveals that over 70% of the global workforce, equating to 2.4 billion workers, face serious health hazards due to climate change.
Similarly, as global temperatures continue rising, 800 million people working outdoors in tropical regions face severe risks to their health and productivity, according to a study published in the Cell Press journal One Earth.
It stated, “We show that under an additional 1C of warming, 800 million people in the tropics will live in areas where heavy work should be limited for over half of the hours in the year.”
