Exclusive: What draws each generation to a particular job?

A new study has revealed what matters most to each generation in terms of finding a job. Employer brand and reputation are deemed “crucial” by the majority.

Vermelo RPO and Gerrard White, a recruitment agency, looked at how the priorities of baby boomers, generations X,Y and Z, and their children have changed.

In the research How do you attract a multigenerational workplace conducted in 2024’s final weeks, it was found that employer brand and reputation were more important than before. The younger age groups, from gen X to gen Z use this as an important factor when it comes to job attraction

Sixty percent of the gen Z say that employer branding is “very important” in attracting new employees. This compares to 56% of Gen Y and only 48% of Gen Z. Baby boomers were the only ones to say this.

The importance of a company’s reputation is the same across generations. 80% of baby-boomers cite it as an important factor in attracting new employees to a firm, while 73%, 69%, and 71% respectively of generations X and Y cite it.

Career advancement was a priority for 86% of the gen Z compared to 80% of the gen Y and 67% of the genX.

Anthony Butler, Vermelo’s managing director, stated: “The survey revealed important insights about shifting employee priorities. Businesses, particularly those who are facing higher national insurance taxes, can benefit from the younger generations’ preference for career advancement over salary.

The millennials, gen X and baby boomers are all displaying flexible expectations. Organisations can design their compensation and career programs strategically to meet their goals. Businesses can reduce costs and increase employee satisfaction by aligning their offers with the needs of candidates.

Generations X and Y, respectively, saw hybrid working locations as essential. Baby boomers and Gen Z, however ranked it at 52%.

The younger generations rated “dedication to diversity” as being more important, but no group scored above 50%. 46 per cent of Gen Z said that this was important, compared with 40 per cent of the millennials, 31 percent of gen X, and only 8percent of the baby boomers.

Kathryn Hunt is the head of operations at Gerrard white. She said, “A key finding from the survey was that younger generations prefer to use recruitment agencies because they expect that they will receive highly relevant job offers.”

They are more likely than any other age group to use these services. They expect recruiters to provide a carefully curated list of jobs that match their preferences and skills. This is a reflection of the wider trend that a generation has become accustomed to instant access to information and they also expect convenience in their job search.

Additional findings include:

• Baby boomers were the ones who cited the least “critical” factors, calling them “somewhat critical” instead of “critical”, and indicating a more open-minded attitude to job offers.
• The most important factor for Gen X was having a decent amount of paid leave, followed by hybrid working and flexible work hours.
• Around half of baby-boomers (52%) and members of generation Z (51%) rated a high salary as important.

Rachel Harris, Vermelo’s head of marketing, stated: “This study highlights the importance of employer brand and company reputation to UK businesses. This is especially true for attracting younger generations. It is therefore essential to compete for talent that businesses offer a compelling value proposition.

Companies that communicate their values effectively and demonstrate a positive work culture are more likely than others to attract and retain millennials, who place greater importance on these factors over traditional pay packages.

Personnel Today offers a variety of talent acquisition opportunities

Browse recruitment and resourcing Jobs