T-Media Relations Blog: The Dream Employer

Alina Matula worked at T-Media in the summer of 2019 as a corporate social responsibility project worker. During the summer, she interviewed young college students nearing graduation about their expectations regarding future employers. In her blog, Alina paints a picture of young people’s dream employer.

The Dream Employer

In recent years, there has been a great deal of public discussion about what young people expect from working life in an ever-changing world. It has been claimed, among other things, that Generation Z shies away from responsibility and that millennials have no confidence in the future. Both climate anxiety and declining employment prospects are causing young people to wonder whether they dare to have children.

Last summer, I interviewed ten college students aged 20–30 who were just starting their careers. The purpose of the interviews was to find out what these young people expect from their future employers. Among other things, the young people were asked what kinds of topics they would like to work on and what qualities they value in an employer. The interviewees represented various fields of study, but none of them were enrolled in a program that directly prepares students for a specific profession.

Corporate social responsibility is emphasized

The interviews highlighted a desire for a future employer to contribute something responsible and meaningful to society. Young people dream of an employer that shapes society—and even global values—to be more community-oriented than they are today. They want to be proud of what the company they represent does. “I want to fight for the same goal together with my organization,” one respondent summarized.

The young people I interviewed believe that companies play a huge role as drivers of global change. In their view, companies should take responsibility for the society around them. They consider it particularly important to develop new innovations that are based on a company’s commitment to social responsibility.

A company’s values and mission are of great importance when these young people are choosing a potential employer. If a company’s values aren’t aligned with their personal values, young people will find it difficult to represent the organization. However, these values shouldn’t be superficial or contrived; rather, the company should act responsibly and make a tangible positive impact on the surrounding community.

The differences among the interviewees only became apparent when they were asked to assess their own willingness to resign from a company that operates in a manner contrary to their values. I, for one, am among those who would seriously consider resigning in such a situation.

Leadership Matters

A flexible and open leadership culture appeals to young people. It certainly comes as no surprise that young people are wary of hierarchical organizations. They want the leadership culture to be people-oriented, and the majority of respondents emphasized the importance of an open relationship of trust between managers and employees. A transparent, equitable, and supportive atmosphere is motivating. Young people believe that a leader’s role is to serve and create an environment where employees have room to grow. A leader can be a friend. I, too, value this kind of leadership.

Young people are not afraid to take on responsibility. The young people interviewed value clear goals and objectives, the achievement of which is the employee’s own responsibility. They expect support and guidance from their supervisor when needed, but they want to be left to work in peace during the process itself. According to the young people, direct and constructive feedback benefits both the supervisor and the employee.

Meaningfulness motivates

Based on the interviews, young people are particularly motivated by the fact that they understand why they do what they do. It is motivating to understand the significance of one’s own contribution in relation to larger goals and the work of others. Meaningfulness was also emphasized from a societal perspective: young people want to know how their own work benefits the world around them. Perceiving their work as meaningless or unclear in its significance was seen as demoralizing.

Based on this round of interviews, young people certainly cannot be accused of hopelessness or shirking responsibility. The respondents exuded a desire to make a difference and to find a job and role where they could do so.