Stability and financial security, combined with a healthy work-life balance. This is what young talent, aged between 18 and 35 years old, look for in/are attracted to when it comes to their (future) employer according to the What does young talent want? - PwC Workforce Preference Study Netherlands (WFPS). This is the second time PwC has conducted this research, involving 2137 students and starters this year.
Due to social developments, we have identified shifts in young people's preference. Offering interesting and challenging jobs remains the most important factor that employers can attract young talent with. However, a good base salary, flexible working possibilities and support for employee well-being have moved up on the list of preferences of young talent. Good corporate reputation is no longer good enough of a reason for young professionals to join an organization.
How attractive is your organisation for young talent?
PwC’s scan for the NextGen provides direct insights into the fit between your organisation and the work-related preferences of young talent. Want to know more?
What conclusions do we draw about young people’s work preferences?
Focus on ‘now and here’!
The current generation of young Dutch people is looking for a local labor market where stability in the long term is important. Job security, a reasonable base salary and a good pension are important aspects. Young talent has a focus on the long term and on a healthy balance between work and private life. A predictive workload is desired, but with the flexibility to determine the way in which this work is organized.
No bells and whistles!
A clear message emerges from the research results: respondents rank base salary as the second most important aspect of work. Other reward elements are less valued. Performance incentives such as bonuses of variable rewards are attractive until a certain point; non-financial reward elements are less valued.
It is about the content!
Young people are becoming less attracted to the status or reputation of a company and more attracted to aspects such as the activities, products and services of a company. Attracting young people starts with offering work that is interesting and challenging and where they are provided with possibilities for development and career opportunities within the company
Insights WFPS live event
The results of the Workforce Preference Study provided insight into the preferences of young people, but the drivers behind these preferences were still unknown. To gain insight into the motivation behind young people's preferences, PwC brought together a group of talented people with different perspectives in an interactive event and discussed the implications of the WFPS for both young professionals and organizations. During the event it became clear that individual preferences, such as a good base salary, stem from a need for personal safety. In addition, the importance of topics such as inclusion, diversity and sustainability was emphasized during the event. These insights show that before most young talents stand up for societal issues at work, a secure base is crucial. Organizations must offer young talent a safe haven, where they are given the opportunity to shape their work. Young talent will use this freedom to contribute to important social issues. Curious about the event and the results? Download the Workforce Preference Study 2022 here.
Study background determines work preferences
In addition to the generic outcomes for young talent, we also looked at the differences in work related ‘wish lists’ between young people with different study backgrounds. Consequently, we developed personas based on the study fields of ‘finance & accounting’, ‘science, technology, engineering & mathematics’ (STEM) and ‘social science
Follow us
