Contrary to popular belief, young people are just as invested in their relationship with work as their elders

No, millennials and Generation Z aren’t easy snowflakes. Going against the clichés, a joint study published on Thursday by Apec and think tank Terra Nova, shows that the relationship with work of the under-30s is about the same as that of their elders.

Evidence of stereotypes that are still alive: 93% of managers of all ages believe that young people relate to work “differently than their elders”, says the study, based on responses from more than 3,000 young workers under the age of 30. and more than 2,000 active people between the ages of 30 and 65.

A generational cliché

For Gilles Gateau, Economist and General Director of the Association for the Employment of Executives (APEC), “Each generation builds this discourse on young people who have little taste for effort, but to this is added the Covid crisis, which reveals the challenges of relationships. doing. with work.”

However, according to the joint Apec/Terra Nova survey, older people and younger people share the same top 3 on “their basic expectations of work”. Among youth, remuneration comes first (55%) followed by interest in work (41%).

Life balance, often seen as central to the younger generation, comes in third. A concern that they value “slightly less” than their elders: 34% of young workers cite it as one of their top priorities, compared to 45% of those aged 45-65.

Young people who do not hesitate to knock on doors

“What characterizes this generation is its ability to leave a job that does not meet its aspirations, which the previous generation did not have,” observed Gilles Gateau.

Terra Nova and APEC have established six standard profiles among 18-29 year olds based on their social origins and jobs. More than one in two young people belong to the categories of “ambitious” (39%) and “satisfied” (14%): they generally have a positive relationship with work and are mainly executives.

Others are divided between “combatant” (20%) and “discouraged” (10%) – for whom the activity is mainly perceived as a “necessity, an obstacle” – or “wait and see” (11%) ) and “Far” (6%), for whom work is associated with the idea of ​​”regular”.