Social connections are increasingly as important as pay to younger workers. A mission-led workplace can help

By Brent Orrell and Hunter Dixon

In his 1759 book “The Theory of Moral Sentiments,” Adam Smith observed that human sociality is the taproot of economics. The instinct to “truck, barter and exchange,” Smith argued, arises out of our need for others and is the foundation of what makes us human. Looked at this way, markets are human social behavior “at-scale,” driven by the innate human tendency to trade for mutual development and benefit.

Data from our most recent report on “The Social Workplace” confirms this close connection between sociality and work. Among 18- to 29-year-olds, 75% consider a welcoming workplace as the most or “one of the most important” or “very important” factors in choosing employment. Fully 72% of mid-career workers and 73% of late-career workers agree.

Pay lags as a factor in job selection, with between 52% and 62% of workers (depending on age) citing pay as a key factor. While money gives people what they need to live, a sense of belonging and connection on the job is what helps them thrive.

So, what exactly is a “welcoming workplace”?

In interviews with respondents, we found that work often helps people build relationships that foster a sense of belonging and contribute to the creation of a supportive social network. As one 25-year-old interviewee said, “Not only is it a job, it’s also yet another community where co-workers are kind of like friends and family, too.” Our survey revealed that a full 77% of 18- to 29-year-olds considered their co-workers as friends or close friends.

When it comes to workplace relationships and job satisfaction, however, the road isn’t always easy. About half of young workers are completely or very satisfied with their employment situation compared to 59% of those who are later in their career and 74% of those close to retirement. Further, while 58% of individuals aged 18 to 29 expressed a high level of satisfaction with their co-worker relationships, satisfaction tends to grow over time, reaching 63% by late career.

https://www.deseret.com/2024/1/30/24054440/the-social-workplace-report-zoomers-pay-mission