Younger professionals—especially those among the demographic known as “Generation Z“—are far more likely to switch jobs at a faster pace than seen in previous years. Yet their motivations for doing so are for increasingly different reasons than those of their predecessors.
According to a new survey from LinkedIn (MSFT), employees aged 24 and younger are three times more likely than Baby Boomers to change jobs, with 20% of them averaging four or more full-time jobs within a few short years compared to an average of two jobs over the course of a decade for Baby Boomers.
But while job turnover among younger professionals in years past has usually correlated to being new and inexperienced in the workforce, that’s not what’s motivating Generation Z to move around. Based on the data, younger professionals aren’t necessarily has concerned about the biggest possible paycheck, but they’re also looking for stronger relationships with their colleagues, more opportunities for advancing their careers up the ladder, and that ubiquitous catch-all term (especially in Silicon Valley): culture.
“Our research shows that 70% of professionals believe that their support system is one of the top factors that contributes to their success at work, and young people are no different,” writes Blair Decembrele, a LinkedIn career expert, in a blog post on Thursday.
According to the report, 80% of workers under the age of 24 said they would consider a complete change in their roles or even switch industries, while half of that group said they’re staying at their current jobs simply because they enjoy what they do. Approximately 45% of professionals under the age of 24 cited work relationships as a factor for staying in their current jobs, compared to 25% for those over 35.
But managers shouldn’t worry just yet about junior-level employees jumping ship any day now just yet. Communication is critical, based on the data, as 36% of employees under 24 said they’re open to discussing career moves with their bosses, compared to just 23% of those over 45.
And they’re not just looking for a raise, Decembrele notes, citing that 65% of those employees under 24 are looking for advice about career advancement, while 35% are looking for additional learning opportunities.
That said, managers might want to keep those lines of communications open as LinkedIn touts Generation Z as “taking the cake as the most mobile professional generation.”
“More than anything, they are open to relocating,” Decembrele says, with half of professionals under 24 said they would consider moving for a better opportunity.
