The Future: GenZ and GenAlpha Career Aspirations

Written by: Libby on March 31, 2025

Conversations around GenZ and GenAlpha and their role in the future is a prominent discussion in today’s world. Conversations around who they want to work for and why aren’t. They are the future of the workplace so their wants and needs must be an essential part of the conversations organisations have.

Here at InnovateHer, we see ourselves as a voice for the next generation in the workplace. From our 2024 Trend Report, we’re here to share Gen Z and GenAlpha’s career desires. The report dives deeper into what young people expect from employers, so we highly recommend downloading it and taking a look through for further insight.

Who do Gen Z and GenAlpha want to work for?

The BIG question! According to over 1200 students surveyed for our Trend Report, the top brands they want to work for are:

• Google
• Adidas
• Apple
• Microsoft
• Disney
• Nike

At InnovateHer, we champion inclusive, diverse, and equitable workplaces. While our research shows some young people admire SpaceX and Tesla for innovation. We openly admit we did not want to include Elon Musk in this blog. His leadership/brand doesn’t align with the values we stand for – equity, representation, and positive workplace culture. We’re here to amplify companies that create real opportunities for everyone, not just a select few.

Below are just some of the reasons why GenZ and GenAlpha listed the above companies that they want to work for:

• Innovation: GenZ and GenAlpha are drawn to brands that shape the future and offer opportunities for growth. This is why companies like Google and Disney are often admired for their forward-thinking and cutting-edge technology. With one student saying that “Disney films inspire creativity, and I would love to work in animation.”

• Social Impact and Sustainability: Brands that have a strong stance on environmental sustainability, like Adidas, Apple, and Nike, are especially attractive to GenZ and GenAlpha. Two generations concerned about climate change and ethical business practices.

• Workplace Culture: Many mention companies because of their inclusive culture, flexible working, and positive employee support (e.g., Google and Microsoft). One response made clear why they want to work at Google as they admire “its innovative work environment, employee benefits, and the opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology.”

• Diversity and Inclusion: GenZ and GenAlpha value workplaces that foster diversity. Companies with strong diversity initiatives or inclusive cultures, like Microsoft and Apple, are often preferred.

Does your organisation include some of the above? If not, let’s work together to make your organisation a top choice for the next generation! Contact partners@innovateher.co.uk to get started.

Being able to push boundaries, be creative and progress across different areas are key influences for GenZ and GenAlpha. It’s essential organisations factor the above reasons into their workplaces, because by 2030, GenZ will be making up 70% of the workforce. GenZ and GenAlpha are two generations that will have an incredibly strong influence on the workforce, a workforce that they will eventually lead. 

GenZ and GenAlpha: Creating an impact

They are both generations unafraid to share their opinions and use their voice. It’s why it makes sense that one of the main reasons they want to work for an organisation is so they can make an impact. They want to create a better world. 

Common themes of why they want to work for organisations like Adidas, Apple, Disney Google and Nike include: 

• Innovation
• Social impact
• Sustainability
• Inclusive cultures
• Growth opportunities

The pattern between them? They all provide the opportunity to make a difference. 

This desire to make a difference is apparent through students’ responses in the Trend Report. As some want to work at Adidas because “they make great sportswear and are involved in sustainability.” By the end of 2025, Adidas’ aim is for 9 out of 10 articles to be sustainable.

According to the Institute of Internal Communication, GenZ is a generation that has “higher expectations than previous generations.” Hence why organisations must listen to GenZ and GenAlpha’s wants for a workplace. So, it’s key that organisations are facilitators of progress. 

How organisations can shape their workplace for GenZ and GenAlpha

An organisation needs to embody why GenZ and GenAlpha want to work there. As mentioned, the key theme of why GenZ and GenAlpha want to work at organisations is their ability to make a difference.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are key ways in which organisations create an impact in society, e.g., Nike’s commitment to diversity and environmental causes. Therefore, having EDI and CSR at the heart of an organisation presents to GenZ and GenAlpha the matters that are significant to an organisation. This allows them to determine if that organisation could be right for them. 

As stated in Randstand’s Workmonitor report, 54% of GenZ across 35 countries said that they would not work at an organisation that doesn’t align with their social and environmental values. It is essential that an organisation is clear on their EDI and CSR, and the work that they actively put in to achieve their goals. 

Some additional matters that GenZ and GenAlpha consider are:

• Work/Life Balance: 36% of GenZ have quit a job that didn’t fit in with their personal life,  It is essential that there is a healthy balance between work-life and personal life. It can’t be all work, work, work. It’s not healthy and GenZ and GenAlpha are determined to have the right balance in their careers. This is clear in the Trend Report through students’ feedback, with one stating their admiration for Microsoft is due to “its positive company culture, diverse workforce, and leadership in software development.”

• Flexibility: 57.8%of young people find working from home to be an important factor when choosing a job. GenZ started entering the workforce during Covid, and now that time has passed, a lot of organisations offer hybrid working to get the best of both worlds and provide more flexibility.

• Growth Opportunities: Career progression is another factor that GenZ and GenAlpha look at when looking for organisations they want to work for. Skills and career development are key elements that organisations need to offer in order to appeal to the next generations. 

From EDI to flexibility, there’s a thread that ties them all together. That thread is purpose. GenZ and GenAlpha want the work they do to have a purpose. They want to have a positive impact on the work they do. That’s clear in the organisations they’d want to work for, from Apple and its transformative technologies with one student stating that Apple is an organisation “that makes great technology” to Nike and their mission of being in the top quartile for inclusion. Organisations must be clear in their mission for GenZ and GenAlpha to take an interest in the jobs available. 

GenZ and GenAlpha: The Future

So, let’s wrap up, a clear theme throughout is the significance of cause. GenZ and GenAlpha have causes that drive them towards their careers and this influences the organisations they want to work for. 

They admire organisations and brands for their dedication to a mission or cause that resonates with their values. The next generations are those who want to create a better world for all. Organisations have a key influence in that through representing and enabling that change. This will drive GenZ and GenAlpha to view that organisation’s workplace as one they want to thrive in, as this blog has shown how GenZ and GenAlpha are shaping the future workforce with their values, interests, and expectations from employers.

At InnovateHer, we work with businesses to build inclusive, forward-thinking workplaces, and help shape their GenZ and GenAlpha strategies. Want to ensure your organisation attracts the best young talent? Let’s collaborate, contact partners@innovateher.co.uk to kick off the conversation. 

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