Publication of the report "Generation Z of Quebec and its vision of the workplace"

Montreal, October 15, 2019. - Academos today unveils the results of a vast survey on the fears and expectations of Generation Z regarding the world of work. Entitled "Generation Z of Quebec and its vision of the workplace", the report published by the organization presents eight major findings on the next generation of workers, commented on by seven experts in youth, educational and vocational guidance, entrepreneurship and the labor market.

While many organizations are still trying to adapt to the arrival of millennials among their employees, the young generation Z, born after 1993, are indeed preparing to take the job market by storm. In Canada, this generation that grew up digitally is made up of 7.3 million people. And by 2020, it will represent 20 % of the global workforce.

The report launched today, which is based on the results of a survey to which 1,268 young Quebecers aged 14 to 26 responded, allows us to learn more about the professional values of Zs, their expectations of their future employers, their worries about the job market as well as the sectors of activity that interest them and those they seem to want to abandon. Regional data are also presented in the annex to the report.

Eight big findings on Generation Z

• Z are more interested in traditional professions than in emerging professions;
• Zs are attracted to entrepreneurship;
• For Zs, a successful professional life is synonymous with balance and passion;
• The Z prioritize pleasure and well-being over prestige and money;
• Zs are motivated by challenge and learning;
• The Z want the company that employs them to be eco-responsible, promote diversity and make a positive contribution to society;
• The Zs are enthusiastic but worried about the job market;
• Zs feel ill-prepared for their entry into the workforce.

Some key statistics

• Almost three quarters of respondents (74 %) qualify the profession they dream of exercising as “traditional” rather than “emerging”;
• 37 % of respondents would one day like to own their own business;
• 93 % of respondents want to work for a company that offers great flexibility to its employees;
• The characteristic most sought after in a boss by young people is that the latter allows them to have a good work-life balance;
• When asked to describe the company they would like to work for, 82 % of respondents say they value diversity in the workplace, 90 % to the social impact of the company and 84 % to its respect for the principles of sustainable development;
• The feeling most often evoked by the labor market among young respondents is “excitement” (25 %), followed by “stress” (22 %) and “worry” (14 %);
• No less than 98 % of respondents have concerns about the job market, the most common of which is not finding a job they like (58 %);
• 52 % of respondents believe that school prepares them or has poorly prepared them for the job market.

A report to better meet the needs of young people

"With this report, we want to allow employers to better understand the
next generation of professionals so that they can put in place strategies to meet its needs and mobilize it, ”said Catherine Légaré, President and Founder of Academos.

"We also hope that this publication will help actors in the world of education and guidance to better support young people in establishing and achieving their professional project," she added.

The report can be downloaded free of charge from academos.qc.ca/genZ. Organizations that would like to host a Generation Z conference are invited to contact Academos at info@academos.qc.ca.

About Academos

Founded in 1999, Academos is a non-profit organization that connects young people aged 14 to 30 with the reality of the world of work through a virtual mentoring application that allows them to interact for free with nearly 3,000 professionals passionate about their work. job.

Academos is financially supported by the Secrétariat à la jeunesse of the Government of Quebec to promote academic perseverance and facilitate career choice. The Montreal-based organization is also supported by several financial partners, including Aéro Montréal, Alcoa, ArcelorMittal, belairdirect, LaSalle College, Desjardins, the École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) de Montréal, Finance Montréal, Intact Assurance, Investissement Québec , Insurance Pros, Ubisoft and VIA Rail Canada.