An annual study of 16-19 year-olds conducted by Norstat for the IT company Wise has revealed that young people have become even more appreciative of their employer’s work to address the negative effects of climate change. In addition, young people value the opportunity to independently determine their working hours and location most of all. Flexibility from their employer regarding working hours and location of work tasks is the most important aspect for young people. The study shows that 96% of respondents consider flexibility a critical factor in organizing their working life. “This reflects young people’s desire for a work-life balance in order to adapt their working hours and location to their needs. The ability to independently plan their work increases job satisfaction and productivity,” says Brett Lemsalu, Senior HR Consultant at Wise. In addition to flexibility, young people expect clear career models from their future employer. 91% of young people participating in the study consider a variety of career opportunities very important. For girls (93%), this is more important than for boys (88%). Interestingly, this year, the expectation that the employer will contribute to the prevention of the negative effects of climate change has emerged as one of the top priorities. Last year, only 22% of young people considered contributing to the prevention of global warming important, while this year it has already been 74% of respondents (77% of girls and 67% of young men). The importance of participating in solving social problems has slightly decreased. If last year 91% of young people considered this aspect important, then this year it is 86%. Despite the slight decrease, young people still expect employers to provide opportunities for volunteer work during working hours and to participate in social projects. In addition, for 92% of respondents, it is important for a company to uphold values such as equality, inclusion and social diversity. “The results of the study clearly show that today’s young people are looking for employers who provide the opportunity to be part of something bigger and make a positive change in society. It is time for more companies to understand and take these expectations into account in order to create a motivating and meaningful work environment,” Lemsalu believes. However, when choosing an employer, young people are primarily motivated by competitive wages, followed by additional benefits such as flexible working hours with additional days off, involvement in the company, professional mentoring, and daily bonuses in the office (e.g. snacks or gym use) and outside the office (e.g. compensation for sports activities or health care). Young people also highly value: Wise inspires young people with entrepreneurship materials created by startup experts, which are designed to support school learning and are available for free on the Wise page. About the study: The study, commissioned by Wise and conducted by Norstat this spring, involved 307 young people, of whom 106 were girls and 201 were boys. The target group of the study were Estonian school students who are studying in the 9th grade of basic school, in upper secondary school classes or in other educational institutions providing secondary education (acquiring vocational upper secondary education) in the 2023/2024 academic year. About Wise Wise is a global technology company developing better ways to move and manage money around the world. With a Wise account, people and businesses can hold money in more than 40 currencies, make international transfers, and pay for expenses abroad. Large companies and banks also use Wise technology and its cross-border payments network, which will bring borderless money to everyone, everywhere in the future. Wise’s mission is to make people’s lives easier and save them money. Wise was founded in 2011 by Kristo Kärmann and Taavet Hinrikus. It is one of the fastest-growing, profitable technology companies in the world, listed on the London Stock Exchange. Wise has 10 million active private and business customers. In the 2023 financial year, Wise moved more than €120 billion across borders, saving customers more than €1.7 billion. Wise’s largest office, with more than 2,000 employees, is located in Tallinn. Read RusDelfi wherever you like. Follow us on Facebook, Telegram, Instagram and even TikTok.
