How to Attract Gen Z Workers with Purpose-Driven Workplaces

What does Generation Z look for in a job? Flexibility? Solid paychecks? Room to grow? Stellar benefits? These are all important factors—but they aren’t the only priorities on their list.

Gen Z employees crave career opportunities that align with their personal values and empower them to make a positive impact on the world. Statistics back this up: 74% of Gen Z workers rank purpose at work as more important than a paycheck, according to a survey by Monster.com. A recent survey by Deloitte also found that 50% of Gen Z have rejected an assignment at work based on their personal ethics or beliefs. 

As the number of Gen Z employees surpasses that of Baby Boomers in the workplace, organizations must adapt their recruitment strategies to reflect this shift. SHRM data shows that employees who rate their organization’s culture as “good or excellent” are 790% more likely to feel satisfied at work. For HR teams, this means going beyond traditional benefits packages to highlight how their company’s purpose-driven initiatives align with Gen Z values.

One way that organizations are achieving this is by emphasizing their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs or their role in addressing societal challenges. In particular, there’s ample evidence around CSR programs as an employee engagement and retention strategy and a cornerstone of company culture.

By prioritizing purpose-driven initiatives and weaving them into the fabric of their workplace culture, organizations can not only meet Gen Z’s expectations but also foster a more engaged, loyal, and high-performing workforce—laying the groundwork for long-term success.

How CSR Engages Younger Workers While Driving Business Results

It’s no surprise that Gen Z is elevating standards for socially conscious workplaces. This generation came of age in a world shaped by social movements, global crises, and rapid technological and cultural transformations. These young workers expect their employers to share a commitment to creating meaningful change in areas as diverse as climate action, racial equity, and beyond—and they are willing to draw a line in the sand when expectations fall short.

Now, as Gen Z’s influence rises in the workplace and the market—already, 25% have stopped or lessened a relationship with a business due to unsustainable practices—companies must reassess CSR programming with this generation in mind.

At its core, strategic CSR programming forges a meaningful link between employees’ personal values, workplace engagement, and business goals. By supporting communities and causes workers are passionate about, all employees—but younger ones in particular—can discover new ways to strengthen connections between their professional and personal identities. 

CSR Programs in Action

Building this connection for employees can translate to several high-impact improvements, including increased loyalty, reduced turnover, and stronger performance and return on investment (ROI):

• 86% of Gen Z and 89% of Millennials report that having a sense of purpose is very or somewhat important to their overall job satisfaction. 

• When career fulfillment is high, employees are 12 times more likely to rate their culture as good or excellent, and employees that rate their culture as good or excellent are 86% less likely to be actively looking for a new job.

• Companies that invest in social purpose generate 20% more revenue.

These types of benefits are evident among organizations leading the way in CSR. Take Cisco, for example, which is consistently recognized as a top workplace for its commitment to social impact. 

Cisco’s commitment to CSR has delivered measurable benefits for its people, community, and business alike, linking positive social outcomes directly to business ROI. Cisco employees who take at least one community impact action per year, such as donating or volunteering their time, are 22% more likely to receive peer recognition and 12% less likely to leave the company.

These benefits aren’t exclusive to large organizations. In 2020, seafood company Bumble Bee Foods launched a $40 million sustainability fund focused on promoting plant-based seafood alternatives, reducing plastic packaging, and removing plastic from oceans. In 2021, it achieved a sustainability milestone three years ahead of schedule—its entire albacore tuna line was either sourced from fisheries in improvement programs or certified by the Marine Stewardship Council. 

While the company’s ROI on this program is not publicly available, Bumble Bee Foods was able to expand its partnership with the Ocean Conservancy and the Global Ghost Gear Initiative through a $1 million, five-year commitment, and continue to support its local community and community of fishermen through several initiatives. 

CSR Fit for a New Generation

As you build or tailor your CSR program—including your workplace giving and volunteering programs—to better engage Gen Z, consider the following four best practices to maximize participation and impact. 

1. Connect Social Impact with Inclusion  

Gen Z is the most racially and ethnically diverse generation yet, bringing a wide range of perspectives, identities, and passions to the workplace. Workplace programs offer a powerful opportunity to reinforce and celebrate this increased diversity, connecting employees through shared identities and values to foster inclusion and belonging. 

Consider how aligning CSR initiatives with your company’s existing employee resource groups (ERGs) can help workers come together, champion causes that matter to their communities, and create spaces where they feel seen and valued. This could include organizing a fundraising drive for LGBTQ+ youth, volunteering at a cultural heritage event, or starting a mentorship program for members of underrepresented communities.

2. Tap into Causes That Inspire Gen Z

Younger employees often elevate different social impact priorities than other generational cohorts. For instance, Gen Z is the most concerned of any generation about climate change. 

Your CSR programming should make space for the specific causes young people care about, empowering employees to make a tangible impact on the social issues that inspire them the most. When CSR programs reflect an employee’s genuine interests, participation feels more accessible and meaningful.

Start by identifying areas of interest directly from employees. Ask them how they envision CSR work fitting into their professional lives and what specific actions they’d like to see supported. For example, some may wish to join corporate-sponsored efforts to protect biodiversity through reforestation projects, while others might prefer organizing a teamwide effort to clean up a local park. 

For many of the systematic and global causes Gen Z cares about, micro-actions are an effective means of doing good. This may include reducing office waste as part of daily routines, biking or walking to work to mitigate environmental challenges, or using reusable grocery bags. These are all great ways for younger employees to engage in the causes they care about in repeatable and accessible ways, as they break down large-scale issues into actionable steps.

3. Drive Engagement with Digital-First Technologies 

Gen Z employees are digital natives who expect seamless, tech-enabled experiences in all aspects of their lives—including the workplace. Your CSR campaigns should cater to these preferences and leverage digital tools to enhance participation and engagement. 

Digital platforms make it easy for employees to take action. These tools can help workers discover new opportunities to get involved via easy search functions or make frictionless, low-cost donations to trusted nonprofits all over the world. 

Likewise, digital-first CSR solutions are inherently social—just like the apps Gen Z turns to every day. This makes it easier for employees to take inspiration from their peers’ involvement and gamify social impact. Features such as peer matching, where employees can add their own matching dollars to their co-workers’ fundraising campaigns, tend to help bring in more people and raise more funds for causes.

Encouraging leaders to share their own involvement in CSR programs fosters relatability with higher-ups in your organization and inspires even more younger workers to get involved. When employees see key leaders actively participating in social impact initiatives, it sends a powerful message that giving back is a shared value across all levels of your organization.

Then, when employees engage, digital platforms can surface data-driven insights to help tailor programs and create greater resonance over time. This feedback loop helps to strengthen engagement and retention outcomes. 

4. Adopt a Day-One Mindset

When it comes to younger people entering the workforce for the first time, engaging them in meaningful CSR initiatives early on can set the tone for a long and productive relationship. In fact, research from Benevity found that companies see a 52% lower turnover rate among newer employees who participate in CSR programs.

There are several ways to ingrain CSR from the moment of hire. For example, you may consider offering credits to new hires to donate to causes they care about. Doing so builds early proof of your company’s genuine commitment to providing your employees with opportunities to live their values and make a positive impact at work.

Another option is to plan a group volunteering event for new-hire cohorts where they experience the benefits of volunteering together. This can be reinforced by allowing new hires to earn rewards in the form of charitable donation currency, which they can direct to a nonprofit of their choosing after volunteering. 

Once the new-hire period is over, consider offering employees additional “VTO” or “volunteer time off” days alongside traditional PTO, so they know their employer values their long-term contributions to its communities. This type of approach can prove particularly effective with younger employees, who are redefining work/life balance.

It can also be helpful to highlight the less obvious, but well-researched, benefits of engaging in these initiatives. For instance, CSR programs provide employees with opportunities to build practical workplace skills they may not yet have—and may be harder-pressed to learn on the job.

Younger employees can turn to CSR to hone skills relevant to their professional roles and expand their networks. These programs allow employees to boost their confidence through leading volunteer teams, refine their communication abilities during fundraising events, and learn more about diverse communities, just to give a few examples.

Invest in a Purpose-Driven Workplace for All

Gen Z is driven by purpose and seeks employers who share their commitment to making a meaningful impact. In a competitive talent market, organizations that fail to prioritize purpose risk losing out on this dynamic and socially conscious generation.

The good news? By implementing strategic, employee-focused CSR programs, your organization can create an environment where employees feel deeply connected to their work, their communities, and your company’s mission. This isn’t just about meeting Gen Z’s expectations—it’s about building a workplace culture that inspires and retains talent across all generations while driving long-term success.

The choice is clear: Invest in purpose today, or risk being left behind tomorrow.

Discover ways to expand your organization’s CSR program to create a more purpose-driven workplace.