In times of a shortage of skilled employees, companies are faced with the question of how they can motivate young talents from Generation Z with a long-term perspective. A recent study by FHWien der WKW, which was published in the current issue of “Personal Manager” – the magazine for Human Resources – shows that financial incentives play a lesser role than is often assumed.
This is because factors such as a pleasant working atmosphere, interesting activities and flexibility are much more important for career starters. This is the conclusion of the study by Barbara Brzezinski, a graduate of the Bachelor’s degree program in Human Resources Management, and Christina Schweiger, Head of Human Resources & Organization Study Programs at FHWien der WKW. In this study, 22 different incentives and their influence on the motivation of the surveyed young professionals aged between 16 and 29 were examined.
Good working atmosphere, training opportunities and an interesting variety of tasks
The result: the working atmosphere ranks first, followed by varied tasks and the opportunity to work flexibly. Aspects such as bonus payments, fast promotion opportunities or the opportunity to work from home, on the other hand, were at the bottom of the list.
A remarkable finding: further training is also highly relevant for motivation. The correlation between a motivating working environment and access to educational opportunities was particularly strong. Companies that offer young employees development opportunities can therefore not only attract them but also retain them in the long term.
Individual benefits and an appreciative work culture
The results suggest that companies should rethink their incentive systems. For example, a so-called “cafeteria system”, in which employees can individually choose from various benefits, could specifically increase motivation. After all, it takes more than financial incentives to attract young talent – it’s about a meaningful and appreciative work culture.
On this topic, Christina Schweiger is also quoted in the newspaper DerStandard (in German).