A call for

accountability
and action
THE DE LOIT TE GLO B A L 2021
MILLENNIAL & GEN Z SURVE Y
 2021 MILLENNIAL & GEN Z SURVEY

Methodology
Marking its 10th anniversary, Deloitte Global conducted its annual survey of millennials and Gen Zs between January and February 2021 to understand
their values, concerns, actions, expectations, and ultimately what drives their loyalty as consumers and employees.

BY THE NUMBERS

countries surveyed
45 worldwide

22.9k responses overall

millennial
14.6k responses

8.2k Gen Z responses

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 Young people
believe in the power
of individuals to
create change.
While the events of 2020 may have slowed
millennials’ and Gen Zs’ activities, they didn’t
diminish their drive or their voices. In fact, the
2021 Deloitte Global Millennial & Gen Z Survey
suggests the pandemic, extreme climate events
and a charged socio-political atmosphere may
have reinforced their passions and given them
oxygen to propel positive change.

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 2021 MILLENNIAL & GEN Z SURVEY

Climate change remains a top concern

Health care/disease prevention tops millennials’ list of concerns as a result of the pandemic
Greatest personal concerns for millennials, year over year: The affects of reduced carbon
emissions during the pandemic
28% 27% 26% 28% lockdowns may have stoked
21% 21% 19% 19% 22% environmental optimism
13%
About 40% believe that people’s
commitment to take personal action for
environmental issues will be greater, post
Health care/disease Unemployment Climate change/protecting Economic growth Crime/personal safety
pandemic.
prevention the environment 2021 2020

Climate change remains the No. 1 concern for Gen Z, but their focus on health care/disease prevention has also grown
Greatest personal concerns for Gen Zs, year over year:

30%
26% 25% 22% 21% 19%
15% 18% 16% 17% Though ~60% fear business’ commitment
to helping combat climate change will be
deprioritized as they reckon with
challenges brought on by the pandemic.
Climate change/protecting Unemployment Health care/disease Education, skills, and Sexual harassment
the environment prevention training 2021 2020

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 2021 MILLENNIAL & GEN Z SURVEY

They have serious concerns and misgivings about the scale of wealth and income inequality

Many believe government intervention will be needed to drive change.

Young people think
wealth is distributed Percent of respondents who think the following actions would help reduce inequality in their country:
unequally in society
60% 61% 61% 60% 58% 57% 60% 62% 53%
40%

Government funding targeted Legislation to limit the pay Higher taxes for the Legislation that requires Make a monthly payment to
69% to support skills training for gap between a business's
lower-income groups best paid executive and
wealthiest people businesses to pay workers a
livable wage
all adults to provide a
'minimum living income'
average employees
Millennials Gen Zs

Nearly a third have voted for or otherwise supported politicians who want to reduce income inequality.
Actions taken to help reduce income inequality in their country:
31% 29% 30% 26% 27% 27%
19% 17%

66%
Voted for/supported politicians who Donated a portion of your income to Donated educational resources to Boycotted or otherwise protested
have spoken out/will enact policies charities/disadvantaged groups charities working to improve against companies that do not pay
that reduce income inequality opportunities for lower-income their share of tax
groups
Millennials Gen Zs

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 2021 MILLENNIAL & GEN Z SURVEY

Most young people say systemic racism is very or fairly widespread in society…

Young people see racism as a pervasive problem across institutions.

Percent of respondents who believe systemic racism is very or fairly widespread within the following institutions:

56% 60% 55% 52% 51%

49% 49% 48% 46% 48% 45% 47% 45% 48%
34% 38%

Society in general The media The political system The police force The justice system Business in general The education system Your workplace

Millennials Gen Zs

One in five respondents feel personally discriminated against “all the time” or frequently because of an aspect
of their backgrounds.

The past year shined a spotlight on the issue in such a way that 55% of all respondents agreed society is at a
tipping point on the issue of discrimination and racism.

While half of those surveyed said individual citizens have the greatest potential to help bring about significant
change to systemic racism, three in five believe positive change will only come from the top down i.e., a
change in attitude and actions from those in power.

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 2021 MILLENNIAL & GEN Z SURVEY

…but many believe institutions are falling short of their potential to drive change

Those seen as having the greatest potential to address systemic racism are not the ones making the greatest effort.
Young people are
Perceptions of potential to bring about Perceptions of those making the
taking action to try to
change with respect to racism: greatest efforts with respect to racism:
tackle discrimination.
49% 41%
50% Individuals/citizens 44% 29% 33%
48% 35%
52% Education system 40% Tried to educate and
change the views of those
47% 28% around them
46% Governments/politicians 26%

36% 23% 24% 28%

36% The legal/justice system 23%

26% 18% Tried to educate

23% Businesses/business leaders 18% themselves on this issue

21% 22%
20% Religious institutions 21%
15% 14%
20% 40%
25% Activist/protest groups and movements 44%
Boycotted a company
19% 38% because of its views
20% Charities/non-government organizations 38%
Millennials Gen Zs
Millennials Gen Zs MillennialsMillennials
Gen Zs Gen Zs
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 2021 MILLENNIAL & GEN Z SURVEY

Stress has returned to pre-pandemic levels

Young people say The pandemic has created much uncertainty and stress around their financial futures.
they feel stressed all Contributors to feeling more stressed/anxious since the pandemic started:
or most of the time.
Financial concerns or uncertainty (immediate or longer term) 48%
43%

General uncertainty/concerns for the future 38%

39%

41% My job/work (e.g. change in working patterns, job security, etc.)

26%
37%

Physical health concerns (for myself and/or family/friends) 37%

32%

Lack of personal contact with others 28%

31%

Mental health concerns (for myself and/or family/friends) 26%

31%

47% Current affairs and the social/political climate 17%

17% Millennials
Educational concerns (for myself or my children) 16% Gen Zs
24%

Just 36% of millennials and 40% of Gen Zs believed their personal financial situations would improve during the next 12 months. Conversely, about one in
five from each group assumed their financial situations would worsen.

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 2021 MILLENNIAL & GEN Z SURVEY

The stigma around struggles with mental health, particularly in the workplace, remains

About a third of all respondents (millennials 31%, Gen Zs 35%) said they’ve
taken time off work due to stress and anxiety since the start of the pandemic.

Nearly half of this group gave their employer a different reason for their A stigma around mental health
absence. challenges in the workplace may
explain why only 38% of
millennials and 35% of Gen Zs
said they’ve spoken openly with
their supervisors about the
Nearly four in 10 respondents disagreed with the statement, “My employer stress they’re feeling.
has taken actions to support my mental well-being during this time.”

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 2021 MILLENNIAL & GEN Z SURVEY

Barely half say business is a force for good

In a five-year span ending in 2021, the number of millennials who felt business was a “force for Those who say businesses focus on their own
good” dropped from three-quarters to half. agenda rather than considering wider society
Percentage of millennials who say businesses have a very positive/fairly positive impact on wider slightly decreased from last year.
society: Percentage who agree with the above
statement, year over year:
76%
73% 74% 73% 73%
71%
69% 69% 77%
75% 75% 73%
70%
61% 64%
59% 71% 69% 69%
55%
51%
47%

Millennials Gen Zs Millennials Gen Zs

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

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 2021 MILLENNIAL & GEN Z SURVEY

Job loyalty slips from its 2020 peak

Job loyalty peaked in 2020, pre-pandemic

Loyalty levels slipped in 2021 but are still higher than they’ve typically been over the past 5 years.
Percent of millennials who expect to leave in the next two years:
61% 61%
53%
49% 50%
44% 43%
39%
35% 36% 34%
31% 31%
27% 28% 28%
19% 21% 21%
12%

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Millennnials leave within 2 years Millennials stay more than 5 years Gen Z leave within 2 years Gen Z stay more than 5 years

Their values affect their employment decisions

MILLENNIALS

GEN ZS
In 2021, 44% of millennials surveyed and 49% of Gen Zs said they have made
choices over the types of work they’d do and the organizations they’re willing to
work for based on their personal beliefs/ethics over the past two years.

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 2021 MILLENNIAL & GEN Z SURVEY

Key takeaways for business leaders

Ensure that the Reevaluate the ways Examine the role Prioritize mental health Pursue initiatives that
environment doesn’t they look at hiring and employers can play in support and resources, alleviate challenges and
fall down the list of the retention to promote supporting employees and create cultures biases unique to women
organization’s priorities diversity and inclusion struggling with where it’s OK to in the workplace
economic uncertainty acknowledge stress
and financial stress

Young people are tired of waiting for change to happen and are taking action to hold others accountable.
It’s difficult for millennials and Gen Zs to change the world when many are worried about their own families’ health and futures. That’s not stopping them
from trying, though. They are resilient and resolute, and business leaders who share their vision for a better future would do well to encourage those
characteristics and enable their ambitions in every way possible.

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