What Gen Z and Millennials really want (and why most companies miss the mark)
Gen Z and Millennials aren’t just looking for a product to buy or a place to work.
They’re looking for alignment. Alignment with their values, their emotional wellbeing, and their financial situation.
Loyalty isn’t about perks anymore for these generations. It’s about emotional ROI.
And based on insights from both PeopleMetrics proprietary research and Deloitte’s 2025 Gen Z & Millennial Survey, three factors rise to the top when it comes to earning their trust and long-term engagement:
- Money: Fair Pay + Financial Flexibility
Financial security is still out of reach for many in these generations (we have a full blog post on that later in series).
Despite rising influence, 51% of Gen Zs and 45% of Millennials say they don’t feel financially secure.
They’re deeply price-conscious, often skeptical of large institutions, and drawn to models that give them more control. They tend to prefer subscription over ownership, side gigs over one career path, and brands that help them stretch every dollar.
Implication: Offer flexible pricing, transparent value, and accessible experiences. If it feels expensive or exploitative, they’ll walk away, no matter how well-known your brand is.
- Meaning: Purpose Must Be Real (and Personal)
According to Deloitte, 89% of Gen Z and 92% of Millennials say purpose is key to job satisfaction.
Purpose is also central to their consumer behavior.
They want to support brands and causes that stand for something and back it up with real action, not slogans. They also want to often see themselves in that story.
Implication: Purpose isn’t a marketing message; it’s a filter they use to decide if you’re worth their time. Show them the difference they’re making by engaging with you and let them participate in that purpose!
- Mental Health: Don’t Just Respect It, Prioritize It!
Mental health isn’t a side issue for younger generations, it’s a defining one. From PeopleMetrics research and Deloitte’s survey:
- 52% of Gen Zs and 46% of Millennials say they feel anxious or stressed most of the time.
- Over 50% say their employer doesn’t support mental health well enough.
- And they apply the same scrutiny to consumer experiences, often asking “is this brand helping me feel better, or worse?”
Implication: Any experience (work, customer service, digital, or brand-related) that adds stress is a threat to loyalty to these generations. Ease, empathy, and flexibility aren’t extras, they’re expectations!
Bottom Line:
The old drivers of loyalty (habit, proximity, brand legacy) don’t hold like they used to, especially for Gen Z and Millennials.
For Gen Z and Millennials, loyalty comes from feeling:
- Financially respected
- Personally aligned
- Emotionally supported
They’re not just customers or employees.
They’re people, looking for partners, not providers.
Earn that, and you earn their trust which is everything for these generations.
Next up: “What They Expect from Leadership (and Why Most Managers Are Failing)”
These generations want mentorship, meaning, and mutual respect (not micromanagement).
