By: Norma Kraay, Managing Partner, Talent & Chief Talent Officer, Deloitte Canada

Did you know that by 2025 millennials – those born between 1983 and 1994 – will account for nearly 75% of the Canadian workforce? In addition to this generation shifting demographics in the corporate landscape, centennials or Gen Z as they are often referred to (those born between 1995-1999) will also be making their way through the door at many organizations. In our Deloitte Canada offices, we have already started to experience this shift first-hand, and what we have observed is that these younger generations of professionals want to contribute, engage, and take the lead in generating ideas and designing solutions.

Millennials vs. centennials: how does their thinking differ?

For the past seven years, Deloitte has released a Millennial Report sharing insights about the generation to help businesses prepare for the shift. Our 2018 report was the first one where we surveyed centennials as well, and overall the respondents echoed similar feelings as millennials when it comes to what they expect from employers. We actually found it quite interesting how similar their views are: both cohorts are looking for opportunities to make meaningful change and develop their capabilities, and they value diverse, flexible working environments.

Creating opportunities for leadership at every level

We know that ‘career growth’ means something different to everyone, but like those who came before them, millennials and centennials want to expand their leadership skills and grow as leaders so that they can be successful in years to come. They grew up sharing ideas and information freely, and are accustomed to obtaining immediate and broad feedback to enrich their thoughts and ideas.

At Deloitte, our commitment to growing the world’s best leaders goes beyond the unique opportunities found on the job, they are also in the community and in the classroom as well so that these younger professionals can experience leadership at every level while having an impact that matters.

As a leadership development firm and through our refreshed corporate responsibility strategy, we strive to empower our people with opportunities to create positive change. This year, we secured spots for three young professionals (aged 18-30) to attend the One Young World (OYW) Summit in the Netherlands this October. With over 800 applications, it was extremely difficult to choose just three! When the representatives return from the summit, they’ll apply the leadership skills and insights they have gained through involvement in our firm’s Tomorrow, Together corporate responsibility strategy.

Leadership opportunities are not only provided for those currently with the firm. In fact, leadership development at Deloitte can begin as early as on-campus during student recruitment. Each June, over 100 undergraduate students from across Canada are invited to attend Deloitte National Leadership Conference (DNLC), a three-day, invite-only learning conference in Toronto. This year, we had 105 students from 27 schools join us. During the conference, participants got the opportunity to participate in leadership development workshops and activities in our exclusive learning facility, Deloitte University North. In addition, they were able to network with current practitioners and partners to learn what life at Deloitte is all about. As part of the conference, participants are split-up into small groups to channel their leadership skills and create a solution for an actual Deloitte client. The best part? The winning solution is implemented by the organization!

Stop preparing, and start taking action

The time to start taking action is now. Creating programming tailored specifically for these younger generations might not always be the answer, but enabling and encouraging leadership at every level can truly make a difference in how you attract and attain this next group of leaders. Regardless of one’s age or job title, having all thoughts on the table can turn good ideas into great ones. With millennials and centennials ready to contribute, engage, and take the lead in designing solutions and contributing new points of view, it’s time for organizations to start letting these employees have a voice in the future of their work.