Oakland, Calif., July 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gen Z (49%) and millennials (43%) are more excited to use AI tools to enhance their work and organization than baby boomers and Gen X combined (26%), according to a recent Great Place To Work® market study of 1,544 employees.
But it’s hard to feel excited when you’re worried about how AI will be used, even for optimistic young workers.
They need to trust both the technology and their leaders before embracing AI’s potential. That won’t magically happen because leaders want it to. Having AI tools doesn’t automatically mean everyone’s on board.
“This is not a case of, ‘If you build it, they will come,’” says Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place To Work®. “It’s the other way around. People will adopt AI tools if they trust their leaders. Build trust, and they will come.”
Without trust, adoption rates will remain low and skepticism high, putting many companies at a distinct disadvantage while companies with high-trust cultures soar, like the Fortune Best Workplaces for Millennials™ in 2024.
Employees at this year’s winning companies outperformed their peers in agility, productivity, and innovation. Notably, innovation levels are a staggering 97% higher than at typical organizations.
“These companies are thriving as a direct result not only of the trust young generations put in their leaders, but all generations,” Bush says. “When I’m asked which companies are going to succeed in AI, I know where to look. Under the hood. Below the surface to the foundation. Have leaders built a culture of trust for all? The answer is yes for every company on this list.”
Here are the top five companies in the large category (1,000+ employees) on this year’s list:
Here are the top five companies in the small- and medium-sized category (50-999 employees):
“Congratulations to all of the Best Workplaces for Millennials finalists,” says Matt Heimer, executive editor for features at Fortune. “The expectations of this age cohort are setting a high bar for employers. Millennials place an unusually high priority on purpose-driven work and an equitable workplace. These companies are in step with these expectations, and they’re setting themselves up for continued success by committing to workplaces and environments that attract this pivotal generation of business talent.”
Great Place To Work analysis pinpointed leadership behaviors that will help set up workplaces for AI success:
- Employees who feel their leaders celebrate people who try new and better ways of doing things are three times more likely to report workplace agility.
- Employees in cooperative workplaces are 53% more likely to report their workplaces are agile, and nearly seven times more likely to report high levels of discretionary effort.
- Employees who see meaning in their work are not only 35% more likely to innovate in the last year, but also more than twice as likely to stay committed to their organization long-term. Meaningful work is the top driver of retention for all generations.
Images are available: Best Workplaces for Millennials are AI Ready
Read how the Best Workplaces are using AI at their organizations.
About the Fortune Best Workplaces for Millennials List
Great Place To Work selected the Fortune Best Workplaces for Millennials List by surveying companies employing more than 8.2 million people in the U.S. with 1.3 million confidential survey responses received. Of those, nearly 510,000 responses were received from millennials at companies eligible for the list and these rankings are based on that feedback.
To get on this list next year, start here.
About Great Place To Work
As the global authority on workplace culture, Great Place To Work brings 30 years of groundbreaking research and data to help every place become a great place to work for all. Its proprietary platform and For All™ Model help companies evaluate the experience of every employee, with exemplary workplaces becoming Great Place To Work Certified™ or receiving recognition on a coveted Best Workplaces™ list.
Follow Great Place To Work on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram or visit greatplacetowork.com and sign up for the newsletter to learn more.
About Fortune
Fortune upholds a legacy of award-winning writing and trusted reporting for executives who want to make business better. Independently owned, with a global perspective and digital agility, Fortune tells the stories of a new generation of innovators, builders, and risk takers. Online and in print, Fortune measures corporate performance through rigorous benchmarks, and holds companies accountable. Fortune creates communities by convening true thought leaders and iconoclasts — those who shape industry, commerce, and society — through powerful and prestigious lists, events, and conferences, such as the iconic Fortune 500, the CEO Initiative, and Most Powerful Women. For more information, visit Fortune.com.
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