“Gen Global” has entered the chat—and the workforce. Gen Global is a new generation of workers that wants growth opportunities, diverse experiences, workplace flexibility and independence associated with global companies.

Today, young workers have bold opinions and global aspirations. What’s more, they are sharing these ideas on social media and are therefore impacting workplaces around the world. And because of social media, workers today have tremendous power. There are more than 200M influencers posting content on social media and many of these users promote trends like flexible schedules and workplace wellbeing and use terms like “quiet quitting,” “rage applying,” and “lazy girl jobs.” These ever-changing trends have sparked different demands, expectations, and behaviors among workers. Today, anyone who wants it has access to a megaphone and an opportunity to connect with anyone, anywhere. 

Plus, advancements in technology have made it easier for people to work remotely, and the expansion of the gig economy has forever changed how people think about what it means to “go to work.” These trends are enabling what I like to call an “everywhere workforce.” And employers are grappling to stay ahead of the curve.

A study by G-P found that 79% of employees want to work for a global company. Employees under the age of 27 were the most enthusiastic about this. In fact, 85% of workers under the age of 27 overwhelmingly believe companies that hire from multiple countries offer more opportunities to grow their careers. Additionally, FlexJobs found that nearly 75% of employees under 27 say that workplace flexibility is the number one employee benefit they seek.

Here’s what makes Gen Global unique—and what they want from employers. 

The demand for global companies

Gen Global wants to work for international organizations. The benefits of working for a global company are wide-ranging. In fact, G-P also found that 95% of employees believe global companies outpace their peers and, generally, they believe global companies are better at generating and supporting international clients, attracting top talent, and adopting the latest technology—all of which are crucial factors impacting workers’ growth trajectory.

Furthermore, Gen Global believes global companies provide access to better pay and benefits (49%), a culturally diverse workplace (48%), and greater flexibility (40%). These additional factors are what many young employees prioritize as they evaluate job opportunities.

Personal perks are also on Gen Global’s minds. Nearly 2 in 5 (39%) of survey respondents listed the opportunity to acquire new personal skills as a top reason to work for an organization with a global presence. These workers are actively seeking employers who invest in training and development programs in the form of mentorship, workshops, skill enhancement and opportunities to work with colleagues in different countries.

How employers can attract global talent

While employees are interested in pursuing opportunities with global companies, the feeling is mutual among employers as well. Approximately 66% of leaders say having employees in multiple countries is part of their business strategy and 28% say it is pivotal to their company’s future. Thanks in large part to technology, employees can be productive no matter where in the world they’re located.

Businesses looking beyond borders to access the best talent need to prepare for Gen Global and the everywhere workforce. The first thing leaders can do to accomplish this is to develop a deep understanding of the talent pool. Understanding employees’ skills, strengths and aspirations allows for better workforce management, talent development, and strategic planning.

The second thing leaders should do to attract Gen Global is to partner with expertise.  Executives don’t need to be experts in every market they hire, but they do need to rely on technology, systems and experts to advise on the local laws, regulations and processes.

Lastly, I believe leaders should invest in upgrading their technology. The latest SaaS-based and AI-powered products can help manage global teams in one dashboard with unique insights, analytics and the latest tools to manage the full employee lifecycle. The right technology and experts can guide a company in its  global growth journey to  attract the best talent, withstand challenges and beat the competition. This requires leaders to commit to improving the global work experience and find ways to lower barriers to entry for the Gen Global employees who want to work for global companies.

Ultimately, we are fortunate to be living in a time when people’s opportunities to contribute aren’t limited by their geographical borders, and companies and employees alike can benefit from what technology has made possible. Today, Gen Global can succeed and shape their careers in new ways—and we will all benefit.