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29 Apr 2026
What the next generation workforce expects from retail
Most young people do not want to slack off at work, the next generation of retailers told delegates during a panel at the World Retail Congress in Berlin on Wednesday.
Students from several institutions, including Hong Kong Polytechnic, the University of Amsterdam, the Fashion Institute of Technology New York and the London College of Fashion joined a lively debate exploring what the next generation workforce expects from retail.
Moderated by Frank Quix who runs the Anton Dreesman Chair for Retail Marketing and Strategy at the University of Amsterdam, students said they believed those older than them thought they didn’t want to work hard - and that this is a false impression.
“Many of my friends work a full-time job, like five days a week,” said one student. “But retailers think we only want to work three or four days a week.”
Others shared that sentiment. One student said: “ Employers think our generation is lazy and we want more free time and we don’t want to work as hard as they did.”
In a similar vein, one student said they wanted to be given more opportunities in the workplace.
“I believe that sometimes retailers think we do not want to do extra work,” they said. “And I think extra work and extra opportunities is a way to advance in the company.
“Some people may not want it, most of us do.”
When asked what would put younger people off from working with a company, one student singled out poor communication skills.
“If you don’t communicate what you expect from us, that is misleading,” they said, adding that job adverts often contain little details but then they are “expected to work like the CEO”.
Another young person in the group listed what they don’t want in the future of work. “Lack of organisation, lack of personal boundaries, lack of career growth progression and opportunities,” they said, adding: "We are not here for the coffees, we are here for career growth."
Students from several institutions, including Hong Kong Polytechnic, the University of Amsterdam, the Fashion Institute of Technology New York and the London College of Fashion joined a lively debate exploring what the next generation workforce expects from retail.
Moderated by Frank Quix who runs the Anton Dreesman Chair for Retail Marketing and Strategy at the University of Amsterdam, students said they believed those older than them thought they didn’t want to work hard - and that this is a false impression.
“Many of my friends work a full-time job, like five days a week,” said one student. “But retailers think we only want to work three or four days a week.”
Others shared that sentiment. One student said: “ Employers think our generation is lazy and we want more free time and we don’t want to work as hard as they did.”
In a similar vein, one student said they wanted to be given more opportunities in the workplace.
“I believe that sometimes retailers think we do not want to do extra work,” they said. “And I think extra work and extra opportunities is a way to advance in the company.
“Some people may not want it, most of us do.”
When asked what would put younger people off from working with a company, one student singled out poor communication skills.
“If you don’t communicate what you expect from us, that is misleading,” they said, adding that job adverts often contain little details but then they are “expected to work like the CEO”.
Another young person in the group listed what they don’t want in the future of work. “Lack of organisation, lack of personal boundaries, lack of career growth progression and opportunities,” they said, adding: "We are not here for the coffees, we are here for career growth."