Kantar in conversation with Academic Work

As the workforce continues to evolve, so do the expectations of young professionals.
To mark the 10th anniversary of the Young Professional Attraction Index (YPAI), Kantar sat down with David Dufweke-Lantto, CX & Survey Specialist at Academic Work and a key figure behind this annual study conducted in partnership with Kantar.

In this conversation, David reflects on how young professionals’ priorities have shifted over the past decade, what today’s most attractive employers are doing right, and why flexibility, leadership, and workplace culture are more critical than ever.

Last year, we celebrated the 10th edition of YPAI. Looking back over the years, how have young professionals’ key drivers changed?

Over the years, we've observed that the key drivers for young professionals have evolved, yet some attributes remain consistently important. Colleagues and workplace environment have always been top priorities, often considered more important than salary. Positive and friendly colleagues create a reinforcing cycle that attracts the right candidates.

While the core recipe for an attractive employer remains largely the same, the execution is where many companies falter. During the pandemic, new attributes such as stability and financial liquidity emerged as critical factors. Young professionals sought employers with a history of solid financial performance, prioritizing stability over dynamism. This shift underscores the importance of adapting to changing circumstances and highlighting your company's strengths in areas that matter most to young professionals.

If you look at the top 100 employers in the last couple of years, what trends do you see?

Analyzing the top 100 employers reveals that macroeconomic factors significantly influence what young professionals find attractive. Recently, there has been a growing interest in the Defense sector, with companies like SAAB and Försvarsmakten (Swedish Armed Forces) gaining popularity. The pandemic also brought health-related companies to the forefront, reflecting the increased importance of healthcare and stability.

The public sector has seen a rise in interest due to its perceived job security. Our YPAI metric, developed by Kantar, also considers the company’s perceived success in its market. Therefore, it's crucial for companies to align their offerings with current trends and communicate their success effectively. Highlighting your company's achievements and stability can make a significant difference in attracting young professionals.

In an era of hybrid work, many employers struggle to get their employees back to their physical workplace, and those who have forced employees on-site work are not the most successful ones. What do young professionals think about on-site work?

It's essential to understand why you want employees on-site and communicate the benefits clearly. It has now been five years since the covid pandemic, and in 2022-2023, we heard many companies state “Return to Office” as their policy and referencing to pre-covid routines. At that time, and even more so now, you’ve had young professionals who have gone through entire bachelor’s and master’s degrees and do not have any reference point to what the “return to” is. Employers need to be very clear with the benefits of what an on-site workplace brings to them. Our YPAI 2024 survey revealed that flexibility in working hours (28%) and friendly colleagues (20%) are key factors that could entice remote workers to return to the office. Social activities, like pizza parties, were less effective (10%). Instead, focus on creating a positive and friendly environment that genuinely attracts employees to come to work.

Work-related stress is one of the most pressing challenges facing professionals today—especially among younger employees, who are particularly susceptible. What have you learned?
That’s why we dedicated several in-depth questions to this topic in our latest survey. In Sweden during 2023, 77% of respondents reported having experienced—or come close to experiencing—mental exhaustion due to work. This is not unique to Sweden; in the U.S., a study by Morning Consult found that over half of young professionals feel emotionally drained at least once a week (Mental Health and Wellbeing of Young Professionals, 2023).

In our own findings, the most common contributors to this strain were factors that managers can directly influence—such as a negative team climate (20%) and lack of role clarity (19%). The leading cause, however, was “poor leadership,” cited by 32% of respondents as a major driver of emotional fatigue.

In 2024, we expanded the survey to ask what actions employers could take to support wellbeing. The top responses were reducing workload (35%) and offering greater flexibility (34%). The latter is particularly noteworthy, as it doesn’t necessarily require additional budget—just a shift in mindset. Leaders might consider whether rigid on-site requirements are truly essential, or if it’s more valuable to focus on the outcomes employees deliver.

Creating a supportive and adaptable work environment can significantly reduce stress levels and promote long-term wellbeing.