Last time Consulting Matters checked in with Barbara, Umwelt had just taken home the Medium Firm of the Year Award at the Consult Australia Awards for Excellence in 2022. The firm’s cultural initiatives, particularly #MeDay, recognise the need to balance work and life in a high-performance culture by providing an additional day of leave each month for personal pursuits.
Fast forward to 2025, and Gen Z now makes up around 20% of Umwelt’s workforce. This generation is helping reshape workplace culture from the inside out.
“The next generation of consultants don’t just want to be part of the workforce,” Barbara says. “They want to make a difference. And we’re fortunate to be in an industry where that’s possible.”
In many ways, Umwelt’s refreshed brand and newly articulated values are a response to this generational shift. The six values – Be True, Care Deeply, Find the Balance, Better Together, Go Beyond, and Fuel the Fun – are intended to reflect and reinforce a culture that resonates with this emerging cohort.
“These values are more than ‘words on a wall’. They show up in the way we lead, the way we make decisions and the way we engage with each other and our clients.”
Purpose in practice
Deloitte research shows 86% of Gen Z consider purpose central to job satisfaction, and many will actively avoid working for companies whose values don’t align with their own.
Young people value genuine societal impact, but Edelman’s Trust Barometer shows declining trust in business to deliver it.
Barbara acknowledges this tension: “This cohort consistently tells us they want to work for an organisation with purpose – but it has to be authentic, and it has to be delivered.”
For Umwelt, that alignment comes naturally, which is why the firm’s new tagline is ‘Change for the Better’. “As an environmental and social consultancy, ‘Change for the Better,’ means we focus on helping clients operate more sustainably and responsibly, giving employees confidence they are contributing to real impact,” Barbara says.
More connected, more demanding
Generalisations about generations are fraught. But one is irrefutable: younger professionals have grown up in a hyper-connected, information-rich world that has shaped their expectations and work styles.
“Gen Z are used to instant access to information and immediate response to enquiries. This means transparency and engagement are really important to them.
“They are flexible, mobile and they want to be challenged. They want autonomy and certainly don’t want to be over controlled – but they also want more frequent touchpoints than previous generations. Striking that balance can be challenging for leaders.”
This realisation has prompted leaders at Umwelt to “think differently” about communication styles, feedback loops and decision-making transparency.
Attitudes to workplace flexibility continue to evolve too. “While not universal, as a cohort Gen Z are not willing to make the same time commitments to the workplace that previous generations accepted,” Barbara notes.
“We all need to make the most of our time at work, and initiatives like #MeDay and our flexible workplace policies, which we established before COVID, ensure people turn up to work fresh, enthusiastic and ready to tackle our clients’ challenges.”
Redefining ‘fun’ at work
One of Umwelt’s newly-articulated values is Fuel the Fun – and what ‘fun’ means is very different for today’s younger workers.
“It’s not just about heading to the pub on a Friday night for a few drinks. Our younger team members are looking for different types of connection and balance. They’re most consistently in the office because they value engagement, and when they come together socially, it’s often for a lunchtime card game or a pop quiz, table tennis or an after work social committee event that feels meaningful and inclusive.”
This reframing of “fun” reflects a broader shift toward intentional, inclusive connection, moving away from alcohol-centred activities toward meaningful shared experiences and values.
“Gen Z workers are healthier, more aware of diversity and inclusion, and teaching us to be more deliberate about how we foster workplace culture and values.”
The 2025-2026 season of the Consult Australia Awards for Excellence, with awards for people, culture, diversity and inclusion, will be announced in August 2025. Stay tuned!