Younger workers on average prioritise "passion for the work they do" over work-life balance and even money, according to new research from Cognizant's Centre for the Future of Work.

The Purpose Gap study found of the 499 millennial and Gen Z workers (aged 20-40) who took part, 59% value passion for the work they do, ahead of healthy work-life balance (53%) and money (49%).

Cognizant said the research revealed a widening gap between what staff expect and what their employers are actually delivering and between "work" and "purpose", with less than a fifth (18%) believing that they are "living their day-to-day purpose" in their professional life.

Similarly, nearly two-thirds (65%) said it's extremely important for their employer "to positively impact society", with respondents identifying flexibility (42%), honesty (39%) and work competence (35%) as the top three traits that matter most in their leaders.

Many respondents -- from across Europe, 16 industry cohorts and three age cohorts -- said they aren't aware of their company's stance on ethical, social and environmental issues, with a third stating that they had no idea whether their employer had a long-term plan to become carbon neutral.

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Poor intra-communication undermines the purpose message and will result in a lack of employee engagement, ultimately creating a disconnect between business opportunities and challenges, and the ability to meet them, Cognizant found.

The company also advised that younger staff members do not respond well to micromanagement and that they are less likely to quit if they are offered "more autonomy to achieve business goals and contribute their ideas on a range of business-related".

Cognizant continued: "While it may be tempting for some companies to dismiss millennials’ and Gen Z’s attitude as simply reflecting the idealism of the young and expect their enthusiasm to fade over time, the findings suggest this would be terribly short-sighted.

"Ultimately, organisations are embedded in the societies of which they are part. As social values and needs evolve, so will workers’ purposes. Being by their side in this journey is key to remaining relevant today and tomorrow."

(Pic: Getty Images)