The assumption that Millennials and Gen Z are clamoring for change in the face of fierce resistance from Boomers is proving a misconception, according to a recent study. In fact, younger professionals had a pragmatic and muted opinion, while those 30 and up showed more urgency towards issues like global warming. Turns out that most of us are, more or less, on the same page.
Every professional aged 18 to 25 who completed the survey, which is run annually by Sustain Beauty Co, said they were only ‘somewhat worried’, while more than 80% of the older age ranges, apart from the over-65s, were ‘somewhat’ or “extremely” worried about global warming. Nearly 50% of 42 to 57-year-olds registered as extremely worried.
The survey this year garnered nearly 700 responses from salon and suite owners as well as stylists, finding most were willing to commit to protect the planet. Of all respondents, 94% were likely to change business practices to support sustainability. When you start looking at the ages, the degree of willingness to engage and adapt varies. The 26-34 year cohort was the most willing to invest in more expensive options if they were more sustainable (71%) and felt most extreme about their willingness to change (60% extremely likely). However, there was still substantial commitment in the 42-57 age bracket.
“There is clearly a general trend towards sustainability across all age groups,” says Sustain Beauty Co founder Valorie Tate. “However, the degree of willingness to engage and adapt varies, with the most substantial commitments seen in the 42-57 age bracket, which shows that contrary to assumptions that the younger generations are more vocal and active, this group had more commitment than Millennials and Gen X.
“This can be interpreted many ways, but it may be an indication that younger generations feel like they control less within the salon. Perhaps it’s because they have more pressing issues to consider, like establishing their careers and, therefore, cannot worry about what they aren’t responsible for.”
The survey also revealed that perceptions of how others felt about sustainability tended to be a little warped. Some 94% of stylists working in salons stated sustainability was important to them, yet they were still convinced most of their teammates didn’t care. Nearly 30% believed their colleagues considered sustainability only ‘somewhat’ important while 18% thought their peers didn’t care at all.
“Actions taken by individuals may not be as visible to others as they believe, leading to a perception that others are less committed,” adds Valorie. “The dip in perception of importance by teammates also indicates internal frustrations that the individual carries a greater burden of execution. This can hold back intentions to change. Hopefully, studies and conversations about these topics can build greater connections between professionals and help teams feel more aligned on priorities. ”
