Purpose Over Paycheck: Workforce, Values, & Gen Z Engagement
In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast, we continue our Gen Z Insights Series—spotlighting rising professionals shaping the future of associations from the inside out. This special series is made possible by our partners at Highland.
Host Keaveny Hewitt from OnWrd & UpWrd sits down with Laiya Rollins, Manager of Membership & Workforce Initiatives at LeadingAge Virginia. Laiya shares her journey from temp to leader in aging services, offering candid insight into what makes Gen Z stay, what drives real workforce engagement, and why culture and purpose matter more than ever.
If you care about workforce development, remote work, or building meaningful Gen Z engagement pathways—this episode is packed with honest reflections and actionable ideas.
Key Highlights:
Career with Purpose: Why Gen Z isn’t just job-hopping for paychecks—and how associations can align mission with motivation.
Ripples of Impact: Laiya’s powerful take on association work as a multiplying force for good across communities and sectors.
Beyond the Bedside: Why aging services aren’t just for healthcare professionals, and how associations can broaden awareness of their industries.
Remote Work Real Talk: From creating boundaries to finding belonging, Laiya shares the challenges and benefits of transitioning to fully remote work.
Culture, Not Just Compliance: Why recruiting for values and listening for the “message behind the message” is key to long-term retention.
Workforce Advice for Leaders: How associations can meet employees where they are—without sacrificing expectations or impact.
🎧 Tune in now to hear how one Gen Z leader is redefining what it means to build a meaningful career in associations—and why workforce work is people work.
Resources:
🌐 Learn more about our series partner Highland: www.highlandsolutions.com
📊 Explore the Young Professional Membership Index: http://ypmi.report
The YPMI offers a quick, 15-minute organizational snapshot that helps association leaders identify gaps in young professional engagement and benchmark their performance against peers. It’s free to take—and packed with immediately actionable insights.
Stay Connected:
- Subscribe to The Association Insights podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode.
- Follow us on LinkedIn at OnWrd & UpWrd for the latest in association trends and strategies.
Coming Soon: This May, we’re continuing to hand the mic to Gen Z professionals shaping the future of associations. From rethinking membership value to balancing remote work, our Gen Z Insights series features candid conversations with rising leaders who are building community, driving innovation, and challenging long-held assumptions from the inside out. These episodes spotlight fresh perspectives, practical ideas, and a glimpse into what’s next—straight from the generation leading the charge.
🎧 This special series is brought to you by our friends at Highland, where strategy meets research meets action.
