EVERY generation wants to change the world.

It usually means writing a placard and a few protest songs.

My generation, for example, were keen on glowsticks, whistles, floppy hats and thought the world had missed the point about Manchester’s music. I’m told the editor of this newspaper was no stranger to a new romantic lace cravat; and the less said about James Ramsbotham’s loon pants the better.

We all thought the world had got it wrong and we knew things could be better.

Then we discovered mortgages and career development and waving a placard was something other people did.

We followed the well-trodden path of previous generations motivated by wealth, property and a nice bottle of something red to wash it all down.

That pattern has continued down the generations until, it seems, now.

A study looking at British and American teenagers has identified Generation K, so called because they share similar values to Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games.

In the novels, Katniss lives in a dystopian future, has a mistrust of Government and large corporations, is idealistic, media aware and uses all of this and a bow and arrow to bring down the world order.

Generation K became financially and politically aware just as the financial crash happened, have grown up with the rise of terrorism and global instability, and have the feeling they will never buy a house or afford to retire.

This makes them depressed with high levels of mental illness.

However, they are also creative, intelligent, politically aware, believe in the environment, social justice, corporate responsibility and, crucially, they value quality of experience over financial gain.

In short, they are not motivated by money.

This throws a challenge to employers.

Generation K is their future workforce.

To attract them, employers must look at their practices and of course, pay decent wages.

But these young people will demand much more in terms of flexibility, corporate social responsibility and varied working environments.

The companies already doing this will have to do more of it and the ones who don’t will struggle.

We already have sites such as Ratemyemployer, which provides feedback on companies and their employment practices.

So, by weight of demographics, social media and voting with their feet, Generation K might force change.

They’ll have a few placards as well, but they’re savvy enough to give the loon pants a miss.

Rachel Anderson is head of policy and representation at the North East England Chamber of Commerce