{"id":122959,"date":"2025-08-20T07:33:46","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T07:33:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alj.com\/?post_type=perspective&p=122959"},"modified":"2025-12-19T06:27:32","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T06:27:32","slug":"what-does-gen-z-want-from-work","status":"publish","type":"perspective","link":"https:\/\/alj.com\/en\/perspective\/what-does-gen-z-want-from-work\/","title":{"rendered":"What does Gen Z want from work?"},"content":{"rendered":"

They are tomorrow\u2019s business leaders. \u00a0Some have already achieved that status. Others are still navigating their journey to the senior levels of the corporate world. \u00a0Gen Z \u2013 usually regarded as anyone born between 1997 and 2012 \u2013 are now at a stage where many are actively pursuing their ambitions and building their careers in the workplace.\u00a0 In fact, this year (2025) is something of a milestone for Gen Z.\u00a0 It\u2019s when 27% of the workforce in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries is estimated to be Gen Z[1]<\/a>.\u00a0 They represent a growing segment of the workforce that employers ignore to their detriment.<\/p>\n

Often dubbed the first \u2018digital native\u2019 generation, the Gen Z world has always been dominated by technology \u2013 both at home and work.\u00a0 They have grown up with the internet as an integral part of their way of life.<\/p>\n

But what do Gen Z employees want from the workplace? \u00a0And how are employers reacting and adapting to attract them?\u00a0 High on a Gen Zer\u2019s list of priorities are corporate social responsibility, an awareness of mental health issues, work\/life balance, plus a commitment to diversity and inclusion.\u00a0 These human-focused objectives typically form part of a Gen Zer\u2019s reasoning when they look for jobs.<\/p>\n

For corporate human resource departments, the requirement to recruit and, importantly, retain Gen Z presents a tough set of challenges that are different from previous generations.\u00a0 A nuanced approach is called for.\u00a0 Employers need to understand the increasingly significant Gen Z cohort, but successful employment practices aren\u2019t necessarily achieved by focusing only on certain groups or ignoring the requirements of the wider workforce.<\/p>\n

What are Gen Z career expectations?<\/h2>\n

One common thread running through the minds of many Gen Zers when they consider work is the desire to find an alternative to traditional \u2018nine-to-five, job-for-life\u2019 career aspirations.\u00a0 A study by consultants McKinsey[2]<\/a> found that a typical Gen Z employee seeks behaviors based around \u2018truths\u2019:<\/p>\n