After a decade of being blamed for killing everything from cereal to the 9-to-5 grind, Millennials can finally step off the hot seat. Enter Gen Z: bold, questioning, and unapologetic. They’re not interested in carrying a torch from one generation to the next. They’re here to ask why we needed a torch in the first place.
If you’re not already thinking about how to hire and retain this rising generation of 18- to 30-year-olds, you may already be behind. As of 2025, Gen Z makes up 27% of the global workforce. Within a decade, they’ll be the largest working group across all generations. The future of your company hinges on understanding what makes them tick and what makes them leave.
Here are four things you should know about recruiting, hiring, and retaining Gen-Z:
1. Gen Z Is Purpose-Driven and They Expect You to Be Too
For past generations, job priorities were more straightforward: pay the bills, climb the ladder, aim for the corner office. Gen Z is not playing by those rules. They’re leading with questions that cut deeper. Not just “What’s the role?” but “Why does this role exist?” Not just “What’s the salary?” but “What impact does this company make?”
When Gen Z scrolls through job listings, they're not just weighing salaries and PTO. They're scanning for a sense of mission. They want to know what your company stands for, not just what it sells. They’re curious about your environmental impact, community involvement, leadership demographics, and how you talk about inclusion beyond the press releases.
If your company publishes a set of values, they want to see those values show up in actual business decisions, not just onboarding packets. And if your leaders can’t articulate the “why” behind your business, or worse, dodge the question, they’ll spot the disconnect.
This isn’t about idealism. It’s about alignment. Gen Z doesn’t want to work for companies that merely talk about change. They want to work for companies that are changing things, with them, not around them.
2. Flexibility Is Not a Benefit. It’s the Expectation.
The pandemic accelerated what Gen Z already suspected: rigid office cultures and traditional work hours aren’t about productivity. They’re about control.
Gen Z came of age in a world where asynchronous classes, virtual internships, gig work, and hybrid models are the norm. They don’t see flexibility as a privilege earned after two years of loyal in-office service. They see it as a starting point and as proof that a company trusts its people.
They value autonomy and results. They want to know that their performance will be judged by what they deliver, not by whether their green light is on in Slack at 8 a.m. They’re not clock-watchers, and they’re not interested in being watched, either.
This doesn’t mean Gen Z wants chaos or a free-for-all. In fact, they crave structure! But it has to be the kind that supports their success, not one that restricts it. They want clarity in expectations and freedom in how to meet them.
If your workplace still equates presence with productivity or treats flexible work as a favor rather than a fundamental, Gen Z will find an employer that gets it.
3. Transparency Isn’t a Trend. It’s Their Filter for Trust.
Gen Z grew up with more access to information than any previous generation. From social media to public salary databases to Reddit threads on toxic workplaces, they know how to find out what they’re not being told—and they notice when companies try to hide it.
That’s why transparency isn’t a nice-to-have anymore. It’s table stakes.
They expect salary ranges in job listings. Not “competitive,” not “dependent on experience,” but numbers. They want to understand how roles grow, what performance reviews look like, and what it actually takes to get promoted. If you offer mentorship, they’ll want to know who provides it and what the outcomes are.
They’re also looking at how decisions get made internally. Who has influence? How is feedback handled? How are mistakes dealt with?
Gen Z is not impressed by corporate jargon or vague cultural claims. If your hiring process is long, confusing, or filled with euphemisms, they’ll assume that’s reflective of your internal operations too.
The more honest and specific you can be about pay, culture, expectations, and growth, the more likely you are to earn their trust. And keep it.
4. If Your Technology Is Outdated, Your Culture Probably Is Too
Gen Z is the first generation that’s entirely tech-native. They don’t just know how to use tools, they know what good tools feel like. And if your systems don’t meet that standard, it won’t just annoy them. It’ll affect how they perceive your organization.
They’ve experienced seamless platforms and intuitive interfaces their entire lives. If your hiring process involves printing documents, or your onboarding requires three separate logins and a shared Excel sheet, they’ll question everything... including your efficiency, your priorities, and your investment in employee success.
But here’s the opportunity most companies miss: Gen Z doesn’t expect perfection. They expect progress. If your technology needs work, but your culture welcomes feedback and invests in improvement, they’ll be part of the solution. They’re not just users, but collaborators. They’ll help you refine your processes, integrate smarter tools, and eliminate friction. That is, if your leadership is open to it.
Neglecting technology sends a bigger message than you think. It tells Gen Z that you're comfortable settling (and they’re not).
This Isn’t About Generational Preferences. It’s About Workplace Evolution.
You might be reading this and thinking, “None of this is new.” And you’re right.
Clarity, flexibility, purpose, and user-friendly systems aren’t radical demands. They’re what most workers have wanted for a long time. The difference is that Gen Z isn’t asking for these things quietly. They’re expecting them. And they’re ready to walk if they’re not there.
The most successful organizations aren’t the ones scrambling to appease Gen Z with trendy perks or empty value statements. They’re the ones building cultures that make sense for Gen Z and everyone else.
If you’re serious about building a workplace where great people want to stay, it starts with more than just perks and policies. It starts with getting your values, mission, and people truly aligned.
We talk about how to make that happen in Values, Mission, People: The Umbrella That Covers It All.
The companies that get this right won’t just survive. They’ll lead. Will yours?
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