Updated 21 May 2025
Table of contents
Key takeaways:
- Over half (58%) of Gen Z workers aim for top management within five years, yet 73% would trade part of their salary to work less.
- Some 39% work multiple jobs, while 57% admit they have cried while on the job, showing signs of a generation under pressure to perform.
- Gen Z’s biggest workplace anxieties include meetings with unfamiliar faces (33%), one-on-one time with managers (30%), and being labeled as a tryhard by their colleagues (31%).
- Some 49% have considered quitting their job, while 21% are considering taking a sabbatical.
Gen Z is known for rewriting the rules – pushing for equal treatment, and standing up against poor practices. They’ve popularized remote work, normalized mental health breaks, and aren’t afraid to demand what they know they’re worth.
But fighting for change is tiring work, and many young workers find themselves on the verge of burnout.
EduBirdie surveyed 2,000 Gen Zers to understand their work attitudes, ambitions, and anxieties. The results reveal a generation determined to excel, yet held back by the pressures of the modern workplace.
Climbing the corporate ladder takes years, while many never reach the executive level. Yet, Gen Z isn’t willing to wait its turn – 58% of young workers have set their sights on the seat at the conference table within five years, while another 26% have similar ambitions but are enjoying their youth first.
While Gen Z has high ambitions, most aren’t willing to trade too much time for success. In fact, 73% admit they would give up part of their salary for an extra day off each week, with 23% willing to sacrifice up to 30% of earnings, and 6% going as high as 80%.
Eight hours of hard work? Forget it. As far as Gen Z is concerned, as long as they get through their workload, who cares when they do it or how long it takes? Some 54% of Gen Z workers admit they spend one to three hours completing personal tasks during the workday, with 20% spending more than four hours each day slacking off.
They might not be completing their full 40 hours, but as long as they’re trying their best…
Yet, 35% of Gen Zers admit they occasionally underperform at work, putting their mental wellbeing ahead of their employer. Likewise, 12% do so regularly to avoid promotion, and the responsibility and workload that comes with it.
But a Gen Z employee’s level of engagement may come down to the environment. For the young generation, a good job isn’t just determined by what they do, but how they’re expected to do it. Some 60% say they thrive on teamwork and collaboration, for instance, while 36% prefer to be left to get on with their job alone.
While Gen Zers prefer to work together, they aren’t so collaborative when things go wrong. While 42% admit their mistakes and ask others for help, 52% keep it secret and try to fix the damage themselves.
One shift ends and another begins. Some 39% of Gen Zers admit to working more than one job, with 11% hiding it from their employers.
Why is Gen Z working so hard? Because rent and groceries are expensive, let alone the latest technology and trendiest clothes.
Some 65% of those who work multiple jobs say they sacrifice their free time for more money. However, 20% do it for the passion, and 13% are future-planning – getting in the experience while they’re still young and can cope with the long hours.
But with Gen Zers putting so much pressure on themselves to succeed, combined with the stress and exhaustion that comes with long hours, many have worked to their breaking point. Some 57% admit to crying at work, with 6% doing so regularly.
Demanding employers, prepare for a mass walkout. Some 49% of Gen Zers are considering quitting in the near future. While 7% want to soak up the sun over the summer, 19% simply want a fresh start. Then you have the 23% who have had enough but are deterred by the difficult job market, and the 15% too burned out to update their resume and work on applications.
Many young workers aren’t just considering a change of office, but taking a break from their day job entirely. Some 7% plan to take a sabbatical in the next year, while 15% are weighing up the idea. Likewise, 21% would love to swap meetings and deadlines for mojitos and long days in the sun. The only thing holding Gen Z workers back from walking out? Money.
But money isn’t everything. For Gen Z, respect and equality are dealbreakers too, and 50% would quit if they discovered they were being paid less than colleagues in a similar role. Likewise, 33% would call it quits over public criticism.
Working weekends? That’s off-limits for 19% of Gen Z workers, and 11% would rather resign than return to the office.
For 77% of Gen Z workers, workplace communication isn’t just a quick call or casual meeting; it’s a minefield of anxieties. Some 33% admit they are scared of meetings with unfamiliar faces, while 30% fear one-on-one chats with their bosses. Likewise, despite being a generation raised on screen time, 24% admit switching their camera on for virtual meetings makes their palms sweaty and voice shaky.
Job pressure is one thing, but young people also have social pressure to contend with. Some 31% of Gen Z workers fear being labeled as a tryhard by their colleagues, while 26% are afraid of being deemed unsociable, and 22% fear coming off as incompetent or too laid off.
While Gen Z workers may second-guess their abilities, fear speaking up, and stress over non-issues, at least they’re not being left to deal with it alone, with 50% insisting they feel valued and supported by their bosses.
Whether anxious or ambitious, Gen Zers are working on their terms. They aren’t just clocking in and collecting their paycheck. They’re quietly reworking workplace norms, with flexibility and fairness just as important as pay and perks.
Methodology: The data in this report derives from a survey conducted by EduBirdie. The survey was launched in May 2025. In total, 2,000 people in the Gen Z demographic were surveyed, and all respondents took the full survey. All genders and ethnicities were included in the study.
