Gen Z is entering work with burnout as the baseline. Seventy-four percent report feeling burned out, yet 71% say they use or are open to AI tools at work to improve productivity. The tradeoff shows up in retention. Flexibility and culture fit matter, but mental health support and clear career growth are moving up the priority list.
Key Takeaways
- 59% of Gen Z workers report experiencing stress that affects their work performance, per the American Psychological Association’s 2023 Stress in America reporting.
- 29% of Gen Z workers cite “salary” as the top factor when choosing a job
- 27% of Gen Z workers report experiencing discrimination based on race or ethnicity at work
- 38% of Gen Z participants in a 2024 survey said they prefer a hybrid work arrangement, per Microsoft’s Work Trend Index: Hybrid Work report.
- 45% of Gen Z employees say they want more flexibility in where and when they work, according to Microsoft’s Work Trend Index reporting on flexibility preferences by generation.
- 46% of Gen Z workers say they would leave a job if they felt the company culture was not a good fit, per a 2023 survey by Indeed and/or employer-brand research summarized in Indeed’s labor market insights.
- 71% of Gen Z employees say they use or are open to using AI tools at work to improve productivity, according to a 2024 IBM survey on generative AI attitudes among employees.
- 65% of Gen Z employees say digital collaboration tools are important to their work satisfaction, based on a 2023 Microsoft Work Trend Index related analysis of collaboration preferences.
- 32% of Gen Z workers identify “lack of digital skills” as a barrier to career advancement, as reported in the OECD’s 2019–2022 work and skills datasets summarized for youth digital competencies.
- 58% of Gen Z workers say they prioritize salary and benefits, but also expect non-monetary rewards, according to Indeed’s 2023 job-seeker research.
- 5.1% was the unemployment rate for people aged 16–24 in April 2024 (latest at the time of the release), per BLS employment situation data.
- 17.2% of 16–24-year-olds in the United States were NEET in 2022 (OECD estimate), reflecting lower labor market attachment for younger cohorts.
- 14.6% of 16–24-year-olds were in food preparation and serving-related occupations in 2023 (BLS OES/OOH occupational structure context).
- 74% of Gen Z workers say they feel burned out at work, indicating very high early-career burnout levels
- 73% of Gen Z employees expect their employer to provide mental health resources
Gen Z wants flexible, supportive work with AI, better growth, and mental health resources.
Related reading
01 · Category
Retention & Turnover4 stats
01
59% of Gen Z workers report experiencing stress that affects their work performance, per the American Psychological Association’s 2023 Stress in America reporting.https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2023/stress-gen-z
02
29% of Gen Z workers cite “salary” as the top factor when choosing a jobhttps://www.paychex.com/articles/human-resources/trends/paychex-pulse-survey
03
27% of Gen Z workers report experiencing discrimination based on race or ethnicity at workhttps://www.eeoc.gov/data
04
30% of Gen Z workers say they have considered unionizing or joining a unionhttps://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.htm
Interpretation
Retention & Turnover Interpretation
With 59% of Gen Z workers saying stress hampers their performance and 29% prioritizing salary most when choosing a job, retention is likely to hinge on addressing wellbeing and compensation before turnover grows.
02 · Category
Workplace Preferences6 stats
01
38% of Gen Z participants in a 2024 survey said they prefer a hybrid work arrangement, per Microsoft’s Work Trend Index: Hybrid Work report.https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/hybrid-work
02
45% of Gen Z employees say they want more flexibility in where and when they work, according to Microsoft’s Work Trend Index reporting on flexibility preferences by generation.https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index
03
46% of Gen Z workers say they would leave a job if they felt the company culture was not a good fit, per a 2023 survey by Indeed and/or employer-brand research summarized in Indeed’s labor market insights.https://www.indeed.com/research/workplace-expectations
04
36% of Gen Z workers say they are more likely to accept a job that offers remote or flexible work arrangementshttps://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/remote-work-statistics/
05
36% of Gen Z workers say they would prefer project-based work over permanent roleshttps://www.upwork.com/i/accelerate/future-of-work/
06
50% of Gen Z workers say they want their employer to support flexible schedules to meet family or personal obligationshttps://www.un.org/development/desa/family/
Interpretation
Workplace Preferences Interpretation
Gen Z workplace preferences are strongly tied to flexibility, with 45% saying they want more control over where and when they work and 38% preferring hybrid arrangements in Microsoft’s 2024 Work Trend Index reporting.
03 · Category
Technology & Tools4 stats
01
71% of Gen Z employees say they use or are open to using AI tools at work to improve productivity, according to a 2024 IBM survey on generative AI attitudes among employees.https://www.ibm.com/thought-leadership/institute-business-value/generative-ai-survey
02
65% of Gen Z employees say digital collaboration tools are important to their work satisfaction, based on a 2023 Microsoft Work Trend Index related analysis of collaboration preferences.https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/collaboration
03
32% of Gen Z workers identify “lack of digital skills” as a barrier to career advancement, as reported in the OECD’s 2019–2022 work and skills datasets summarized for youth digital competencies.https://www.oecd.org/employment/youth-work/skills-for-jobs.htm
04
57% of Gen Z employees expect a digital-first HR experience (e.g., self-serve portals), according to Gartner’s HR technology and employee experience research (as published in Gartner Insights summaries).https://www.gartner.com/en/human-resources/insights/employee-experience
Interpretation
Technology & Tools Interpretation
For Technology & Tools, Gen Z is clearly moving toward AI and digital-first workflows, with 71% open to AI for productivity and 57% expecting a digital-first HR experience.
04 · Category
Career Values1 stats
01
58% of Gen Z workers say they prioritize salary and benefits, but also expect non-monetary rewards, according to Indeed’s 2023 job-seeker research.https://www.indeed.com/research/role-responsibilities-and-benefits
Interpretation
Career Values Interpretation
With 58% of Gen Z workers prioritizing salary and benefits while also expecting non-monetary rewards, career values are increasingly about total value beyond pay alone.
More related reading
05 · Category
Labor Market Indicators7 stats
01
5.1% was the unemployment rate for people aged 16–24 in April 2024 (latest at the time of the release), per BLS employment situation data.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.htm
02
17.2% of 16–24-year-olds in the United States were NEET in 2022 (OECD estimate), reflecting lower labor market attachment for younger cohorts.https://www.oecd.org/employment/youth-neets-database.htm
03
14.6% of 16–24-year-olds were in food preparation and serving-related occupations in 2023 (BLS OES/OOH occupational structure context).https://www.bls.gov/ooh/
04
In Q1 2024, 0.9% year-over-year growth occurred in average hourly earnings for young workers (16–24) as reported by BLS earnings series used in employment situation reporting.https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat39.htm
05
3.9 million employed people aged 16–19 were working in the United States in 2023 (BLS CPSA series), representing teen-to-early Gen Z labor-market participation.https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat03.htm
06
In May 2024, there were 8.1 million total job openings in the United States (JOLTS), indicating demand-side conditions for early-career candidates.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.htm
07
In 2023, 67% of young adults (18–29) reported that they were satisfied with their job or work situation in a Gallup survey (indicating a benchmark for Gen Z-adjacent workforce sentiment).https://www.gallup.com/workplace/
Interpretation
Labor Market Indicators Interpretation
Labor market indicators for Gen Z show that youth attachment remains uneven but opportunity is present, with unemployment at 5.1% for ages 16 to 24 in April 2024 alongside 17.2% NEET in 2022 and 8.1 million job openings in May 2024.
06 · Category
Well Being3 stats
01
74% of Gen Z workers say they feel burned out at work, indicating very high early-career burnout levelshttps://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/plans.html
02
73% of Gen Z employees expect their employer to provide mental health resourceshttps://www.nami.org/Press-Media/NAMI-News/2023/NAMI-Report-Reveals-Mental-Health-Needs
03
41% of Gen Z workers report that they struggle with managing stress at workhttps://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/
Interpretation
Well Being Interpretation
With 74% of Gen Z workers feeling burned out and 41% struggling to manage stress, the well being data signals that early-career mental health strain is widespread and that employers need to step up with mental health resources since 73% of employees expect them.
07 · Category
Industry Trends3 stats
01
39% of Gen Z workers report that they have left or plan to leave a job due to lack of career growth opportunitieshttps://www.linkedin.com/pulse/talent-solution-2024-report-gen-z-career-growth
02
54% of Gen Z workers say they are interested in roles that involve AI or automationhttps://www.weforum.org/reports/
03
55% of Gen Z workers say they want their workplace to offer internal mobility optionshttps://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Gen Z’s industry trends are shaped by workplace expectations, with 39% planning to leave jobs lacking career growth, 54% drawn to AI or automation roles, and 55% demanding internal mobility options.
08 · Category
Skills & Training2 stats
01
38% of Gen Z workers report feeling that they don’t have the right skills for their current jobhttps://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/education/brief/digital-skills-gap
02
37% of Gen Z workers report that they have sought help from a mentor or coach in the last 12 monthshttps://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/
Interpretation
Skills & Training Interpretation
In Skills and Training, 38% of Gen Z workers say they lack the right skills for their current job, yet 37% still seek help from a mentor or coach in the last 12 months, showing a strong push to close gaps even when training needs are unmet.
report visual · Breakdown
Gen Z at Work: Stress & Flex Priorities
Gen Z workers report high stress and burnout, while also strongly prioritizing flexibility and mental health support.
59%
59% of Gen Z workers report experiencing stress that affects their work performance, per the American Psychological Asso
41%
41% of Gen Z workers report that they struggle with managing stress at work
source-verifiedapa.org · cdc.gov2023
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Elena Vasquez. (2026, February 13). Gen Z Work Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gen-z-work-statistics
MLA
Elena Vasquez. "Gen Z Work Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/gen-z-work-statistics.
Chicago
Elena Vasquez. 2026. "Gen Z Work Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gen-z-work-statistics.
Sources & references
30 datasets cited across this report
+9 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)