Generation Z is revolutionizing current work dynamics at a pace that surpasses any other generation. Their arrival in the labor market has not been easy: their first jobs came marked by the pandemic and the isolation of remote work, and their future depends on a technology that, for the moment, is taking away their opportunities of employment.
According to data collected According to Randstad, 54% of respondents in this age group say they track the labor market constantly looking for a new opportunity professional and 33% plan to leave their current job in less than a year. To a large extent, this change is not motivated by the promise of better salaries or by disloyalty: they do it to continue improving their skills and become better professionals.
A job for life. Until the middle of the last century, it was very common for a person to start a job when they were young and stay in the job. same company throughout your life until retirement. Currently that scenario is very unlikely And, the most common thing is to change jobs from time to time. He Randstad report It indicates that young people from Generation Z only stay an average of 1.1 years in their jobs, compared to the 1.8 years of millennials, 2.8 years of generation X and the 2.9 years on average of boomers.
As highlighted a new report of the Bank Of America Institutealthough salaries in the US remain stagnant in 40% of cases, changing jobs continues to be a way to obtain salary improvements. In fact, millennials who changed jobs increased their salaries twice as fast, while Gen Zers quadrupled their salaries.
Motivation: move forward and learn. Far from the widespread image of disloyalty, the data collected by Randstad demonstrate that the motivations for this job rotation It is not a lack of commitment, but rather the improvement of your skills and the desire to progress in your professional career. 68% declare that they maintain their commitment to their current jobs, but their values are not aligned with those of the companies that hire them or they do not contribute to your professional growth.
Only 56% of young people surveyed affirm that their current job fits your needscompared to 63% of baby boomers. In addition, 40% of Generation Z say they always take their long-term career goals into account when changing jobs, which is the highest percentage among all generations currently coexist in the labor market.
A labor market that excludes them. To the usual uncertainty that surrounds all beginnings of a professional career, generation Z must add pressure What AI is exerting on your jobs, forcing them to learn at forced marches so as not to be excluded from a labor market in which they still do not have a place.
This is causing many of these young people to change sectors, directing their professional careers towards jobs that do not have such a direct impact from AI, such as in the healthcare sector and even in the so-called professions blue collar. “Economic volatility, declining entry-level opportunities, and the impact of AI on skill profiles have not diminished Gen Z’s appetite to advance in their jobs,” the authors of the Randstad study explain.
The key to retaining them: conciliation and training. In the opinion of Reyes SuarezHR Team Leader at Randstad Professionals, “Gen Z live in constant immediacy and are much more daring. It is like the search for dopamine when using social networks and that results in poorly channeled ambition. In that sense, they are much more impatient than previous generations, who, on the other hand, were too cautious.”
Suarez assures that the formula to retain them is “to confront this audacity by presenting them with very well parameterized career and development plans that are clearly communicated to them.” According to data from the reportWorkmonitor 2026‘ prepared by Randstad, 39% of young people said they preferred a linear career path with periodic promotions, while 33% preferred to develop their career in different roles and sectors. 83% continue to prioritize salary in a future job, while 78% would change jobs motivated by an improvement in work-life balance.
A version of this article was published in September 2025.
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