A new global research study from Randstad Digital confirms that Gen Z workers in the Technology sector are reshaping traditional notions of full-time employment: prioritizing flexibility and supplementary income streams, and approaching AI’s role in the workplace with a cautious enthusiasm. These findings highlight Gen Z’s role in reshaping traditional career paths and provide valuable insight for employers in understanding how to recruit and retain the right talent.
“Our research illustrates that Tech jobs remain highly attractive to Gen Z – yet their expectations are shaping how companies now think about culture, flexibility, career growth, and even the use of AI,” said Graig Paglieri, chief executive of Randstad Digital. “While it’s tempting to focus automation efforts on entry-level jobs, employers should design these roles as stepping stones to build stronger, more resilient organizations for the future. Tech leaders should also focus on competitive compensation and clear career paths, while encouraging AI exploration and building a culture of innovation within their organization.”
Redefining full-time work:
While the generations that came before may have been able to rely on one consistent income stream, Gen Z is adapting to the economic environment more creatively. A significant 25% of Gen Z tech workers aspire to have a full-time role combined with a side hustle, surpassing the 23% who prefer a traditional full-time role and 13% opting for gig work. Even Gen Z respondents who currently only work one full-time position are looking to make a change, with 36% expressing a desire for a side hustle. These insights indicate a strong trend towards blended income models.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, flexibility and pay are paramount for Gen Z, with 49% ranking flexible working hours, 45% ranking pay, and 41% ranking flexibility in location among their top three priorities. This aligns with emerging career preferences, as Gen Z employees in the Technology sector seek additional income streams on top of their 9-5. Strikingly, only 1% of Gen Z cited pursuing passions as a top factor, underscoring a pragmatic, financially-driven approach to work.
Gen Z are realists about AI in the workplace:
A large majority (75%) of Gen Z are excited about AI in the workplace, and 76% already utilize it for problem-solving. Though Gen Z is largely embracing AI, millennials outpace them slightly when it comes to adoption: 77% are excited about AI, and 78% already using it for problem-solving.
Employers are getting on board with AI, as well, and are actively investing in upskilling, with 61% of Gen Z having received AI training in the past year. Despite the enthusiasm and investment from leadership, 43% of Gen Z workers in Tech are concerned about AI’s impact on their jobs, a sentiment possibly fueled by discussions around AI’s potential to displace entry-level positions. In contrast, only 41% of Millennials and 38% of Gen X share this concern.
Still, Gen Z isn’t shy about adopting AI: almost half (45%) frequently learn through AI tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft CoPilot, though on-the-job training remains the primary learning method for 52%.
Retention Challenges: Gen Z is growth-hunting, not job-hopping:
While flexibility and pay are key drivers for Gen Z in determining if they accept a position, they’re also key factors for determining if they want to stay with their current company. If they aren’t satisfied, they’re not afraid to leave: nearly half (49%) of Gen Z have voluntarily left a job in less than a year. The primary reasons cited were “pay too low” (36%), poor workplace culture (41%), lack of career progression (19%), and lack of flexibility (11%).
Only 25% of Gen Z plan to stay at their current company for 3-5 years, with 29% expecting to stay only 1-2 years, and 18% for just 6-12 months. In stark contrast, only 3% of Gen Z plan to stay at their current company for more than 10 years, compared to 10% of millennials and 11% of Gen X.
To retain Gen Z long-term (3-5 years), employers need to consider the preferences of these workers: better pay (45%), career progression (25%), and more flexible working hours (23%) are the leading motivators. This highlights a short-term mindset and pragmatic retention drivers – this generation won’t hesitate to pursue alternate paths that lead to growth, both professionally and financially.
Additional GenZ insights can be found in Randstad’s latest report: “understanding talent scarcity: the Gen Z workplace blueprint“.
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