Employers, note: Gen Z is about redefineing the success of “pragmatic generation” and views money as a means of ending, according to Landmarks Research.
The generational change of earthquakes is ongoing, and its epicenter is Gen Z Z, born after 1997. Gen Z will be age in a world where traditional milestones such as landing lifelong work, buying a home in their 20s, chasing wealth for itself, becoming difficult in the modern economy or chasing boundaries. General Z responds practically and claims that he may not really want those things anyway.
a Large-scale new research Gen Z is often misunderstood by the EY generation dynamics score team, spanning over 10,000 young adults across 10 countries and five continents, and the measured approach should define them as “practical generations.” author, Mercy Merriman and Zak DychtwaldZ Gen Z approached “the traditional milestone of life” with something of a kind of “skepticism.”
According to Joe DepaEY Global Chief Innovation Officer, the study reveals how children aged 18-34 receive an incredibly practical approach to adults, finances and their future. “It’s far from being financially reckless,” DePa says. Fortune Intelligence“This generation focuses on long-term stability and redefines success in the process.”
Money is necessary for them, but it’s all and not the end: 87% say financial independence is important, but only 42% wealth is a key marker of success that lags behind metrics such as mental and physical health and family relationships.. Simply put, for Gen Z, financial stability is a tool, not a goal. They use their money to open the door to flexibility, purpose and happiness.
Depa says the study “will tell a different story” about Generation Z. “The idea that young adults are postponing Adulhtood is outdated.” They are approaching a milestone in life with “rational skepticism and a global perspective,” rather than rebellion. As an employee and customer, Gen Z challenges organizations that are wired in different ways to do things. For business leaders, understanding this change is essential to attracting and retaining talent.
Job Hopper
When Baby Boomers and XERS are often stuck with one employer for decades, Gen Z is dismantling that concept.
EY’s survey found that 59% of young adults around the world expect to work in two to five organizations throughout their lifetime, with nearly 20% saying they work at least six. This flexible approach to employment – a comprehensive approach to job change and flexible gig work reflects not only the desire for different experiences, but also the strategic response to the lifetimes of rapid change, uncertainty and economic instability..
“The younger generation is not simply responding to financial constraints,” writes the EY generation dynamics team, but makes rational and thoughtful decisions tailored to both their own life experiences and the pitfalls that previous generations suffered. EY says it is a perspective that is often supported by older generations, as opposed to the mentality “raising yourself up through bootstrap.”
Redefining success: Inside, not inside
Success in Z’s Eye is the Inside Out Project. Emotional happiness, strong relationships, and impact outweigh titles and pay. It’s no longer about homeownership, lifelong employment, or even carving a box of traditional family milestones. Landmarks such as marriage and children have been postponed for practical reasons, not for rejection. It’s financial insecurity, affordable prices, and desire to prepare emotionally and financially.
The rise of job hopping replaced the worn-out “scripts” of adulthood. While only 59% view working in a single organization as a viable path, almost 20% of respondents plan to work for six or more employers in their careers. Linear career ladders and employers loyalty gives way to “project-based” growth, seeking diversity, autonomy, purpose, new jobs and side hustles. “Job hopping is not considered a negative, but a critical step to opening doors and moving forward with opportunities,” the EY team wrote.
The average Gen Z respondent reported feeling more like an adult than the previous generation, with over half (51%) saying that physical and mental health is the primary marker of success, and that family ties also outweigh wealth in many countries.. The promotion of reliability is also impressive. 84% say they are extremely important, being “trust to themselves.”
Employer, beware (and evolve)
For Gen Z, work is not a life sentence, and money alone isn’t enough to keep them attracted. Employers used for loyalty and linear career ladders can be blinded by their willingness to prioritize Gen Z’s objectives, health and flexibility.. Traditional incentives have lost grip.
For employers, this new pragmatism is both a call to awaken and an opportunity. Flexibility is essential, making it impossible to negotiate support for hybrid and remote work, fluid time, and “micro-retirement” between jobs.
Gen Z expects employers to have clear values about happiness, sustainability and social justice and act on it. Over 70% want their employers to be transparent about their values and pay and are not afraid to challenge leadership if they find that reliability wants. This generation will leave immediately if growth stalls. They long for mentorship, personalized learning, and a sense of upward mobility.
Gen Z is not loyal to the brand or its employer unless its loyalty is returned. Almost half say they have a “faithful zero” to their brand, and only about 60% feel loyal to their employers. Empathic leadership and honest, two-way communication are expected, not a bonus.
Gen Z wants to be included in the company’s decision and expects to be seated at the table. This finding is consistent with a study that is separate from Glassdoor. Work-life trend report In June 2025, it was discovered that emotional intelligence is the standard expectation currently held by workers. Many of them are Z. “Bar on what makes up a good manager” and Glassdoor Chief Economist Daniel Zhao I said it before Fortune Intelligence.
Not only are employers slow to adapt to these realities, they don’t have a hard time adopting Gen Z Z. They risk losing all connections. A practical playbook requires companies to redesign everything from employment and communication to values and pay for structures.
Flipside? ZZ’s pragmatism is also an asset. They are technically proficient, mission-driven, and resourceful. But their skepticism can also be translated into withdrawal or grievance if the workplace can’t deal with actual priorities. If companies want to maintain this generation, they are practical in themselves to appreciate what Gen Z Z values most: isolated leadership, transparent communication, and support for happiness.
For this story, luck Generated AI was used to assist with initial drafts. The editors checked the accuracy of the information prior to publication.