What Does Gen Z Value in the Workplace? 5 Values You Need to Know

Who is Gen Z, and why does this matter now?

Gen Z is the generation born from 1997 to 2012. Which means the oldest Gen Zs are almost 30. They are your team leads, your high performers, and the people training your new hires.

Gen Z values five things at work: financial security, well-being and balance, purpose, room to grow, and recognition from people they trust. That is the pattern across Deloitte's 2026 Gen Z and Millennial Survey of 14,384 Gen Zs in 44 countries. Here is what each value looks like day to day, and what you can do about it.

1. Financial security comes first

Gen Z's first priority at work is financial security. For the fifth year in a row, cost of living is the top concern for Gen Zs in Deloitte's 2026 survey, far ahead of any other societal issue.

The pressure is practical. More than half of Gen Zs (55%) have delayed a major life decision, such as starting a family or furthering their education, because of money. And 69% say housing affordability directly affects their career decisions and where they can work.

They are not gloomy about it, though. In the same survey, 53% of Gen Zs expect their personal finances to improve within the next year.

So yes, salary matters. But if your compensation story ends at salary, you are leaving out what Gen Z is actually comparing: benefits, flexibility, rewards they can choose, and whether effort gets noticed at all.

✅ What to do: Show people the whole picture of what you offer, in plain numbers. Then check that your rewards are things a person would pick for themselves. A reward someone chooses lands better than a branded mug nobody asked for.

Read Top Employee Rewards Redeemed in 2026 for more info on this.

2. Well-being and balance over the fast track

Gen Z values a career pace they can sustain. Only 25% of Gen Zs prefer fast-paced progression with rapid promotions, while 44% favor steady progress and 21% would move sideways or take a step back to find the right role, according to Deloitte.

This is where the "Gen Z doesn't want to work" stereotype falls apart. Gen Z is ambitious: 76% want a senior leadership role at some point. But only 6% name leadership as their primary career goal, and half (50%) say stress and burnout are what hold them back.

The strain is already showing. Nearly half of Gen Zs (48%) say they feel burned out, and 58% report digital fatigue from constant alerts, tool switching, and too many platforms.

Flexibility is part of the answer. Asked what would make leadership more appealing, 53% of Gen Zs said higher compensation and 42% said flexible work arrangements, as we covered in our breakdown of the Deloitte report.

✅ What to do: Look hard at what your leadership roles cost the people in them. If the only way up runs through burnout, your strongest Gen Z employees will stay put or leave. Recognize impact at every level, so a title is not the only way to be seen.

Read Deloitte Gen Z and Millennial Survey: 8 Key Takeaways for HR for more info on this.

3. Purpose and authenticity

Gen Z values work that means something, at a company that means what it says. 96% of Gen Zs say a sense of purpose is important to their job satisfaction and well-being, up 10 points in three years, according to Deloitte's 2026 survey.

They act on it, too. In every year from 2023 to 2026, roughly 40% of Gen Z and Millennial respondents said they had turned down a project, an assignment, or an employer because of their personal ethics or beliefs.

This is the 2026 version of what we used to call "authenticity over aesthetics." Gen Z still cares about making a difference in the world. Values on a wall don't convince them. They watch what gets praised, who gets promoted, and what leaders do when a value costs something.

Belonging works the same way. Gen Zs with a close friend at work are 15 points more likely to plan to stay more than five years (48% versus 33%). Community is a retention strategy, even when it doesn't appear in the budget as one.

✅ What to do: Make your values visible in everyday behavior. When someone lives a company value, say so, publicly and specifically. That is how a value gets off the wall and into the work.

Read Lead With Your Core Values for more info on this.

4. Room to grow, and the tools to do it

Gen Z values learning that keeps them employable. The skills they are most actively building are public speaking, leadership, AI fluency, communication, and creativity. 74% of Gen Zs use AI in their day-to-day work, up from 57% a year earlier.

Gen Z is also using AI to fill gaps their employers have left open. 79% use it to find learning and development opportunities, 72% use it for career advice, and 67% use it to cope with work-related stress. Meanwhile, 30% believe their organization is not prepared for the changes AI will bring.

When someone asks a chatbot for career advice, it is often because nobody else has offered any.

✅ What to do: Treat AI adoption as a people project, with training and time attached. Give managers room for real development conversations. And make the path forward clear: 36% of Gen Zs say a clearer route to leadership would make it more appealing.

Download the Manager's Playbook for Building High-Performing Teams.

5. Recognition from people they trust

Gen Z values being seen for the work they do. 47% of Gen Zs say not being recognized or rewarded adequately is a top driver of their job stress, second only to long working hours (51%), as we covered in our breakdown of Deloitte's 2026 survey.

They also want recognition more often than older colleagues do. Gen Z and younger Millennials are 73% more likely than Baby Boomers to want recognition at least a few times a month, according to Gallup.

Frequency is only half of it. Gen Z ranks trust above everything else in a manager, with care and support next. They want independence, and they want to know someone has their back.

Recognition is where those two needs meet. When you tell someone exactly what they did and why it mattered, you are also telling them you trust their judgment. That is feedback and freedom in the same sentence.

✅ What to do: Recognize in small, specific, frequent moments instead of saving it for the annual review. Name what the person did, why it mattered, and which value it showed.

If you need a starting point, here are 96 recognition examples.

How Kudos helps you act on Gen Z values

Most of these questions come back to one thing: people want to know their work is noticed and that it matters. That is what Kudos is built for.

• Values you can see. Every recognition message in Kudos is tied to a company value. 91% of leaders using Kudos say recognition reflects their organization's actual values.
• A home for belonging. Kudos Spaces gives employee resource groups, shared interests, and team celebrations one place to live.
• Recognition that fits a busy day. The Kudos AI Recognition Assistant turns a quick note into a specific, personal message.
• Rewards people choose. Kudos rewards include gift cards, merchandise, experiences, and charities, and Kudos never marks up points or rewards.

In a 2026 study of Kudos customers, 60% of employees said they feel more appreciated for their contributions since using Kudos, and 51% reported a stronger sense of belonging.

Managing more than one generation? Download our free Recognizing Generational Diversity Culture Guide, or read what's coming next in Generation Alpha: The World's Next Leaders.

FAQ: Gen Z values at work

What does Gen Z value most in the workplace?

Gen Z values financial security, well-being and work-life balance, purpose, opportunities to learn, and regular recognition. In Deloitte's 2026 survey of 14,384 Gen Zs, cost of living was the top concern for the fifth year running, and 96% said a sense of purpose matters to their job satisfaction.

How is Gen Z different from Millennials at work?

Gen Z and Millennials share most workplace values, with differences of degree. In Deloitte's 2026 survey, Gen Zs were more likely than Millennials to want a senior leadership role at some point (76% versus 67%) and slightly more likely to prefer rapid promotions (25% versus 21%). Both generations ranked lack of recognition as their second-biggest job stressor, at 47%.

Does Gen Z want to be in leadership?

Yes, on their own terms. 76% of Gen Zs want a senior leadership role at some point, but only 6% call leadership their primary career goal, according to Deloitte. Half cite stress and burnout as the main barrier.

How often does Gen Z want recognition?

Gen Z wants recognition at least a few times a month. Gallup found that Gen Z and younger Millennials are 73% more likely than Baby Boomers to want recognition that often. Aim for small, specific moments instead of one annual award.

What birth years are Gen Z?

Gen Z was born from the late 1990s to the early 2010s. Pew Research Center starts the generation at 1997, and ends at 2012.

How do you manage a team with several generations?

Start with what every generation shares: people want fair pay, room to grow, and proof that their work matters. Then adjust the delivery. Younger employees tend to want recognition more often, so build the habit for everyone and let people choose how they receive it. Kudos gives peers and managers one place to recognize each other, tied to your company values.