What Can We All Learn from Gen Z?
Lessons from those born from 1997–2012
Above image is from the Survey Center on American Life.
As a college professor and a media executive working one-on-one with Gen Z, I’ve quickly learned that their career and workplace priorities differ significantly from those of my millennial peers.
Gen Z approaches the workplace with a very unique lens— one rooted in transparency, individuality, and an openness that previous generations have not always embraced.
Once taboo topics such as salary and money, is often a welcoming and desirable conversation for Gen Z. Whether it’s over drinks, coffee, or casual catch-ups, Gen Z is unafraid to openly discuss compensation. As a result, competitive pay remains a top priority for Gen Z, which is directly tied to their pursuit of long-term financial success and independence at a young age.
With increased pay transparency, Gen Z is looking for roles that not only meet their financial expectations, but also provide a clear trajectory toward leadership and advancement. Many members of Generation Z envision themselves becoming CEOs or building entrepreneurial ventures. They expect employers to offer unique pathways to success to make such dreams come true.
There is also an unspoken narrative amongst Gen Z that: “There is always something better.”
If a role no longer aligns with their evolving goals, values, or sense of fulfillment, they will pivot as needed. Formerly common corporate allegiances are not mandatory for Gen Z. They think deeply about company culture, work-life balance, and a genuine sense of belonging—and ultimately, that’s how they connect job satisfaction to retention. While their workplace priorities center on growth, flexibility, values, and purpose, they are less concerned with traditional corporate markers such as loyalty to a single employer, long-standing hierarchies, or formalities like dress codes. Gen Z focuses on authenticity, meaningful impact, and the ability to build careers that reflect who they are, not just what they do.
The Gen Z lifestyle is built on a foundation of digital integration, fluidity, and conscious consumption. Unlike Millennials who witnessed the rise of social media, Gen Z was born into a hyper-connected world. This hasn't just changed how they communicate; it has fundamentally reshaped their approach to life.
Their lifestyle is on-demand and self-directed. From learning a skill on YouTube to building a personal brand on TikTok, they are proactive architects of their own lives. This has fostered a "DIY" mentality towards everything from education to entrepreneurship, reducing their reliance on traditional institutions.
This combination of all those choices creates a lifestyle that is less about achieving a predefined "American Dream" and more about curating a personalized, fulfilling, and flexible life on their own terms. Their life isn't segmented into work, social, and personal; it's a blended, holistic ecosystem where all parts must cohesively contribute to their overall well-being.
Gen Z understands they are more than how they earn their money. They measure success not just by financial gain, but by how well their careers align with their purpose, values, and overall wellness. Having grown up in an era of self-made creators and flexible careers, they are building new systems and traditions, ones that prioritize freedom, authenticity, and meaning over legacy models of success. For Gen Z, work is a part of life—but never the whole story.
There’s far more important things than titles and climbing an old school corporate ladder such as:
Mental health and wellness should be discussed, championed, and supported, always.
The once praised ‘Hustle Culture’ is unnecessarily exhausting.
You can be successful while still setting and keeping boundaries.
Success is not defined by title nor rank.
