Back in 2022, we talked about how each generation brings a unique set of values to work — three years later, Gen Z is rewriting the script.
Conversations about generational values in the workplace often focus on what makes each age group different. And for good reason — shifting world events, technology, and social movements shape what employees expect from their employers. But as we hit the midpoint of 2025, the conversation around Gen Z — the youngest working generation — is becoming less about what makes us radically different, and more about how we’re adapting.
Yes, Gen Z grew up in the most connected, socially conscious, and digitally fluent environment in history. Yes, we’ve championed mental health, diversity, and identity in the workplace in ways no generation has before. But the world Gen Z is entering now — economically uncertain, job-market tough, and increasingly expensive to navigate — has us recalibrating what we want from work.
And what we want today? Stability. Growth. A real future.
Before Gen Z: The Value Evolution
Every generation brings a response to the one that came before. Baby Boomers built their careers around loyalty and work ethic. Gen X pushed back with independence and work-life balance. Millennials are layered on social consciousness and purpose-driven work. Each wave edged the workforce closer to more progressive, person-centered values.
By the 2010s, those values started to solidify: flexibility, inclusion, ethical leadership, and mission alignment became buzzwords — and then expectations. The modern workplace, as we know it, was shaped in large part by Millennials’ demands and Gen X’s pragmatism.
But this evolution always happened in the context of a (relatively) stable economic structure. Even if previous generations navigated recessions, there was still a prevailing sense that hard work would, eventually, pay off.
Gen Z in 2025
Now comes Gen Z — born into a world of global instability, student debt, climate anxiety, AI disruption, and TikTok-fueled transparency. While early conversations painted us as idealistic job-hoppers who would only work for companies that aligned with our values, today’s Gen Z workforce is starting to prioritize something else entirely: security.
We’re still values-driven — but no longer willing to compromise our livelihoods for ideology alone. In 2025, more Gen Z job seekers are looking for:
- Reliable salaries and clear benefits
- Defined career progression
- Financial support for education or upskilling
- Mentorship and leadership opportunities
- Companies that won’t ghost after interviews
The stakes feel higher for Gen Z. We’re less interested in performative DEI statements and more interested in whether your entry-level roles offer growth, whether promotions are transparent, and whether your culture actually supports well-being — not just on Instagram, but in practice.
We’re not abandoning values — we’re just prioritizing survival.
What This Means for Employers
If your recruitment strategy is still built on vague promises of “culture fit” or “changing the world,” you may be missing the mark. Gen Z wants to know:
- What’s the compensation, and how does it grow?
- What does day-to-day look like?
- What support exists for early-career professionals?
- Will I be able to pay rent and save money if I take this job?
To engage Gen Z talent today, think less idealism, more infrastructure. Stability is the new differentiator. In other words: if your company is transparent, supportive, and offers real upward mobility, you don’t need to try too hard to look “cool.” That’s what resonates now.
Gen Z still cares deeply about issues that shape society, but we’re also coming of age in a world that’s increasingly unpredictable. What we want from work in 2025 is both practical and personal: a solid start, a sense of future, and a workplace that doesn’t just talk values, but delivers on the basics.
That’s not a retreat from progress. It’s a call for something more grounded. And smart employers are already listening.
