The latest SurveyMonkey Workplace Culture and Trends study reveals key insights around how people are working—including the younger workers shaping the future of work. According to the data, Gen Z is chasing growth and leadership opportunities on their terms and quietly redefining what it means to succeed.
Here’s what employers need to know about the emerging “Gen Zen” mindset:
What is Gen Zen?
Think of Gen Zen as a new approach to work, one that’s being carved out by Gen Z. It’s about finding peace, balancing work and life, and making sure jobs align with personal values. But don’t mistake this for lack of ambition. Our data shows that Gen Z workers still want to grow and lead, just not necessarily in traditional ways.
Gen Z’s approach to work-life balance: flexible, but willing to sacrifice
Younger workers may not be buying into burnout culture, but there’s still nuance in their view of work-life balance.
- After-hours work messages make them feel recognized: Gen Z workers are more likely than Millennial and Gen X workers to feel appreciated or needed (30% vs. 24% and 23%), and happy (19% vs. 11% and 7%) when receiving when receiving work-related communication outside of standard working hours.
- They respond more quickly: When responding to communication outside of standard work-hours, 58% of Gen Z workers say they respond right away, compared with 46% of Millennial and 41% of Gen X workers.
- They’re pragmatic about work-life balance: While 77% of Gen Z workers report “healthy” work-life balance, 67% still believe sacrificing personal time is necessary for success.
Gen Z career track and personal goals
Gen Z workers don’t lack ambition, but their career milestones (and life milestones) may veer from traditional expectations.
- They’re less satisfied with their current career path: Only 28% of Gen Z say they’re satisfied where they are, compared with 38% of Millennials and 47% of Gen X workers.
- Their loyalty lies with their career, not company: One in three Gen Z workers (33%) would rather switch companies to advance, compared with 24% of Millennial and 22% of Gen X workers.
- They are aiming for the top: 80% of Gen Z aspire to top leadership roles, compared with 70% of Millennials and 57% of Gen X workers.
- They are normalizing side hustles: 75% of Gen Z workers believe people should always look for income opportunities in addition to a main job, compared with 69% of Millennial and 68% of Gen X workers.
- They’re delaying life milestones for financial goals: Two in three (67%) Gen Z workers say it is “very important” for them to reach a certain income level before pursuing major life milestones, such as starting a family or purchasing a home, compared with 59% of Millennials and 53% of Gen X workers.
For more on the state of the workplace and insights to help your team get ahead, explore the full findings of our 2025 Workplace Culture and Trends study.
Methodology:
This SurveyMonkey study was conducted between July 25 to August 3, 2025, among a sample of 3,573 full-time workers in the US. Respondents for this survey were selected from a non-probability online panel. The modeled error estimate for this survey is plus or minus 2.0 percentage points. Data have been weighted for age, race, sex, education, and geography using the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to reflect the overall demographic composition of the United States.
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Click through all the results in the interactive toplines below:
