From flexibility to purpose: What Gen Z really want from employers

Almost half of young Australian workers plan to take an early career break and new research reveals Generation Z is rewriting the rules of work.

A nationwide survey by recruiting giant Randstad found that 47 percent of Gen Z workers plan to take leave early in their careers to travel, freelance or realign their goals, not because of burnout, while only 6 percent said they plan to stay in their current role long-term.

The report, titled Generation Z Workplace Blueprint: Fast-Moving, Future-Focused, suggests Australian employers are facing a major generational shift as young workers increasingly reject traditional “career ladders” in favor of flexibility, balance and purpose.

Randstad Australia executive general manager Angela Anasis said the findings revealed a clear generational paradox; While young people long for long-term growth, they leave because they cannot see a future.

“On the surface it may seem like a loyalty issue, but our research shows it is actually a lack of career progression,” Ms. Anasis told NewsWire.

“Generation Z is ambitious and wants to grow within an organization, but when that path is not visible they move on.”

He said 85 percent of Gen Z employees consider long-term career goals more than other generations when evaluating a new role, but the average tenure is just over a year.

“They’re very mobile. If they don’t have that sense of progress, they’ll relocate, cut their losses and move on,” he said.

“It’s almost a paradox; they are the most future-oriented generation, but they are also the most provisional because their ambitions are not being met.”

Sydney-based corporate consultant Kailash Sarma, 22, is among many young Australians taking time to reset. After three years at global investment bank UBS, he took a two-month leave to travel around Europe.

“I could feel I was getting a little tired,” Mr. Sarma told NewsWire.

“I realized that I wanted to take some time to explore and have adventures. A lot of people my age were going to Europe, traveling and exploring, and I didn’t give myself the opportunity to do that.”

For him, moving away wasn’t about escape, it was about readjustment.

“For me, resetting is the ability to recharge to work harder on the things you care deeply about,” Mr. Sarma said.

A purposeful break

Globally, Generation Z has the highest job turnover rate of all generations; 22 percent have left their job in the past year, and more than half are actively looking for work. In Australia, 35 percent plan to quit smoking within the next 12 months.

Randstad’s research found that this trend is related to intent, not apathy. Many want to return to the workforce refreshed and ready to pursue growth opportunities.

This is exactly what Mr. Sarma experienced.

“One of the lessons I learned from my trip is that the things that give you true satisfaction are the things money can’t buy: spending time with friends and family and making time for the important things,” he said.

“For me, that was really important.”

Ms Anasis said employers who viewed Generation Z as disloyal were in danger of missing the real issue.

“It’s wrong to think that this generation doesn’t value loyalty. They do, but they define it differently,” he said.

“They’re committed to growth, purpose and authenticity. If those things aren’t available, they’ll act.”

Employers should view entry-level positions as launching pads rather than static jobs, he said.

“This is a great opportunity for employers to rethink how they structure early career roles,” Ms Anasis said.

“Clarify career paths, link education and AI skills to real advancement, and be creative about how people like to work.”

Changing expectations

While just 38 per cent of Australian Gen Zers have a single full-time job, one in five choose to combine permanent employment with a side project or freelance work.

“Side gigs are a big part of Gen Z’s work,” Ms. Anasis said.

“Many of them run digital or social businesses on the side, and that doesn’t mean they aren’t loyal or productive; they just like to diversify their interests.”

Flexibility remains critical, he said, but it’s not about avoiding the office.

“Flexibility doesn’t just mean working from home,” he said.

“Gen Z actually values ​​collaboration. It’s about balance, being able to set start and end times or shaping work around life, not the other way around.”

Mr. Sarma believes this flexibility reflects a deeper awareness among his colleagues.

“Gen Z has been through Covid, the cost of living crisis, and everything else going on in the world,” he said.

“It’s a very challenging generation to be in. Thanks to social media, we’re more focused on balance and maybe more aware of what’s going on out there.”

A more conscious generation

Beyond work-life balance, Mr. Sarma sees something deeper happening among his generation; A cultural shift towards presence and awareness.

“I think my generation is much more ready to understand their thoughts and feelings and take the time to enjoy and experience life,” she said.

“This is actually a very good thing. It shows that we are growing as a healthy society because we are challenging norms that have existed for hundreds of years.”

Randstad’s research highlights that Generation Z is ambitious but cautious, prioritizing digital but often less confident about their career prospects than older generations.

“It’s interesting, they’re incredibly talented, especially with AI, but they often lack confidence when it comes to finding new roles,” Ms. Anasis said.

“They know they’re talented, but they’re being told they don’t have enough experience, and entry-level opportunities are shrinking.”

Job postings in key sectors such as technology, logistics and finance have fallen sharply, he said, while healthcare continues to buck the trend.

“We are seeing fewer entry-level roles in general, and that creates uncertainty,” Ms. Anasis said.

“Employers need to think seriously about their future talent pool. If you’re not hiring new people, you’re shortening your own talent base.”

Redefining success

Despite concerns about declining engagement and increasing turnover, both Randstad and Mr Sarma believe that Gen Z’s mindset can push workplaces to evolve for the better, valuing rest, purpose and adaptability as much as ambition.

“Employers are acutely aware that this shift is happening, it is being discussed at board level,” Ms Anasis said.

“But they haven’t figured it out yet. Those who adapt fastest, with flexibility, clear career paths and real mental health support, will be the ones who earn Gen Z’s loyalty.

“Generation Z in Australia is not disconnected, they are determined.

“They want growth, purpose and flexibility, and they are willing to move quickly to find it.”

For young professionals like Mr. Sarma, this drive is not about rejecting hard work, but about working smarter and with intention.

“I’m all about being ambitious and working hard,” he said.

“But it’s about making sure you do that, too, to give yourself the time and freedom to do the things you want to do.”