73% Of Gen Z Workers More Optimistic About Career Prospects Today Compared to 2022

Press Release from FlexJobs

FlexJobs' Generations at Work Report reveals stark differences in attitudes about the job market

BOULDER, Colo., Sept. 25, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- According to FlexJobs'® Generations at Work Report, 73% of Gen Z workers said they feel more optimistic about their career prospects today than they did at this time last year. Comparatively lower, 43% of millennials said they are more optimistic and only 31% of Gen Xers reported feeling more optimistic.

"With multiple generations actively participating in the workforce, we hope these findings offer valuable insight for companies and underscore the importance of providing flexible workplace policies that create common ground among workers at every age," said Toni Frana, FlexJobs' Lead Career Expert.

While 39% of Gen Xers and one-third of millennials said they are actually more pessimistic about their career today compared to last year, only 14% of Gen Z said the same. The remaining respondents reported that there was no change in how they feel.

"At a time when multiple generations are actively participating in the workforce, we hope these findings offer valuable insight for companies and underscore the importance of providing flexible workplace policies that can create common ground among workers at every age," said Toni Frana, Lead Career Expert at FlexJobs.

FlexJobs' Generations at Work Report, which ran from August 2 to August 17, 2023, explored the attitudes and experiences of more than 7,000 Gen Z, millennial, and Gen X professionals making up today's multi-generational workforce. Summarized findings below.

2023 Generations at Work Report

Attitudes About the Job Market

73% of Gen Z feel more optimistic about their career prospects today than they did around this time last year. Comparatively lower, 43% of millennials and only 31% of Gen Xers report feeling more optimistic.
Following a similar trend, 66% of Gen Z thinks the job market is better for job seekers today compared to this time last year. But only 34% of millennials and 28% of Gen Xers share this positive sentiment.
While less than one-third (29%) of Gen Z workers think the job market is worse today compared to this time last year, over half of millennials and (53%) of Gen X (55%) said the job market is worse.
To continue the pattern of Gen Z having a more positive attitude about the job market, 54% of Gen Z said they think it is easier to get a remote job now compared to this time last year. Less than one-quarter (24%) of millennials and only 16% of Gen Xers said the same.
Despite this pessimism, 61% of millennials and 57% of Gen Xers said they're planning to try and change jobs within the next 12 months, nearly double the amount of Gen Z respondents (32%) who said they're planning to change jobs.

Attitudes About Remote Work

Younger workers are reportedly less interested in working from home full time. When asked about their ideal work arrangement, 22% of Gen Z workers preferred a remote-only arrangement. However, almost half of millennials (45%) and roughly two-thirds of Gen X (62%) said their ideal work arrangement is remote 100% of the time.

Gen Z favors a hybrid, mostly in-office work environment.
Hybrid, mostly in-office, with occasional remote work time - 43%
Remote only, completely working from home - 22%
Hybrid, mostly remote, with occasional in-office work - 16%
Hybrid, remote with 2-3 days in the office - 14%
In the office full-time, not working remotely at all - 5%

Millennials are open to remote and hybrid environments.
Remote only, completely working from home - 45%
Hybrid, mostly remote, with occasional in-office work - 24%
Hybrid, remote with 2-3 days in the office - 17%
Hybrid, mostly in-office, with occasional remote work time - 11%
In the office full-time, not working remotely at all - 3%

Gen X has the strongest preference for remote-only work arrangements.
Remote only, completely working from home - 62%
Hybrid, mostly remote, with occasional in-office work - 20%
Hybrid, remote with 2-3 days in the office - 12%
Hybrid, mostly in-office, with occasional remote work time - 4%
In the office full-time, not working remotely at all - 2%

Currently, only 11% of Gen Z are working remotely full time, compared to 27% of millennials and 42% of Gen X who are working from home full time.
Gen Z does not place as much emphasis on remote work as millennials and Gen X. While 56% of millennials and 75% of Gen X said remote work was important to them, only 40% of Gen Z said the same.
Despite a more lukewarm attitude towards remote work, 80% of Gen Z said they are more productive working remotely compared to working in a traditional workplace. This is similar to millennials (76%) and Gen X (80%).
The three generations agreed that salary, remote work, work-life boundaries, and having a flexible schedule are the top four factors most important in a job, but the order of the rankings varied. Gen Z said that having a flexible schedule (42%) was the most important factor to them in a job, edging out salary (41%).

Workplace Stressors

Workers across generations struggle with similar challenges, particularly excessive workloads and ambiguity around job roles and expectations.

Top stressors for Gen Z
Unrealistic expectations from boss - 26%
Lack of knowledge to complete tasks - 23%
Excessive workload - 23%
Ambiguity around job role and expectations - 22%
Lack of direction to complete tasks - 21%
Job security - 20%

Top stressors for millennials
Excessive workload - 31%
Unrealistic expectations from boss - 31%
Ambiguity around job role and expectations - 27%
Lack of direction to complete tasks - 26%
Lack of knowledge to complete tasks - 25%
Work-life boundaries - 21%

Top stressors for Gen X
Excessive workload - 31%
Ambiguity around job role and expectations - 28%
Work-life boundaries - 25%
Job security - 22%
Unrealistic expectations from boss - 22%
Lack of time - 21%

Workplace Behaviors

88% of Gen Z said they think too much of their personal identity is tied to their job, while 68% of millennials and about half (52%) of Gen X say the same.
90% of Gen Z said they typically check email, Slack, or other work communications after they have signed off for the day. 74% of millennials and 65% of Gen X do the same.
88% of Gen Z said they typically check email, Slack, or other work communications on the weekend. 68% of millennials and 58% of Gen X do the same.

For more information, please visit https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/generational-snapshot-of-the-workplace-and-job-market or contact Shanna Briggs at [email protected].

*FlexJobs created the survey, which was promoted to general audiences and its subscribers/members primarily through social media and newsletters. FlexJobs used a multiple choice and multi-select question format via SurveyMonkey's online platform. The survey ran from August 2, 2023, to August 17, 2023.

Demographic breakdown of the 7,062 respondents: Gender: women (65%), men (33%) prefer not to identify/self-describe (2%); Generation: Gen Z (14%), millennial/Gen Y (48%), Gen X (38%); Education: less than a high school degree (3%), high school degree or equivalent (11%), some college but no degree (22%), associate's degree (11%), bachelor's degree (34%), graduate degree (19%); Career level: entry-level (13%), experienced (51%), manager (22%), senior level manager (10%), executive (4%); 49 percent had children 18 or younger living at home with them.

About FlexJobs
FlexJobs is the leading career service specializing in remote, hybrid, and flexible jobs, with over 135 million people having used its resources since 2007. FlexJobs provides the highest-quality database of vetted remote and flexible job listings, from entry-level to executive, startups to public companies, part-time to full-time. To support job seekers in all phases of their career journey, FlexJobs also offers extensive expert advice, webinars, and other resources. In parallel, FlexJobs works with leading companies to recruit quality remote talent and optimize their remote and flexible workplace. A trusted source for data, trends, and insight, FlexJobs has been cited extensively in top national outlets, including CNN, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, CNBC, Forbes magazine, and many more. FlexJobs also has partner sites Remote.co and Job-Hunt.org to help round out its content and job search offerings. Follow FlexJobs on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.