Generation Z employees – those born between 1997 and 2012 – have a strong desire to make friends at work and a preference for office life, finds a study. The research, which was carried out among almost 4,000 UK students, identifies Gen Z’s concerns and busts stereotypes.
One Gen Z myth is that its members aren’t interested in socialising at work, and want to retain a working from home culture. However, 72% of Gen Z students say they want to be in the office between three and five days a week, and 89% say it’s important or valuable to have friends at work.
The research was conducted by Bright Network, a graduate careers and employment specialist which matches university students with graduate employers in the UK to begin quality roles and careers in their desired sectors.
One common criticism of Gen Z is that it’s unmotivated or even lazy, says the study. However, given the strong preference shown for side hustles, it’s likely that Gen Z members would use an extra day outside of their main role to focus on personal business interests.
Seventy-nine per cent say it’s desirable or very desirable to have a side hustle outside of work, with most wishing to make extra money. Some 46% say side hustling is to earn extra money while 16% suggest it could be a useful jumping-off point into a different job or career.
Some 64% of students think the current/near future economic climate will make job hunting difficult, adding to stress levels. However, 71% of students are confident about securing a graduate role after university, although the figure is higher for males (78% confident) and lower for females (66% confident).
Some 83% say the current cost of living crisis has changed how they’re thinking about starting salaries. Expected graduate starting salaries have risen by 9% to £30,244 since January 2022, due to the stress and impact of cost-of-living increases.