2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey
Now in its 14th year, Deloitte’s global survey of 23,000+ Gen Zs and millennials finds these generations focused on growth and learning as they pursue money, meaning, and well-being.
Growth and the pursuit of money, meaning, and well-being
Financial insecurity remains a significant issue for Swiss respondents, with the cost of living being the top concern for Swiss Millennials (33%) and Gen Z (30%). Additionally, nearly half of Gen Zs in Switzerland are worried about retirement. While earning money is important to them, they also value finding meaningful work and maintaining their well-being.
"As Gen Zs and millennials navigate a rapidly changing world of work, they are reevaluating the capabilities they need to succeed and the support they want from their employers.”
- Elizabeth Faber, Deloitte Global Chief People & Purpose Officer
Gen Zs and millennials are focused on learning
Gen Zs are more focused on work/life balance than climbing the corporate ladder. However, they don’t lack ambition. When asked the strongest reasons for choosing to work for their current employer, learning and development is in the top three. 65% of Gen Zs and 56% of millennials in Switzerland say they are developing skills to advance their careers once a week or more.
But many Gen Zs and millennials feel their managers are missing the mark on key areas of their development. They want managers to provide guidance, inspiration, and mentorship, not just oversight of daily tasks.
Soft skills are vital as GenAI transforms the way Gen Zs and millennials work
In Switzerland, 56% of Gen Zs and 48% of millennials are already using GenAI in their day-to-day work.
Some are focused on training and skills development to prepare them to work alongside the technology. 14% of Gen Zs and 15% of millennials in Switzerland say they have already completed GenAI training. And 36% of Gen Zs and 38% of millennials in Switzerland say they plan to complete training within the next 12 months.
As they continue developing their technical skills, they also believe that developing soft skills, such as empathy and leadership, is more important than ever.
Money, meaning, and well-being are tightly interconnected
When asked about the factors that impact their career decisions, Gen Zs and millennials gave responses that fell into three categories: money, meaning, and well-being. The survey underscores that these areas are tightly interconnected as respondents seek to find the right balance.
The findings demonstrate the need for organisations, senior leaders, and managers to create environments where workers can not only attain the trifecta of meaningful work, financial security, and well-being, but also achieve the professional growth they are looking for. By supporting these pillars consistently, organisations can uphold the social contract and create a cycle of satisfaction, engagement, and success.
Money
The survey finds that without financial security, Gen Zs and millennials are less likely to have a positive sense of well-being and less likely to feel their work is meaningful. Financial insecurity continues to take a toll for Swiss respondents, with the cost of living being the top concern for Swiss Millennials (33%) and Gen Z (30%). Furthermore, almost half of Gen Zs in Switzerland worry about retirement.
Meaning
84% of Gen Zs and 90% of millennials in Switzerland consider a sense of purpose to be very or somewhat important for their job satisfaction and well-being. But purpose is subjective. Some want to have a positive impact on society. Others want to earn money or learn new skills so they have the resources to drive change outside of working hours.
Well-being
39% of Gen Zs and 30% of millennials in Switzerland say they feel stressed or anxious all or most of the time. When it comes to work, 40% of Gen Zs and 24% of millennials in Switzerland said that their job is a factor contributing a lot to their feelings of anxiety or stress. This year's study finds that supporting employee well-being should start with addressing the root causes of workplace stress. These are the top three factors driving stress at work: Not having enough time to complete their work, feeling that decisions at work are not made in a fair and equitable way, and long working hours.
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