Majority of Gen Z workers in Ireland living pay cheque to pay cheque, Deloitte survey finds
- Over half of Irish GenZs – around 3 in every 5 – live pay cheque to pay cheque with many saying companies aren’t doing enough to ease corporate stress or support financial well-being
- Gen Z and Millennials are set to dominate global workforce by 2030, accounting for nearly three-quarters of all employees.
- Nearly 9 in 10 young Irish workers say a sense of purpose is key to job satisfaction suggesting that meaning rather than money is the new motivator
- 48% of Gen Z and Millennials in Ireland are already using GenAI at work, with another third planning to upskill in it over the next year.
May 2025: The 14th edition of Deloitte Gen Z and Millennial Global survey of over 23,000 young workers across 44 countries reveals a generation redefining success, prioritising purpose and continuous learning over traditional career paths, while embracing new tools like GenAI and challenging employers to keep up.
Gen Z and Millennials are rewriting the rules according to the research from the global number one professional services firm which points to a workforce seeking well-being over promotions. This group expects more support from employers amid rising financial and mental health pressures.
Projected to make up 74% of the global workplace by 2030, Deloitte’s survey, which includes 415 young professionals in Ireland, finds that these generations are seeking a “trifecta” of money, meaning, and well-being while building the technical and soft skills that they believe will prepare them for the workplace of the future.
In Ireland alone, where 415 young adults were surveyed, 66% of Gen Z (ages 18–27) and 39% of Millennials (ages 28–40) say they are building new skills weekly to move their careers forward.
In the workplace, there is a gap between what Gen Zs and Millennials believe their manager should do versus what they actually do. More than half of these two groups (56% & 58%) want their manager to provide guidance and support, but only one-third are experiencing this.
AI a tool, not a threat
Using GenAI is already part of these young Irish professional’s daily routine. Nearly half of both groups (48%) say they already use GenAI tools in their day-to-day work, mostly to enhance the quality of what they produce.
Another 32% of Gen Z and 36% of Millennials in Ireland plan to pursue GenAI training in the next year, reflecting a strong appetite for digital upskilling and showing the extent to which digital-native employees approach productivity and creativity.
This survey, carried out by Deloitte, shows that career moves among this cohort are increasingly driven by quality of life, with better work-life balance cited as the top reason young workers change career paths.
Beyond the pay cheque
Purpose plays a powerful role for young Irish workers. In total, 87% of Gen Z and 91% of millennials in Ireland say that having a sense of purpose is important to their job satisfaction, whether ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’. When asked how strongly they feel about it, 60% of Irish Gen Zs and 58% of Millennials say it’s ‘very important’ – closely mirroring global trends (65% and 63% respectively).
Gen Z and Millennials want meaningful, flexible forward-focused work environments,
points out Vipin Tanwar, Deloitte’s HR Strategy & Technology Director.
They are ambitious but aren’t just working for a salary. This represents a big generational shift where purpose and personal-development aren’t just ‘nice-to-haves’ anymore, they are valid expectations.
In just five years’ time, nearly three out of every four workers globally will be a Gen Z or Millennial and that signals a whole new way of working. This isn’t just a generational trend, it’s a fundamental shift in how people relate to work, purpose and growth.
Deloitte’s data gives voice to that shift, and we are listening. We’re embedding purpose into our culture, investing in continuous learning, and embracing technologies like Gen AI to meet these expectations head on. Employers who don’t adapt risk falling behind, not just in talent attraction but in relevance.
ENDS
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Media Contact(s):
Declan Jackson
Deloitte Ireland Communications
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+353 1417 3522
Georgina Francis
Deloitte Ireland Communications
gefrancis@deloitte.ie
+353 1584 5459