Deloitte Gen Z and millennial survey 2026

Rotterdam, 13 May 2026

As Gen Z and millennials age, they often prioritise stability, skills and well-being over rapid advancement, according to the results of Deloitte's 2026 Global Gen Z and Millennial Survey. The 15th edition of the survey is based on responses from 22,595 Gen Zers and millennials in 44 countries, including 501 in the Netherlands.

"For 15 years, this survey has captured how Gen Z and millennials respond to and shape change," said Elizabeth Faber, Deloitte Global Chief People & Purpose Officer. "They have already changed work in tangible ways and are now making deliberate choices about when — and under what conditions — to pursue leadership and big life decisions. This year's findings show that these generations are adaptable, pragmatic and intentional about progress, even as economic pressures and rapid technological change raise the stakes."

Financial pressure changes future plans
Once again, the cost of living is the biggest concern for both generations. Financial pressure is fuelling the "maybe later" trend among these generations: although they are ambitious, their financial reality has changed plans for the future.

Globally, more than half of Gen Z (55%) and millennials (52%) have postponed major life events such as starting a family, further education or starting a business because of their financial situation. In the Netherlands, this applies to 51% of Gen Z and 45% of millennials.

• Housing costs influence career choices: Globally, 69% of Gen Z and 64% of millennials say that housing availability or affordability has a direct impact on their career decisions and where they can work. In the Netherlands, 64% of Gen Z and 57% of millennials indicate that the affordability of housing influences their career choices.
  
  
• Despite these pressures, financial optimism remains, with 53% of Gen Z and 45% of millennials expecting their personal financial situation to improve in the coming year.

Leadership remains attractive, but only if it is sustainable
There is an interest in leadership, but it's not urgent. As of last year, only 6% of Gen Z and millennials say that achieving a leadership position is their primary career goal. The reluctance is driven by concerns about the trade-offs that leadership entails.

Most young people prefer to opt for sustainable career building over quick career leaps (44% Gen Z; 45% millennials). In the Netherlands, 70% of Gen Z and 49% of millennials say they are interested in pursuing a leadership role at some point in their careers, while only 7% of Gen Z and 3% of millennials cite this as their primary career goal.
The most commonly cited barriers to aspiring leadership are stress and burnout (50% Gen Z; 49% millennials), excessive responsibility (50% Gen Z; 48% millennials) and concerns about work/life balance (41% Gen Z; 46% millennials). Still, many want senior leadership roles later in their careers: three-quarters of Gen Z (76%) and two-thirds of millennials (67%) say they are interested in pursuing senior leadership roles at some point in their careers.

Primary career priorities in the Netherlands
Dutch Gen Z'ers cite financial independence (21%), maintaining a good work/life balance (20%) and becoming an expert in their field (13%) as their main career goals. Dutch millennials mainly mention maintaining a good work/life balance (24%), followed by financial independence (20%) and continuous training/development (14%).

AI adoption is happening faster than organisations are ready for it
Nearly one-third of respondents believe their organisation is not prepared for the changes that AI will bring (30% Gen Z; 31% millennials) and one-third say that AI tools at work are only partially or completely inadequate (33% Gen Z; 32% millennials).

Nearly three-quarters of Gen Z and millennials (74%) use AI in their daily work, a sharp increase from last year (57% Gen Z; 56% millennials). While AI is widely seen as an accelerator that improves efficiency, output quality and work/life balance, some believe that organisations are struggling to keep pace.

In the Netherlands, 67% of Gen Z and 68% of millennials use AI in their daily work. Only 35% of Dutch Gen Zers and 37% of Dutch millennials rate the AI tools made available by their employer as largely or fully adequate. Dutch respondents cite a lack of trust in the output of AI, lack of knowledge and experience and poor integration of AI tools with existing systems and workflows as the main barriers to AI use.

In the Netherlands, Gen Z (64%) and millennials (68%), in addition to improving efficiency and job quality, use AI to identify learning and development opportunities, seek career advice (52% of Gen Z; 53% of millennials) and to learn how to manage work-related stress (50% of Gen Z; 44% of millennials).
In a technology-driven work environment, digital overload is a risk, with more than half of global respondents (58% Gen Z; 54% millennials) reporting digital fatigue due to constant notifications, switching between tools and multiple platforms.

A generational transition is coming in the workplace
As more current employees retire, organisations are under increasing pressure to preserve institutional knowledge as they prepare for the arrival of Gen Alpha. This generation is expected to enter the labour market in large numbers by the end of the decade.

Only 54% of Gen Z and 60% of millennials say their teams would be able to maintain performance if a key expert left tomorrow. In the Netherlands, this applies to 42% of Gen Z and 53% of millennials, underlining the risks of knowledge loss.

The impact of AI on recruitment is evolving, with nearly a quarter (23%) saying AI is leading their companies to create new entry-level roles, although some are concerned about the impact on jobs, with 20% of Gen Z and 17% of millennials saying their organisations are actually phasing out entry-level roles.
Gen Z and millennials are optimistic about entry-level roles and career progression: When asked how AI use affects entry-level roles, the most common response is that it helps entry-level starters gain experience faster (26% Gen Z; 28% millennials), allows them to focus on more valuable work (both groups 25%) and accelerates potential career growth (both groups 25%).

Well-being as infrastructure
Mental and physical health and financial security are at the heart of the well-being thinking of these generations. In the Netherlands, 27% of Gen Z and 20% of millennials say they feel stressed often or most of the time. In the Netherlands, 95% of Gen Z and 93% of millennials indicate that a sense of purpose is important for job satisfaction.

"This underlines a broader reality: what generations need, want and expect from work will and must continue to evolve," says Mariëtte Los, CHRO of Deloitte Netherlands. " Organisations that keep up are willing to evolve with them and build systems that can grow with those changes."

Research methodology

Deloitte's 2026 Gen Z and Millennial survey reflects responses from 14,384 Gen Zers (born between January 1995 and December 2007*) and 8,211 millennials (born between January 1983 and December 1994). A total of 22,595 respondents were surveyed in 44 countries in North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific. The survey was conducted as an online, self-completion interview between 24 November 2025 and 15 January 2026.
The report includes quotes from respondents who answered open-ended questions, as well as from participants in one-on-one ethnographic qualitative interviews conducted separately from the online survey. In addition, the report draws on insights from in-depth interviews with business leaders on labour market trends and intergenerational dynamics. The qualitative interviews were held between 18 December 2025 and 13 March 2026. Qualitative insights from Gen Z and millennial respondents are attributed with a pseudonym and generation to protect participant privacy. Insights from business leaders are attributed to name and organisation with permission.
*Gen Z is typically defined as born between January 1995 and December 2010, but this study does not include respondents younger than 18 years of age, which is why in this survey, the definition of Gen Z shifts one year each year to include all adult Gen Zers.