Deloitte survey: Gen Zs and millennials in Singapore are redefining career success, prioritising stability, wellbeing and purpose amid financial pressures

Key Highlights:

• 88% of Gen Zs and 86% of millennials in Singapore use AI at work, though less than a third feel employer-provided tools are sufficient.
• Cost of living remains the top concern for both Gen Zs (49%) and millennials (59%), and half say they have postponed major milestones due to their financial situation.
• While 81% of Gen Zs and 67% of millennials are interested in leadership roles, only 6% and 3% respectively identify it as their primary career goal.
• 94% of Gen Zs and 99% of millennials say having a sense of purpose is important for their job satisfaction.
• Only 44% of Gen Zs and 61% of millennials say their teams could maintain performance if a key expert left tomorrow due to barriers to effective knowledge sharing.

SINGAPORE, 29 May 2026 – As Gen Zs and millennials in Singapore navigate a complex economic and technological landscape, they are redefining what progress means in their careers – placing greater emphasis on stability, skills development, and wellbeing rather than rapid advancement. These findings are highlighted in the Deloitte Global 2026 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, which draws on responses from more than 22,500 Gen Zs and millennials worldwide, including 302 in Singapore, alongside qualitative insights from business leaders.

“For fifteen years, this survey has captured how Gen Zs and millennials respond to change, and how they shape it,” says Elizabeth Faber, Deloitte Global Chief People & Purpose Officer. “They’ve already transformed work in tangible ways and are now making deliberate choices about when—and under what conditions—they pursue leadership and major life decisions. This year’s findings show that these generations are adaptable, pragmatic, and intentional about progress, even as economic pressure and rapid technological change raise the stakes.”

Singapore stands out in terms of AI adoption, but gaps remain

Most Gen Zs (88%) and millennials (86%) in Singapore report using artificial intelligence (AI) in their day‑to‑day work, above the global average (74% for both Gen Zs and millennials).

While 88% of Gen Zs and 78% of millennials in Singapore say AI positively impacts their work life, some believe their employers are not keeping pace, as only 28% of Gen Zs and 26% of millennials rate the AI tools provided by their employers as mostly or completely sufficient. They remain eager to keep up with AI developments, as 40% of Gen Zs and 47% of millennials in Singapore say they will continue to seek new AI training opportunities as the technology evolves, higher than the global levels of 35% and 38% for Gen Zs and millennials respectively.

AI’s role extends beyond productivity, with Gen Zs and millennials using it as a tool for growth and well-being. They are using AI to identify learning and development opportunities (79% for both generations), cope with work-related stress (70% for both generations) and seek career advice (67% of Gen Zs and 72% of millennials).

Financial pressure is reshaping personal and professional timelines

Cost of living is the top concern for both generations in Singapore (49% of Gen Zs, 59% of millennials) and globally (38% of Gen Zs, 42% of millennials), far outpacing other societal concerns. In Singapore, half (51% of Gen Zs and 50% of millennials) say they have delayed major life decisions due to their financial situation, mirroring a global “maybe later” trend: while they are ambitious, their financial reality has altered timelines for major milestones, such as marriage, starting a family or business, or furthering their education.

Leadership remains attractive, but only if it is sustainable

Interest in leadership is widespread, but not urgent. In Singapore, 81% of Gen Zs and 67% of millennials are interested in pursuing leadership roles at some point in their careers, and 46% of Gen Zs and 66% of millennials are already in managerial, supervisory or executive leadership roles. However, only 6% of Gen Zs and 3% of millennials place leadership as their primary career goal. Rather, Gen Zs seek financial independence (26%) while millennials strive for work-life balance (31%) as their top priorities.

When asked to think about their career path, 46% of Gen Zs and 29% of millennials in Singapore seek steady progress, as compared to just 25% of Gen Zs and 20% of millennials who seek fast-paced growth. These findings suggest that they are making career choices that prioritise long‑term fit over short‑term advancement.

Another critical aspect to Gen Zs and millennials’ career decisions is purpose. Nearly all Gen Zs (94%) and millennials (99%) in Singapore say having a sense of purpose is important for their job satisfaction, similar to the global average (96% and 97% respectively for Gen Zs and millennials). To that end, most (67% of Gen Zs and 54% of millennials) agree that their current job allows them to make a meaningful contribution to society.

A generational transition is approaching

As baby boomers retire, organisations face mounting pressure to preserve institutional knowledge, all while preparing for the arrival of Gen Alphas, who are expected to enter the workforce in significant numbers by the end of the decade.

Knowledge loss is a real risk, as only 44% of Gen Zs and 61% of millennials in Singapore say their teams could maintain performance if a key expert left tomorrow. Gen Zs cite a lack of incentives (44%) and time constraints (35%) as the top barriers to effective knowledge transfer, while millennials pointed to a lack of standard templates or tools (39%) and confidentiality concerns (32%).

“Gen Zs and millennials are adapting to a world that has demanded resilience early and often. They are moving forward thoughtfully, selectively, and on their own terms. How they navigate uncertainty—how they define success, weigh tradeoffs, and engage with employers—will help set the norms that Gen Alphas encounter as they begin entering the workforce in a few years,” adds Elizabeth Faber. “This underscores a broader reality: what generations need, want, and expect from their work will continue to evolve, and the organizations that keep up will be those willing to evolve with them.”

To learn more, read the full report here: www.deloitte.com/genzmillennialsurvey.

About Deloitte’s Global 2026 Gen Z and Millennial Survey

Deloitte’s 2026 Gen Z and Millennial Survey reflects the responses of 14,384 Gen Zs (born between 1995 January and 2007 December*) and 8,211 millennials (born between 1983 January and 1994 December). In total, 22,595 respondents were surveyed from 44 countries across North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. The survey was conducted using an online, self-complete-style interview between 24 November 2025 and 15 January 2026.

The report includes quotes from survey respondents who answered open-ended questions, as well as from participants in one-on-one, ethnography style, qualitative interviews conducted separately from the online survey. In addition, the report draws on insights from in-depth interviews with business leaders on workforce trends and intergenerational dynamics. The qualitative interviews were conducted between 18 December 2025 and 13 March 2026. Qualitative insights from Gen Z and millennial respondents are attributed by pseudonym and generation to protect participant privacy. Business leader insights are attributed to named individuals and their organisations, with permission.

*Gen Zs are typically defined as being born between January 1995 and December 2010, but this study does not include respondents younger than 18, so each year the definition of Gen Zs in this survey shifts a year to include all adult Gen Zs