{"id":7506,"date":"2025-10-02T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/?post_type=news&p=7506"},"modified":"2025-12-03T05:48:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T10:48:12","slug":"the-truth-about-gen-z-future-of-work","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/news\/the-truth-about-gen-z-future-of-work\/","title":{"rendered":"The truth about Gen Z and the future of work"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Young Canadians are shifting the dynamics of the workplace, with new data challenging long-held assumptions about Gen Z\u2019s work preferences.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to 91±¬ΑΟ\u2019s 2025 Annual Jobs Report<\/a>, workers aged 18\u201324 are more likely to relocate for job opportunities, work longer hours, and value in-person mentorship than previously thought, contradicting perceptions that they favour remote-only, low-pressure work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only 27% of Gen Z respondents say remote or hybrid work is important to them. By contrast, 55% say they would move cities or countries for the right role, suggesting mobility and experience matter more than convenience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Relocating, working harder and still falling behind<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sabine, a 25-year-old recruitment executive based in Calgary, is part of that trend. Originally from the United States, she relocated to Canada for her role in executive search. She now works three days in the office and two remotely, valuing flexibility but also seeking proximity to her team and mentorship opportunities. \u201cRelocating for work gave me access to in-person learning and progression. That balance helps me stay productive and engaged,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sabine\u2019s early career also reflects a broader reality for many young professionals trying to manage rising costs. In her first two years after university, she took on a second job during the summer to bring in extra income. Later, when she felt her full-time salary wasn\u2019t keeping pace with market expectations, she sought out competing offers\u2014ultimately securing a raise after presenting one to her employer. \u201cThere\u2019s a trend I\u2019ve seen where you have to push for fair pay. It\u2019s not just handed to you,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stories like Sabine\u2019s highlight a broader truth: Gen Z isn\u2019t short on drive, but they\u2019re entering a workforce where expectations and rewards don\u2019t always line up. Many are eager to prove themselves and move forward quickly, yet they\u2019re encountering outdated systems, slow promotion pathways and compensation models that haven\u2019t kept pace with new realities. That disconnect is shaping how they view both employers and their own career paths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New tools, new pressures and new expectations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to the report, technology is another factor shaping Gen Z\u2019s work experience, both as an opportunity and a concern. While 74% of young workers say they feel confident adapting to new technologies, 27% believe AI is already reducing job availability. One in three say the recruitment process itself is too difficult, pointing to outdated systems, slow timelines and lack of transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sabine, who works in executive recruitment, is already seeing AI influence her industry. \u201cAI is helping with candidate sourcing and research, which are time-consuming parts of the job. But I still think the human element matters, especially at the executive level,\u201d she said. \u201cThat said, junior roles like mine could be at risk if we don\u2019t evolve fast enough. I\u2019m trying to move toward areas where people and judgment are still irreplaceable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kevin Kliman, President of Canadian business of 91±¬ΑΟ, said the findings highlight a clear call to action for employers. \u201cThese workers are motivated and digitally fluent, but they also want real-world growth and connection,\u201d said Kliman. \u201cTo engage Gen Z, employers need to modernize hiring systems, provide meaningful feedback and build clear pathways for advancement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Gen Z has often been dismissed as disengaged, the data tells a different story. This generation is eager to learn, willing to move and motivated to prove themselves, so long as they\u2019re met with fair pay, flexible structure and honest support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For employers, the opportunity lies in building workplaces that respond to these priorities. Those that modernize their hiring systems, review compensation structures and invest in early-career development are more likely to retain this ambitious, fast-moving talent pool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gen Z isn\u2019t avoiding work \u2014 they\u2019re rewriting what it looks like.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

91±¬ΑΟ\u2019s Jobs Report data reveals Gen Z Canadians are working harder, relocating more and reshaping the future of work beyond the usual stereotypes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":430,"featured_media":7298,"template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_visual_mode":"business","exclude_from_algolia":false,"author_id":0,"reading_time":"3 min read","display_reading_time":false,"homepage_thumbnail":0},"categories":[],"tags":[],"learn_topic":[],"audience":[],"post_features":[],"class_list":["post-7506","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/7506","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/430"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7298"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7506"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7506"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7506"},{"taxonomy":"learn_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/learn_topic?post=7506"},{"taxonomy":"audience","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/audience?post=7506"},{"taxonomy":"post_features","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_features?post=7506"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}