40% of Gen Z employees regret career decisions, says study

About 40% of Generation Z candidates said they regretted accepting a job offer while 51% said they could foresee a successful career in their respective companies, according to a 2018 study. Research firm Gartner’s report showed that such regret is likely to result in turnover, low engagement, and low productivity, with over one-third of employees planning to leave their jobs within twelve months. Lauren Smith, vice president of Gartner’s HR practice, said companies should better understand what Generation Z workers want in order to curb underperforming talent and high turnover. Generation Z candidates are considered digital natives who are interested in training programs, “boot camps,” and continuing education to stay relevant amid advancements in technology and business processes. Gartner’s Global Labor Market Survey found that 23% of Generation Z workers picked development opportunities as a top attraction driver, compared with only 17% of their millennial predecessors in 2013. They also prefer to work in any location and believe in integrating play into work. Smith urged employers to offer opportunities for learning and developing skills to get career commitment from Generation Z workers.