The newest generation in the workforce is fundamentally redefining career paths and attitudes toward technology. A new global research study from Randstad Digital reveals that Gen Z workers in the technology sector are moving away from traditional employment models, prioritizing flexibility, multiple income streams, and a pragmatic yet cautious approach to artificial intelligence. These findings provide a crucial blueprint for employers on how to attract and retain this emerging talent pool in a competitive market.
Quick Intel
25% of Gen Z tech workers prefer a full-time role combined with a side hustle.
Top priorities are flexible working hours (49%), pay (45%), and location flexibility (41%).
75% are excited about AI at work, and 76% already use it for problem-solving.
However, 43% are concerned about AI's impact on their job security.
Nearly half (49%) have voluntarily left a job in less than a year.
Key retention drivers are better pay (45%) and clear career progression (25%).
Redefining Employment with Blended Income Models
The study highlights a significant shift in how Gen Z views full-time work. A quarter (25%) of Gen Z tech workers aspire to blend a full-time role with a side hustle, a preference that surpasses those who want a traditional full-time role (23%). This indicates a strong trend towards diversified income models. The drivers for this generation are pragmatic: flexible working hours and pay are the two most important factors when choosing a job, with only 1% citing "pursuing passions" as a top priority, underscoring a financially-driven approach to their careers.
"Our research illustrates that Tech jobs remain highly attractive to Gen Z – yet their expectations are shaping how companies now think about culture, flexibility, career growth, and even the use of AI," said Graig Paglieri, chief executive of Randstad Digital. "While it's tempting to focus automation efforts on entry-level jobs, employers should design these roles as stepping stones to build stronger, more resilient organizations for the future."
A Cautiously Enthusiastic Stance on AI
Gen Z is embracing AI tools but with a clear-eyed view of the risks. While 75% are excited about AI in the workplace and 76% use it for problem-solving, a significant 43% are concerned about its impact on their job security. This concern outpaces that of Millennials (41%) and Gen X (38%), possibly fueled by discussions about AI automating entry-level tasks. Despite this, employers are investing in upskilling, with 61% of Gen Z having received AI training in the past year.
Retention Hinges on Growth and Compensation
The data reveals a significant retention challenge. Nearly half (49%) of Gen Z have left a job in under a year, citing poor workplace culture (41%), low pay (36%), and lack of career progression (19%) as the main reasons. Only 25% plan to stay at their current company for 3-5 years. To retain them long-term, employers must focus on tangible benefits: better pay (45%), clear career progression (25%), and more flexible working hours (23%). This generation is growth-hunting, not merely job-hopping, and will quickly pursue paths that offer both professional and financial advancement.
Randstad Digital is a global partner for talent and technology solutions, helping organizations accelerate transformation through specialized talent, scalable capacity, and domain-led expertise. A business unit of Randstad—the world's largest talent company—Randstad Digital is powered by Torc, an AI-driven talent platform and global technology community designed to meet the demands of today's enterprises. Randstad Digital delivers flexible solutions that enable agility and address critical tech skill needs across customer experience, cloud & infrastructure, data & analytics, and digital & product engineering.
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