Young Australians have shorter tenures and prefer having a side hustle

Nearly half (47 per cent) of Gen Z workers reported planning a career break, and only 6 per cent reported that they will stay in their current role long term, a report has revealed.

Sydney-based consultant and digital culture expert Nakshathra Suresh (pictured) quit her secure government role in Canberra to build her own consultancy, which focused on cyber safety, digital inclusion and providing an online voice for the underrepresented.

As a part of Gen Z, she worked with universities, advocacy groups, and private organisations to speak about the values and freedoms that her generation wants for their working life.

For its latest report, Gen Z Workplace Blueprint: Fast Moving, Future Focused, Randstad found that Gen Z is prioritising flexibility, purpose, and personal development over loyalty and linear progression. It revealed the statistics impacting young workers like Suresh and how HR practitioners can better understand Gen Z to benefit their workplaces.

A changing reality

Randstad Australia executive general manager Angela Anasis said: “We’re seeing a fundamental shift in how Gen Z sees work. Many are opting for early career breaks not out of burnout, but as a conscious choice to reset, travel, or realign their goals. It’s less about stepping away and more about stepping back with intention.”

“This generation isn’t afraid to disrupt the traditional career timeline. Taking six months off to freelance, study, or explore passion projects early in their career isn’t seen as a risk – it’s a strategy.”

Based on its report, Randstad showed that more Gen Z workers (47 per cent) were planning an early career break, compared to Millennials (39 per cent) and Gen X (25 per cent) workers. Additionally, Gen Z’s attrition rate was higher (22 per cent) than any other generation over the past 12 months.

Randstad also found that 53 per cent of Gen Z workers said that they were job hunting. One in three (35 per cent) Gen Z planned to quit their current role within the next year, and only 11 per cent intended to stay in their role, it said. Anasis said: “Unlike previous generations, Gen Z doesn’t equate loyalty with longevity. If a role doesn’t align with their values, growth expectations, or lifestyle, they’re comfortable walking away – sometimes within a year.”

Suresh said that with Gen Z, loyalty is not guaranteed. Movement in and across their careers is essential – these incentives keep them engaged and motivated to stay, she said.

In light of the changing attitudes of workers, based on its findings, over half (52 per cent) of Australian Gen Z are not confident that they will find another job – less than all of the other generations, and higher than the global Gen Z average of 41 per cent. Since January 2024, around the world, entry-level job postings have dropped 29 percentage points, with sharp drops in tech (-35 per cent), finance (-24 per cent), and logistics (-25 per cent).

What makes Gen Z tick

Gen Z is finding a way around the high cost of living by ditching the traditional nine-to-five. One in five prefer to have both a full-time role and a side hustle, Randstad found. Its research also revealed that less than two in five (38 per cent) Australian Gen Z have a single full-time job, in contrast with the global average of 45 per cent.

“Gen Z are finding ways to build their own – combining jobs, using AI to supercharge learning, and seeking employers who provide real progression,” Anasis said.

Just over half (54 per cent) of Australian Gen Z reported that their current job aligns with their dream career – slightly lower than India (77 per cent) and France (62 per cent). Despite this majority, around half of Gen Z said education (52 per cent) and personal background (45 per cent) were holding them back from pursuing their dream career. In comparison, around the world, fewer (40 per cent) Gen Z felt held back due to their personal background.

Gen Z are not interested in working overtime for free or just for recognition, Suresh said. A dream job consists of genuine work/life balance and a sufficient standard of living – this is why they are more willing to take overseas/interstate opportunities to discover what drives them, and experiment with different lifestyles, she said.

Based on the data, Randstad suggested that employers adapt their talent strategies to these changes by rethinking entry-level roles to have visible career progression, purpose and career advancement, and equitable AI training so that all young Australians can benefit.

Suresh said traditional career progression is not a priority for Gen Z workers. “Organisations should be understanding when Gen Z employees choose part-time roles or decline additional responsibilities to avoid burnout. Workplaces should support side hustles the same way they support employees pursuing further education while working full-time,” she said.

“Our generation gravitates towards organisations that align with our morals and values, especially regarding political and social issues. When workplace culture doesn’t align with our values, we’ll remain unhappy and perform at baseline levels, just enough to meet job requirements and sustain our daily lives.”

Anasis said: “Gen Z in Australia are not disengaged – they are driven. They want growth, purpose and flexibility, and they’re willing to move quickly to find it. Employers who redesign entry-level roles as genuine stepping stones, and invest in fair and inclusive development, will be the ones who retain this generation.”