The oldest members of Generation Z are now in their late 20s, and many are already deep into their first full time jobs. While steady employment is often treated like the reward after years of schooling, a large share of these workers say they will still walk away. The surprising part is that the deal breaker is not a bigger paycheck. For many, the real question is whether the job is building a future.
A study conducted by Youngstown State University found that 46 percent of Gen Z respondents would resign if their role did not provide growth, career development, additional education, or skill building. The report suggests that this generation is engaged in the workplace but expects more than simply being employed, a point also discussed by YourTango. Instead of treating early career years as something to endure, many Gen Z workers want progress they can see and measure. When that progress is missing, leaving feels like a practical next step rather than a dramatic choice.
What they are looking for is fairly specific and it goes beyond vague promises. The study points to benefits such as education assistance, flexible scheduling, and internal training programs that help employees develop without having to start over somewhere else. Those features signal that an employer expects people to stay and is willing to invest in them. Without them, even a stable job can start to feel like a dead end. In a labor market where skills can quickly become outdated, the fear of standing still can be more powerful than the fear of quitting.
The research itself ties development directly to retention in a straightforward way. It states, “When growth opportunities are limited, workers often consider leaving. For many, support for professional development is directly tied to career decisions.” That idea helps explain why salary is not the center of this conversation. If a job pays the bills but does not help someone gain credentials, expand responsibilities, or learn new tools, it can feel like borrowed time. In that situation, searching for a new employer becomes a form of self protection.
Pete Freeman from Youngstown State University underscored this point with a clear warning for companies trying to keep young talent. He said, “46 percent of Gen Z are willing to quit for better advancement opportunities,” and he emphasized that pay is not part of the equation. Freeman also noted how quickly Gen Z reaches the point of planning an exit, saying they are “already planning to leave because of a lack of growth faster than any other generation.” That framing suggests many Gen Z workers do not wait until they are miserable to look for something else. They treat stalled development as an early sign that it is time to move.
Another number from the study makes the issue even sharper. It found that 86 percent of Gen Z respondents will not continue developing skills if their employer does not offer financial support. That can sound like a lack of ambition, but it can also reflect reality for workers early in their careers. When rent, transportation, and basic expenses take up most of a paycheck, paying for courses or certifications can be out of reach. Financial backing turns learning from a personal burden into a shared investment.
This difference in expectations often shows up as a debate about loyalty. Some managers still think loyalty means staying quiet, waiting your turn, and accepting slow advancement as normal. Many Gen Z workers seem to define loyalty as a two way agreement where effort is met with mentorship, training, and a credible path forward. If the path is unclear, staying can feel riskier than leaving. The message is not that Gen Z rejects hard work, but that they want the hard work to lead somewhere.
For employers, the takeaway is that development needs to be visible and structured, not implied. Tuition support matters, but so do smaller moves like paid time for training, access to internal workshops, and managers who talk about goals consistently. A clear set of criteria for promotions can also reduce frustration because people know what they are aiming for. Internal mobility programs can help too, since they let employees grow without changing companies. The more concrete the path, the less likely workers are to assume there is none.
It also helps to remember who Gen Z is and why these priorities make sense. Generation Z is generally defined as people born from the late 1990s into the early 2010s, and many came of age during rapid technological change and economic uncertainty. In that environment, building transferable skills can feel like the best form of security. Professional development can include mentoring, rotational assignments, leadership training, certifications, and continuing education that makes someone more capable in any role. When employers support those steps, they are not just offering perks, they are strengthening retention and performance at the same time.
Do you think career development matters more than pay early on, and what kind of growth support would make you stay at a job longer, share your thoughts in the comments.
