How to Keep Gen Z Employees

Every generation of leaders has complained about the generation coming in behind them, and I try hard not to. In my experience, the younger people on my teams want the same things everyone wants: to do meaningful work, to be treated with respect and to see a future. What has changed is how quickly they will leave when those things are missing.

The data shows a real gap. Gallup’s 2026 analysis found engagement among Gen Z and younger millennials fell eight points, from 40% in 2020 to 32% in 2025. The share who strongly agree they know what is expected of them fell from 51% to 42%. Many younger employees started their careers remotely or during the pandemic, with fewer chances to learn by watching experienced people up close.

What do Gen Z employees want from work?

Clarity, feedback, growth and connection. They tend to want to know exactly what is expected and how they are doing, more often than once a year. They want to see how they can grow, and they want to learn quickly. They want a manager who knows them as a person, and they want to understand why their work matters. None of that is a special program. It is good leadership.

Teach the things nobody teaches

One of the most useful things a leader can do for younger employees is explain the unwritten rules of work. How to run a meeting. How to push back respectfully. How to ask for help without feeling embarrassed. How to handle a mistake. Many people early in their careers simply have not had the chance to watch experienced colleagues do these things, and a few minutes of coaching goes a long way.

Give feedback more often, and make it useful

Younger employees tend to want to know how they are doing, and the annual review is too slow to help. Short, specific feedback in a weekly one-on-one helps them improve quickly and feel noticed. Recognize what they did well and be just as clear about what to do differently. Most will appreciate the honesty. See How to Run a One-on-One Meeting That Matters.

Show them a future

Nothing keeps a talented young person like a visible path forward. Talk with them about where they want to go, give them stretch assignments, and tell them what you see in them. I have watched people early in their careers grow into leaders faster than anyone expected because someone invested in them early. See How to Have a Career Conversation With an Employee.

I speak to a lot of young professionals and students, and the message in my signature keynote, You Are Capable of More, lands especially well with them: you are capable of more than you think. Leaders who believe that about their younger employees, and show it, are the ones who keep them. For the workplace side, see You Are Capable of a Better Culture.