Only 2% of Gen Z fit the traits employers want: Why US companies call them 'unhireable'

Employers are increasingly hesitant to hire Gen Z. A 2024 study by Intelligent.com surveyed about 1,000 business leaders. One in six said they were reluctant to hire this generation. Three-quarters rated recent college graduates as “unsatisfactory.”The result is a growing label in business circles: Gen Z is “unhireable.” Experts say the problem is not effort, but a clash of values between young workers and employers.As reported by Fortune, business journalist and NYU Stern adjunct professor Suzy Welch has studied the problem. She says the hesitation stems from a mismatch between what employers want and what Gen Z values.Welch developed a tool called Values Bridge to help people understand their core values. In 2022, Welch and a team of data scientists, engineers, and psychometricians created the assessment. It was released in May 2025. About 45,000 people have taken it, roughly 7,500 of them Gen Z.Welch also surveyed 2,100 experienced hiring managers. They were asked to identify the values they most wanted in new employees. The results were clear. Employers most value achievement, learning, and an unbridled desire to work. Only 2% of Gen Z students share these values.Gen Z, by contrast, prioritises:Gen Z is often thought to be anti-office or unwilling to engage with senior staff. Experts say this is wrong.Fortune reports that Patrice Williams Lindo, CEO of Career Nomad, said Gen Z is not anti-office. They are against toxic work environments. They want structure, mentorship, social connection, and boundaries—but on their own terms.Bias against younger workers, known as “youngism,” is rising. Jennifer Moss, a leadership-development expert, said it is outpacing other types of ageism. She warns it may become a bigger problem for Gen Z than AI.Older coworkers often misread Gen Z’s focus on mental health and flexibility as low effort. Large surveys suggest the opposite. Gen Z shows ambition through multiple income streams and skill growth. According to a Transamerica report, 59% of Gen Z workers have side hustles.The NYU Stern and Wharton joint study found a consistent pattern: negative sentiment toward younger adults in the workforce, and positive sentiment toward older adults.Gen Z faces severe economic pressures. The NYU and Wharton study says they are weathering two of the worst economic crises of the century. Housing costs are rising. Student debt is high. Income growth is limited.These conditions make flexibility and mental health priorities more important. Gen Z seeks workplaces that recognize this.The divide is clear. Employers want achievement and relentless work drive. Gen Z wants purpose, authenticity, and balance. Misunderstandings on both sides have created a friction that affects hiring and retention.Companies that adjust to Gen Z’s values may have an advantage in attracting young talent. Those that ignore the gap may continue to struggle with perceptions that the generation is “unhireable.”