Gen Z’s outlook on the healthcare workforce

Editor's Note

Gen Z, the generation born after 1997, will comprise 30% of the workforce by 2030, and they are distinct from their s predecessors in several ways, the December 6 Becker’s Hospital Review reports.

Among Gen Z’s unique needs and distinctions:

• 75% believe their generation will change the world, and a career in healthcare is a good way to put their social-change skills into action
• as a result of the pandemic, 83% are now valuing in-person interactions that are essential in healthcare jobs
• 69% of nurses younger than 25 are already struggling and experiencing burnout, compared with 30% of nurses over age 25
• 42% are dealing with mental health conditions, but they try not to let it affect their performance
• 63% expect mental health benefits from their employer
• recent graduates overestimate their starting salaries by $50,000 and are unapologetic in asking for what they consider a living wage.

The healthcare industry will be receiving these new hires at a bad time, with many hospital systems facing financial challenges that clash with Gen Z’s high pay expectations, the report says.