Generation Z, born from the mid-90s to the 2000s, has been a notably elusive group to retain in the modern workplace. Randstad's recent survey of Gen Z professionals showed that the generation’s average time at a job is just 1.1 years. They are not afraid to make lateral moves if it enables them to prioritize balance and autonomy; the traditional, linear advancement of a career is less popular with Gen Z.

Technology plays an important part in Gen Z’s attitude towards work. Previous generations built the technology of the workplaces that Gen Z now navigates and inhabits. But Gen Z grew up in this new digitalized world and, consequently, has behaviors distinct from previous generations, such as millennials (born in the 80s and mid-90s), who can compare a relatively more analogue world with this highly digital one.

Gen Z uses digital tools not just for socializing but to solve problems efficiently at work. The 2025 Randstad survey mentions that 75% of Gen Z use AI to upskill, which is considerably more than any other generation. This exposure to fast-paced digital technology means Gen Z is used to constant feedback. Skill and career growth may be driving them to seek new opportunities faster than previous generations.

Technology is not the only thing driving Gen Z to shift roles so quickly. Economic pressures, such as inflation and student debt, are driving the generation’s decisions in an increasingly expensive world. And the pandemic, along with recent economic and political upheavals, were eye-opening for Gen Z. It is possible that these events reminded Gen Z of the importance of work-life balance and real-world experiences, and the role the analogue world plays in avoiding burnout. 

It’s important to point out that accounting organizations can offer Gen Z a direct foil to the career chaos. Stability (a career plan with clear and achievable goals), security (steadiness and comfort in relationships), and purpose (working in a profession that serves the public interest) are benefits of a career in accountancy that can and should be emphasized by professional accounting organizations.

Leaving a job, to Gen Z, isn’t failure. It is a strategy to scope out alternatives that may offer better prospects for maintaining mental health, along with a balance of the personal and professional. In a professional world that is often hybrid, Gen Z values a balance of virtual and real-world experience.

This generation does not want to live solely for work like previous generations, but to live for something more than that. 86% of Gen Zs have emphasized the need for mentorship and guidance on the job, pointing towards their prioritization of personal relationships and hands-on experience. And there lies a golden opportunity for accounting organizations around the world: to embrace the opportunity to shape and develop the best of the best, who, in a few years, will be directing our destinies.

By recognizing the value of this timely moment, accounting entities worldwide could also promote effective coordination to modernize the curricula of accounting sciences courses, with the aim of keeping up with social transformation. This would provide a significant change in the training of future professionals, replacing a content-centered model with an approach based on skills development.

This new curriculum could be structured to meet the demands of an increasingly dynamic, technological market guided by principles of sustainability and governance. In addition to strengthening technical knowledge aligned with international professional standards, the guidelines could incorporate topics such as digital transformation, ESG, risk management, and strategic decision-making, preparing students to act in a more integrated manner that is aligned with the needs of society and organizations. One of the main advancements of a new model could be the appreciation of soft skills, considered essential for the practice of the contemporary accounting profession.

All these skills would complement technical training by allowing professionals to act in a more collaborative, transformative, and adaptable manner in increasingly complex environments. Like everyone, Gen Z values ethical leadership and wants to be a part of workplaces where they trust leadership and feel comfortable as themselves. More than just a curriculum update, this would be a significant evolution of the profession, which would position future accountants as protagonists in building an even more innovative, ethical, and prosperous future.