- Over 1 in 2 surveyed in Ireland say they have delayed major life decisions due to their financial situation.
- Nearly 8 in 10 of Gen Zs and 6 in 10 millennials in Ireland say housing affordability affects their career decisions.
- 62% of Gen Zs in Ireland can’t afford to own home, compared to 51% average in the survey across 44 countries; 49% of Irish millennials versus the 40% average.
- Cost of living is the top concern and top reasons for anxiety and stress are financial future and day-to-day finances.
- Ireland’s Gen Zs and Millennials are ambitious for leadership roles and focused on continuous learning.
- Employees with work friends are twice as likely to stay 5+ years at an organisation and are significantly happier.
- Gen Zs prioritising developing public speaking and communication skills over digital and AI literacy.
Deloitte’s 15th Gen Z and millennial survey reveals financial pressure, particularly housing affordability, is forcing younger generations to make different career decisions. Nearly two thirds (62%) of Gen Z respondents in Ireland can’t afford a home, significantly higher than the 51% of Gen Zs in the global survey covering 44 countries and 22,595 respondents. Similarly, millennials in Ireland are also finding it harder to afford a home compared to the survey’s average (49% vs 40%).
As defined in the study, Gen Z respondents were born between January 1995 and December 2007, and millennial respondents were born between January 1983 and December 1994.
Nearly 8 in 10 (77%) of Gen Zs and 61% of millennials in Ireland say housing affordability affects their career decisions. 54% of Gen Zs and 54% of millennials in Ireland say they have delayed major life decisions due to their financial situation.
Cost of living is the top concern for these cohorts (44% of Gen Zs and 63% of millennials), far outranking other challenges such as mental health, unemployment, and climate change.
43% of Gen Zs and 41% of millennials in Ireland say they feel stressed all or most of the time. For both generations who said they feel a lot of anxiety and stress, the top reasons are their longer-term financial future and day-to-day finances.
Gen Zs and Millennials in Ireland are ambitious and focused on upskilling, with interest in non-digital abilities high
Maintaining a good work/life balance is the top primary career goal for Gen Zs (20%) and millennials (27%) in Ireland. Achieving financial independence is a close second (18% and 24%).
Ireland’s Gen Zs and millennials are ambitious for leadership roles, with 72% of Gen Zs and 55% of millennials interested in pursuing senior leadership roles, such as C-suite and executive positions.
Both generations are prioritising steady progress in their careers instead of fast-paced growth.
One-quarter of Gen Z and 27% of millennial respondents in Ireland have completed AI training, on par with the average in the wider survey of 44 countries.
However, the barriers to using AI at work differ across the groups. For Gen Zs, a lack of trust about the output of AI tools is top (23%), while lack of knowledge and experience is the second barrier (22%).
For millennials, the top equally ranked concerns are lack of effective training opportunities and AI tools not addressing specific needs of their role (23%).
Gen Zs are focused on development beyond techs kills as well, with public speaking (43%) and communication skills (38%) ranking higher than digital literacy skills (36%) for areas they want to develop.
For millennials, public speaking (39%) and AI fluency (35%) are the highest, with critical thinking coming at a close third (34%).
“As Gen Zs and millennials mature into leadership roles, they continue to redefine work on their own terms. These generations champion flexible and hybrid working, more open conversations about mental health in work, and prioritising work-life balance. Yet they face financial challenges that are reshaping their careers,” says Gary Notley, Human Capital partner in Deloitte Ireland.
“While financial pressures are clearly top of mind, according to Deloitte’s Gen Z and millennial survey, they are also remarkably ambitious and are prioritising steady progress in their careers. Our survey highlights the importance of the social element in the workplace, with friendship at work being linked to higher happiness levels and greater tenure. In an era of hybrid and flexible working, it’s a powerful reminder that connection is crucial.
“Interestingly, while digital and AI skills are important, these groups development areas highlight a notable trend, with a desire to develop public speaking skills and critical thinking top of the list.”
Irish employees with work friends are nearly twice as likely to stay 5+ years and are significantly happier
64% of Gen Zs and 60% of millennials in this survey have work colleagues they consider personal friends.
For Gen Zs who have work friends, 32% plan to stay at their organisation 5+ years, compared to 17% of those who do not have a work friend.
46% of this group also report to being very happy, compared to 28% of those without a work friend.
This is similar amongst millennials, where it is 57% vs 29% in terms of tenure, and 51% vs 40% for happiness levels.
Gen Z and millennial survey
In its 15th anniversary, the 2026 Gen Z and millennial Survey collected the views of 14,384 Gen Zs and 8,211 millennials (22,595 respondents in total), from 44 countries across North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. There were 403 respondents in Ireland.
Fieldwork was completed between 24 November 2025 and 15 January 2026.
As defined in the study, Gen Z respondents were born between January 1995 and December 2007, and millennial respondents were born between January 1983 and December 1994.
