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To study Gen Z’s attitudes about the workplace, the NBC News Decision Desk Poll surveyed 2,970 U.S. adults ages 18-29 about mental health, cultural issues, and gender and the workplace from August 13 to September 1, 2025.
What they found: Gen Z values communication – not competitiveness. When asked to rank eight different traits in terms of how important they are in getting ahead at work, Gen Z ranked “communication” first (64% said it was important), followed by reliability (59% said it was important).
However, the remaining traits didn’t carry the same weight. The majority of Gen Z respondents felt that the following qualities were less critical to career success:
- Adaptability (57% said it wasn’t important)
- Collaboration (75% said it wasn’t important)
- Empathy (85% said it wasn’t important)
- Assertiveness (87% said it wasn’t important)
- Decisiveness (87% said it wasn’t important)
- Competitiveness (89% said it wasn’t important)
A gender breakdown revealed a few differences in how men and women viewed certain traits. Men ranked “empathy” lower than women did, and they also placed greater importance on “competitiveness.” However, both men and women agreed on the top four traits that matter most for career advancement: communication, reliability, adaptability, and collaboration.
The findings highlight a shift away from traditional values like assertiveness and competitiveness at work, with Gen Z placing a premium on softer skills like communication and reliability as the foundations for success in the modern workplace.
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