Employees are being influenced by Gen Z colleagues to reexamine the workplace, study finds

Young employees are reshaping the workplace by causing colleagues to reconsider their stances on relevant issues, according to the latest Edelman Trust Barometer report.  

An overwhelming majority of Trust Barometer respondents (93%) said they have been influenced by their coworkers in their twenties, shifting their perspectives on topics including work-life boundaries, openness to new technology and self advocacy. 

“Gen Z is not disruptive. They’re actually trying to unite people around them for positive change,” said Cydney Roach, Edelman global chair of employee experience. “They’re very concerned with what’s fair and having a long-term impact on the future of the world.”

Edelman also found that, from 2021 to 2023, more employees are sharing and posting employer-related content on social media. Gen Z is leading the pack, up 17 points over the past two years, making them potentially strong brand ambassadors. 

Businesses must adjust given Gen Z’s impact on their company and the workplace at-large, tapping into their younger employees' insights on workplace and other initiatives and putting their ideas into action, Roach said. 

“[Companies should] leverage [Gen Z] because they have a big voice, they know how to amplify and they have this superpower of connecting people around ideas,” said Roach. 

Edelman’s latest Trust Barometer polled nearly 7,000 employees from July 20–August 1, spanning seven countries and roughly 1,000 respondents per country.