What Are Your Work Values? The Gen Z vs Employer Alignment Crisis Explained

# What Are Your Work Values? The Gen Z vs Employer Alignment Crisis Explained

> **Quick answer:** There are four core work values types: The Eudaimonist (meaning and flourishing first), The Achiever (results and status first), The Balanced Navigator (hybrid of both), and The Traditionalist (structure and loyalty first). Research by Suzy Welch found that only 2% of Gen Z workers share the values employers prioritize — making values misalignment the root cause of the 60% Gen Z firing rate reported by employers in 2025.

A 2025 NYU-affiliated study found that only 2% of Gen Z applicants share the values employers care about most — and understanding which side of that gap you land on may be the most important career intelligence you can have right now.

## The Research Behind the Numbers

The statistic that reframed the Gen Z hiring debate came from Suzy Welch, NYU Stern professor and business author, whose Values Bridge assessment surveyed over 45,000 respondents — including 7,500 Gen Z workers and 2,100 knowledge-industry hiring managers. The finding: a profound, structural mismatch between what young workers value and what employers expect.

Employers' top three values, according to the study: **achievement** (professional success and status), **workcentrism** (making work a central part of identity), and **scope** (the drive to learn and expand capabilities).