With 81.3% of Gen Z engaged in their work[i], why are many still open to exploring new job opportunities? The answer may be found in employees like Sarah.
From the outside, Sarah seems like exactly the kind of employee who would stay. Recently hired by a Christian ministry, she is an energetic applicant, just out of college. She seems eager to add value, shows up on time, and contributes great ideas to help advance her team.
In her final interview, Sarah expressed deep missional alignment and exhibited all six of the organization's core values. She is an outspoken advocate for the ministry and quickly posted on her LinkedIn profile about her new role, even sharing her excitement with friends and family.
Her supervisor speaks highly of her work and contributions, and Sarah and her boss have a strong working relationship. Sarah meets deadlines and loves learning, contributing, and working alongside people who share her faith and values.
The Executive Director starts to feel like there might finally be some stability in Sarah’s role. Finally, I can focus on other initiatives outside of hiring. What nobody can see from the outside is Sarah’s internal monologue. A year into the role, Sarah starts thinking:
A few weeks later, Sarah’s best friend sends her a job posting on LinkedIn. “You’d ROCK this role!!! 🤜🤛.” Curious and excited, Sarah clicks the listing. She’s open to exploring opportunities and thinks, “Why not just apply?”
For the experienced leader, this story can be frustrating. Sarah’s looking to leave already? She has only been in the role for a year, works well with her supervisor, and is deeply connected to the work she is doing. Why would she be thinking about leaving?
Sarah’s story illustrates something important Best Christian Workplaces data confirms: Gen Z is engaged, but not necessarily settled and committed to staying in their roles.
People do not enter the workplace in a vacuum. Economic conditions, technological change, and prevailing employment practices can shape what workers come to expect from their employers. Research shows, for example, that beginning a career during a recession can affect earnings, employment, and job mobility for years. Conditions like these do not determine how every member of a generation thinks, but they can provide helpful context.
Gen Z entered a workforce unlike any before them. Its oldest members began working in the late 2010s, while many launched their careers during or after the pandemic. They witnessed work move rapidly from offices to homes, experienced rising financial and housing pressures, and are now watching artificial intelligence reshape jobs in real time.
These conditions may have helped shape younger workers to think: circumstances can change quickly, so it is wise to keep evaluating whether an organization offers stability and a sustainable future. Economic context alone cannot inform leaders, but coupled with Gen Z responses to Best Christian Workplaces’ Employee Engagement Survey, leaders can learn exactly what Gen Z workers need to stay engaged (and retained) in their roles.
1. They believe in the mission (but mission alone doesn’t guarantee they’ll stay).
Nearly 90% of Gen Z employees say their organization’s mission and goals make their work feel important. Even with high engagement levels and strong missional buy-in, 1 out of every 3 Gen Z employees is open to exploring other job opportunities, compared to less than 1 out of every 5 employees from other generations.
For many Baby Boomers, commitment to the mission and commitment to the organization were closely connected. For Gen Z, those commitments are more distinct. They can deeply believe in the mission without believing they need to stay with the same organization to pursue it.[ii]
2. They have a voice (but want to know it matters).
Around 4 out of every 5 Gen Z staff say they can voice their opinions openly, but only 3 out of every 5 believe their organization acts on employee suggestions or involves them in decisions that affect them.
Remember Sarah? She questioned whether her perspective was valued at her organization. She knew she could speak up, but she wondered whether leadership actually took her feedback to heart.
3. Relationships are strong (but everyday realities matter).
An encouraging 93% of Gen Z employees say their supervisor cares about them as a person. Yet only half (53.7%) believe top performers are effectively rewarded, and only 61% believe they themselves are paid fairly. Training, work-life balance, and regular 1:1s with effective progress conversations also present opportunities for this age group.
In Sarah’s example, she got along with her supervisor and was deeply connected to the mission but still wondered whether the overall experience (pay, work-life balance, growth opportunities) was sustainable for her desired lifestyle.
Christian leaders are called to take these findings as an invitation to dig deeper. Younger employees are more than a generational label. They are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and those who follow Christ are members of the body of Christ, with gifts leaders are entrusted to cultivate. Rather than relying on generational assumptions, Christian leaders should approach engaging younger employees with curiosity, humility, and stewardship (Philippians 2:3-4).
1. Turn commitment to the mission into a future your Gen Z staff can see.
Don’t assume strong commitment to the mission automatically gives younger employees enough reasons to stay.
Talk regularly with Gen Z staff about what they are learning, where they hope to grow, and how their gifts could contribute to the organization over time. Promotions are not always available, but development can still occur through regular conversations that encourage growth and foster skills.
Christian leaders are called to “equip the saints for the work of ministry” (Ephesians 4:12) and must look to equip younger generations by zealously preparing them for the work God has called them to. Gen Z staff may question sustainability, but that doesn’t indicate a lack of commitment to the mission. Encouragement from supervisors can often go a long way toward connecting the mission to longer-term commitment.
2. Close the loop after employees speak up.
Gen Z employees need to see what happens after they provide feedback. Don’t miss the crucial step of responding to what they share. After receiving input, remember to go back to your staff and share:
Younger employees are more likely to believe that their voice matters if they can trace the line from input to consideration, from consideration to communication, and from communication to action.
Just as in the church body, where every member is indispensable and vital (1 Corinthians 12:21-22), each member of an organization, no matter their role level, plays a crucial role in accomplishing the mission. Healthy feedback loops provide tangible evidence that each person’s contribution is heard, considered, and valued.
3. Look beyond relationships to the full employee experience.
Interpersonal care alone cannot compensate for concerns about pay, recognition, development, workload, or work-life balance.
Regular one-on-one meetings are crucial for managers and leaders. Supervisors must take the opportunity to check in with staff and ask about the whole person behind the work. Asking questions like:
Questions like these create space for employees to share needs and aspirations that may not surface in conversations focused only on daily responsibilities.
Listening must be paired with action. Christians are called to “carry each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), and leaders live out that responsibility not only through caring conversations, but also by investing in development, advocating for fair pay, recognizing meaningful contributions, and protecting sustainable workloads and a healthy work-life balance.
So, what might help Sarah stay? Turnover cannot be avoided completely. Circumstances change, new opportunities emerge, and people move on. But if Sarah had regular conversations about her growth, clear follow-up on her feedback, and honest communication about compensation and recognition, she might have seen a future with her organization that kept her from clicking on that LinkedIn job posting.
Younger employees care deeply about meaningful work, strong relationships, personal growth, and the opportunity to contribute to a mission that matters. However, their early experiences in the workforce may have made them more willing than other generations to ask: Does my voice matter? Can I grow here? Is this work sustainable? Can I see a future here?
Perhaps Christian leaders should not resist those questions. They may be questions worth listening to.
Gen Z needs leaders who cultivate cultures where every voice is valued, employee gifts are developed, and each employee, Gen Z or otherwise, can envision a meaningful future in their workplace.
For leaders looking to build flourishing workplaces, it’s important to understand that different generations have different needs at work. Best Christian Workplaces’ Employee Engagement Survey offers demographic insights into the eight core drivers of healthy, engaged workplaces.
Ready to understand what your Gen Z and other employees might be thinking about your workplace? Talk to our team.
Additional resources:
More on feedback loops: The Active Feedback Loop: Why Healthy Workplaces Never Stop Listening
Resource: Attract and Retain the Next Generation | Best Christian Workplaces
Resource: Productive Feedback Conversations | Best Christian Workplaces
[i] Best Christian Workplaces, Gen-Z Employee Engagement Trends (Research Brief, April 15, 2026)
[ii] Pew Research Center, The State of American Jobs; Deloitte, 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey.