Health · Healthcare & Policy · 5 hrs ago
Many Gen Z healthcare workers may leave, but want clear paths to advance
A survey of healthcare workers found that 70% of Gen Z respondents expect to look for a new role in the next year.
The survey also found that 65% expect to stay with one employer for at least five years, and 95% value long-term job stability.
For many, staying depends on seeing a path forward: 89% said clear opportunities to advance are important.
The survey found that 86% see education and skill-building as a way to reach those opportunities.
The findings come as the United States is projected to face a shortage of nearly 500,000 critical healthcare workers by 2038.
The survey’s author argues that healthcare employers could improve retention by making advancement paths clear and achievable.
The findings do not say what employers will do next.
A 2026 workforce report says 70% of Gen Z healthcare workers expect to look for a new role in the next year.
The report also finds that 59% of healthcare workers overall are looking to leave.
The article argues that clear opportunities for advancement and education could help employers retain Gen Z workers.
It says 89% of Gen Z healthcare workers value clear advancement opportunities, compared with 77% of older-generation workers.
The U.S. is projected to face a shortage of nearly 500,000 critical healthcare workers by 2038.
- Who
- Gen Z healthcare workers, alongside healthcare workers overall.
- What
- A report finds high levels of workers looking to leave, while Gen Z workers say advancement opportunities and skill-building matter to them.
- When
- The report is from 2026; 70% of Gen Z healthcare workers say they will look for a new role in the next year.
- Where
- The article discusses the U.S. healthcare workforce.
- Why
- The article says Gen Z workers want clear opportunities to advance and build skills, and argues these could help employers retain them.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The real story isn’t that Gen Z won’t stay, it’s that they may not have been given a reason to.
Gen Z isn’t rejecting commitment, they’re negotiating for it.
One in three U.S. nurses was over the age of 50.
The Healthcare Workforce Barometer found that 59% of healthcare workers were looking to leave.
The U.S. is projected to face a shortage of nearly 500,000 critical healthcare workers.
- Workers looking to leave
- 59% of healthcare workers
- Gen Z seeking a new role
- 70% expect to look in the next year
- Advancement opportunities
- 89% of Gen Z workers say these are important
- Older-generation workers
- 77% say advancement opportunities are important
- Projected U.S. shortage
- Nearly 500,000 critical healthcare workers by 2038
Sources
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