Skip to main content
Have a personal or library account? Click to login
Meeting Generation Z’s Work-Life Balance Expectations: A Challenge for Today’s Employers Cover

Meeting Generation Z’s Work-Life Balance Expectations: A Challenge for Today’s Employers

Open Access
|Oct 2026

References

  1. Abdull Rahman, R.H., Yusof, H.M., Norazman, I., Hassan, M.A., Fakhruddin, F.M., 2025. Attracting and Retaining Gen Z Talent in Malaysia SMEs. In: Indiran, L., Abdull Rahman, R.H. (Eds.), Leveraging Human Capital in Entrepreneurial Strategies, 183-216. IGI Global Scientific Publishing. DOI: 10.4018/979-8-3693-6006-4.ch007.
  2. Alčaković, S., 2019. The Generation Z in Serbia: Ready for the Great Opening. In: Scholz, C., Rennig, A. (Eds.), Generations Z in Europe: Inputs, Insights and Implications, 199-216. Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley. DOI: 10.1108/978-1-78973-491-120191018.
  3. Al-Twal, A., Jarrar, D.M.F., Bedevian, V., Eblan, M., 2025. Unlocking potential: Examining Generation Z’s vision for career growth in the Jordanian context. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 33(11), 4419-4443. DOI: 10.1108/IJOA-10-2024-4887.
  4. Ayoobzadeh, M., Schweitzer, L., Lyons, S., Ng, E., 2024. A tale of two generations: A time-lag study of career expectations. Personnel Review, 53(7), 1649-1665. DOI: 10.1108/PR-02-2022-0101.
  5. Bilhim, J.A.F., 2008. Teoria organizacional: estruturas e pessoas, 6th ed. Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas, Lisboa, Portugal.
  6. Binder, D., Miller, J.W., 2021. A generations’ perspective on employer branding in tourism. In: Costa, V.G., Moura, A.A., Mira, M.d.R. (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Human Capital and People Management in the Tourism Industry, 152-174. IGI Global Scientific Publishing. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-4318-4.ch008.
  7. Bobek, A., 2020. Leaving for the money, staying for the ‘quality of life’: Case study of young Polish migrants living in Dublin. Geoforum, 109, 24-34. DOI: 10.1016/j.geoforum.2019.12.006.
  8. Botezat, E., Fotea, S., Fotea, I., 2023. Investigating the relationship between workplace expectations and turnover intention mindset among Romanian students as representatives of Generation Z. Journal of East European Management Studies, 28(4), 630-663. DOI: 10.5771/0949-6181-2023-4-630.
  9. Bou Hatoum, M., Nassereddine, H., 2025. Becoming an employer of choice for Generation Z in the construction industry. Buildings, 15(2), 263. DOI: 10.3390/buildings15020263.
  10. Byrne, U., 2005. Work-life balance: Why are we talking about it at all? Business Information Review, 22(1), 53-59. DOI: 10.1177/0266382105052268.
  11. Cerdeira, L., Machado-Taylor, M.L., Cabrito, B., Patrocínio, T., Brites, R., Gomes, R., Lopes, J.T., Vaz, H., Peixoto, P., Magalhães, D., Silva, S., Ganga, R., 2016. Brain drain and the disenchantment of being a higher education student in Portugal. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 38(1), 68-77. DOI: 10.1080/1360080X.2015.1126892.
  12. Czerwińska-Lubszczyk, A., Byrtek, N., 2023. Work-life balance - employee perspective. European Research Studies Journal, 26(3), 704-719. DOI: 10.35808/ersj/3243.
  13. Czerwińska-Lubszczyk, A., Byrtek, N., 2024. Work-life balance in SME sector and large enterprises. Management Systems in Production Engineering, 32(1), 24-32. DOI: 10.2478/mspe-2024-0003.
  14. Czerwińska-Lubszczyk, A., Jankowiak, N., 2025. Motivation in the workplace - a generational perspective. Management Systems in Production Engineering, 33(2), 100-114. DOI: 10.2478/mspe-2025-0011.
  15. Czerwińska-Lubszczyk, A., Juraszek, M., 2024. Analysis of factors influencing the balance between work and private life of medical staff. Scientific Papers of Silesian University of Technology. Organization and Management Series, 211, 81-94. DOI: 10.29119/1641-3466.2024.211.5.
  16. Daipuria, P., Kakar, D., 2013. Work-life balance for working parents: Perspectives and strategies. Journal of Strategic Human Resource Management, 2(1), 45-52.
  17. Das, A.K., Malik, P., 2025. Ascertaining factors inducing engagement and stay intention among Gen Z: A qualitative study in the Indian context. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 33(1), 163-184. DOI: 10.1108/IJOA-09-2023-3994.
  18. Dhand, S., Kar, R., Singh, A., Pathak, U.K., Pandey, A., Subramanian, J., Randhawa, S.K., 2025. Transformational HR for Generation Z: Gig economy efficiency and adaptability. In: Yadav, M., Pandey, A., Huzooree, G. (Eds.), Global Work Arrangements and Outsourcing in the Age of AI, 399-420. IGI Global Scientific Publishing. DOI: 10.4018/979-8-3373-1270-5.ch022.
  19. Eurostat, 2025. People in the EU worked on average 36 hours per week. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20250514-1.
  20. Expectations of Generation Z: Effective onboarding, 2021. Human Resource Management International Digest, 29(6), 33-35. DOI: 10.1108/HRMID-06-2021-0133.
  21. Fetzer, J.S., Millan, B.A., 2015. The Causes of Emigration from Singapore: How Much Is Still Political? Critical Asian Studies, 47(3), 462-476. DOI: 10.1080/14672715.2015.1057029.
  22. Grecu, M., Titan, E., 2016. Brain Drain - Brain Gain: Evidence from the European Union. Journal of Applied Quantitative Methods, 11(3), 61-69.
  23. Hill, E.J., Hawkins, A.J., Ferris, M., Weitzman, M., 2001. Finding an Extra Day a Week: The Positive Influence of Perceived Job Flexibility on Work and Family Life Balance. Family Relations, 50(1), 49-58. DOI: 10.1111/j.1741-3729.2001.00049.x.
  24. Holban, C., Bedrule-Grigoruță, M.V., 2025. Talent management strategies for Generation Z: An exploratory study in Romanian organizations. Studies in Business and Economics, 20(1), 304-318. DOI: 10.2478/sbe-2025-0018.
  25. Jankowiak, N., Czerwińska-Lubszczyk, A., 2024. Pokolenia na rynku pracy - podejście teoretyczne. Systemy Wspomagania w Inżynierii Produkcji, 13(2), 123-134.
  26. Jasmine, J.A., Utomo, P., 2024. The role of transformational leadership, work-life balance, and employee engagement on Gen Z’s organizational commitment in the Indonesian creative industry. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 22(4), 576-587. DOI: 10.21511/ppm.22(4).2024.43.
  27. Junça Silva, A., Lopes, M., 2025. Balanced life: The impact of hybrid work on employee well-being through the lens of work-family conflict. Employee Relations: The International Journal, 47(5), 626-641. DOI: 10.1108/ER-04-2024-0199.
  28. Kamal, R., Rani, I., Bliumska-Danko, K.V., Plishyvyy, B.M., Plishyvyy, E.M., Reznik, N.P., 2024. Use social media and employer branding to reach online shoppers of Generation Z. In: AI in Business: Opportunities and Limitations, 609-622. Studies in Systems, Decision and Control, 515. Springer. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-48479-7_52.
  29. Karaivanova, M., Klein, K., 2019. The Generation Z in Bulgaria: Challenging conservative organisations. In: Scholz, C., Rennig, A. (Eds.), Generations Z in Europe: Inputs, Insights and Implications, 217-251. Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley. DOI: 10.1108/978-1-78973-491-120191019.
  30. Khairy, Y.H., Ghoneim, H., 2023. Women’s access and perception of decent work: A case study on Egypt. Management & Sustainability: An Arab Review, 2(2), 177-202. DOI: 10.1108/MSAR-09-2022-0039.
  31. Kirchmayer, Z., Fratričová, J., 2017. On the verge of Generation Z: Career expectations of current university students, 29th International Business Information Management Association Conference (IBIMA), Vienna, Austria, 1575-1583.
  32. Kirchmayer, Z., Fratričová, J., 2018. What motivates Generation Z at work? Insights into motivation drivers of business students in Slovakia, 31st International Business Information Management Association Conference (IBIMA), Milan, Italy, 6019-6030.
  33. Lassleben, H., Hofmann, L., 2023. Attracting Gen Z talents: Do expectations towards employers vary by gender? Gender in Management: An International Journal, 38(4), 545-560. DOI: 10.1108/GM-08-2021-0247.
  34. Lee, C.C., Lim, H.S., Seo, D.J., Kwak, D.-H.A., 2022. Examining employee retention and motivation: The moderating effect of employee generation. Evidence-based HRM: A Global Forum for Empirical Scholarship, 10(4), 385-402. DOI: 10.1108/EBHRM-05-2021-0101.
  35. Leslie, B., Anderson, C., Bickham, C., Horman, J., Overly, A., Gentry, C., Callahan, C., King, J., 2021. Generation Z perceptions of a positive workplace environment. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, 33(3), 171-187. DOI: 10.1007/s10672-021-09366-2.
  36. Lucas, J., Gajjar, D., Loadholt, G., Davis, D., 2023. Understanding roofing distributor employee job perception to address recruitment and retention of workers. Construction Economics and Building, 23(3/4), 3-24. DOI: 10.5130/AJCEB.v23i3/4.8315.
  37. Magano, J., Silva, C., Figueiredo, C., Vitória, A., Nogueira, T., Pimenta Dinis, M.A., 2020. Generation Z: Fitting project management soft skills competencies - A mixed-method approach. Education Sciences, 10(7), 187. DOI: 10.3390/educsci10070187.
  38. McGuire, D., By, R.T., Hutchings, K., 2007. Towards a model of human resource solutions for achieving intergenerational interaction in organisations. Journal of European Industrial Training, 31(8), 592-608. DOI: 10.1108/03090590710833651. Musinszki, Z., Vallasek, M., Mélypataki, G., Horváthné Csolák, E.,
  39. Lipták, K., 2020. Workaholism and a new generation - Labour market survey among Hungarian and Romanian youth. Amfiteatru Economic, 22(Special Issue No. 14), 1227-1242. DOI: 10.24818/EA/2020/S14/1227.
  40. Naim, M.F., 2022. Managing Generation Z in gig economy: Towards an integrative framework of talent management. In: Sustainability in the Gig Economy: Perspectives, Challenges and Opportunities in Industry 4.0, 293-303. DOI: 10.1007/978-981-16-8406-7_22.
  41. Nieżurawska, J., 2023. Motivation of Generation Z. In: Nieżurawska, J., Kycia, R.A., Niemczynowicz, A. (Eds.), Managing Generation Z: Motivation, Engagement and Loyalty, 7-30. Routledge.
  42. Osorio, M.L., Madero, S., 2025. Explaining Gen Z’s desire for hybrid work in corporate, family, and entrepreneurial settings. Business Horizons, 68(1), 83-93. DOI: 10.1016/j.bushor.2024.02.008.
  43. Parry, E., Battista, V., 2019. Generation Z in the UK: More of the same - High standards and demands. In: Scholz, C., Rennig, A. (Eds.), Generations Z in Europe: Inputs, Insights and Implications, 89-107. Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley. DOI: 10.1108/978-1-78973-491-120191013.
  44. Pauli, U., Dudek, A., 2025. Young HRM professionals’ perception of supportive work environment - Identifying expected changes in employment settings. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 38(8), 71-91. DOI: 10.1108/JOCM-03-2024-0149.
  45. Rattanaburi, K., Ketwan, P., Hernandez, A.C., 2026. Generation Z’s work-life balance, mental welfare, and career ambitions: The impact of digital workspaces, psychological resilience, and social media influence. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 13, 102791. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssaho.2026.102791.
  46. Reissová, A., Šimsová, J., Nacházelová, E., 2024. Family or career? Intergenerational differences in values. Economics and Sociology, 17(3), 103-118. DOI: 10.14254/2071-789X.2024/17-3/6.
  47. Riemma, F., de Gennaro, D., Buonocore, F., Annosi, M.C., 2026. Plural masculinities at work: Generational cohorts, organizational culture and men’s work-life choices. Career Development International, 31(2), 135-150. DOI: 10.1108/CDI-11-2024-0501.
  48. Rodríguez-Montoya, C., De Castro Morel, R., Frías-Rodríguez, D., 2025. Quiet quitting in the Dominican Republic: The employers’ perspective. Management Research, 23(2), 185-202. DOI: 10.1108/MRJIAM-12-2023-1488.
  49. Roy, M., 2025. Fusion: A global approach for Generation Z. In: Dubey, R.K.D., Mutsuddi, I., Das, S., Das, S., Ray, N. (Eds.), Contemporary Business Practices and Sustainable Strategic Growth, 268-284. Bentham Science Publishers. DOI: 10.2174/9789815322071125010018.
  50. Samoliuk, N., Bilan, Y., Mishchuk, H., Mishchuk, V., 2022. Employer brand: Key values influencing intention to join the company. Management & Marketing. Challenges for the Knowledge Society, 17(1), 61-72. DOI: 10.2478/mmcks-2022-0004.
  51. Scalzo, G., Terán-Bustamante, A., Martínez-Velasco, A., 2021. Balancing work, family, and personal life in the Mexican context: The future of work for the ‘COVID-19 Generation’. In: Dávila-Aragón, G., Rivas-Aceves, S. (Eds.), The Future of Companies in the Face of a New Reality: Impact and Development in Latin America, 109-129. Springer. DOI: 10.1007/978-981-16-2613-5_6.
  52. Schiff, M., Docquier, F., 2016. Institutional impact of brain drain, human capital, and inequality: A political economy analysis. Latin American Journal of Economics, 53(1), 95-110. DOI: 10.7764/LAJE.53.1.95.
  53. Scholz, C., Grotefend, L.-D., 2019. Generation Z in Germany: The (Un)Typical German? In: Scholz, C., Rennig, A. (Eds.), Generations Z in Europe: Inputs, Insights and Implications, 169-197. Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley. DOI: 10.1108/978-1-78973-491-120191017.
  54. Shah, K., Shah, O., Murthy, Y.S., Pragnashre, M., 2025. Gen Z’s path to balance: Navigating career aspirations, unveiling life goals, achieving harmony in today’s maze. In: Oruganti, S.K., Karras, D., Thakur, S., Chaithanya, J.K., Metta, S., Lathigara, A. (Eds.), Digital Transformation and Sustainability of Business, 215-218. CRC Press.
  55. Silva, I., Dias, Á., Pereira, L.F., 2024. Determinants of employee intention to stay: A generational multigroup analysis. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 32(8), 1389-1418. DOI: 10.1108/IJOA-06-2023-3796.
  56. Trifan, V.A., Pantea, M.F., 2024. Shifting priorities and expectations in the new world of work: Insights from millennials and Generation Z. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 25(5), 1075-1096. DOI: 10.3846/jbem.2024.22469.
  57. Viterouli, M., Belias, D., Koustelios, A., Tsigilis, N., 2024. Optimizing adaptive performance: Exploring organizational learning culture across generations. Journal of Chinese Human Resources Management, 15(4), 3-27. DOI: 10.47297/wspchrmWSP2040-800501.20241504.
  58. Zhang, H., Hou, X., Zhao, S., 2026. How does digital human resource management foster a sense of relaxation among Generation Z employees? Behavioral Sciences, 16(5), 824. DOI: 10.3390/bs16050824.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.30657/pea.2026.32.49 | Journal eISSN: 2353-7779 | Journal ISSN: 2353-5156
Language: English
Page range: 616 - 632
Submitted on: Jun 6, 2026
Accepted on: Sep 14, 2026
Published online: Oct 25, 2026
Published in print: Dec 1, 2026
Published by: Quality and Production Managers Association
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

© 2026 Agnieszka Czerwińska-Lubszczyk, Dominika Jagoda-Sobalak, Łukasz Kubisz-Muła, published by Quality and Production Managers Association
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.