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Gen Z embraces frequent job changes in search of senior roles
A Randstad survey found Gen Z workers average 1.1 years at employers in their first five years, compared with 1.8 years for millennials.
BBC Business profiles Brittany Harris-Nelson, 32, who said she moved through about 10 jobs across six universities over roughly a decade to reach her current mid level role at Wake Forest University as assistant director of student engagement.
The article links her path to a wider “lily padding” trend among Gen Z, described as switching jobs repeatedly to build skills and improve chances of landing more senior positions, rather than staying in one role.
BBC Business cites data from a 2024 Randstad survey of 11,250 workers, showing Gen Z’s average tenure in the first five years of their careers is 1.1 years, versus 1.8 years for millennials and almost three years for older generations.
It also points to a 2025 Wealthify study suggesting higher earnings for frequent movers in the UK, with people who changed jobs four or more times over the previous decade earning an average of £39,276 compared with £30,088 for other workers, a 31.0% premium, while noting Harris-Nelson said her pay did not rise much despite gaining extra benefits.