What people actually want at work is changing — and Generation Z helps explain why

Why do young people quit their jobs more? See how each generation thinks The idea that younger people do not care about formal ties is starting to become a thing of the past. Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012), often seen as more detached, is currently the one that most rejects jobs without contracts in Brazil. According to the 2026 Labor Trends Study, conducted by WeWork in partnership with Offerwise, 65% of young people say they do not accept jobs without a formal contract or benefits.

This rate is the highest among all age groups. The study surveyed 2.5 thousand professionals.

Among older individuals, such as the 62 to 80 age group, 63% state that they would not turn down an opportunity under these conditions. The numbers show a generational difference: while younger people demand more formalization, professionals from older age groups tend to accept this type of proposal more. The data draws attention because it goes against behavior already associated with Generation Z. 🔎 Younger people change jobs more often, test paths, and avoid long careers in a single place, as g1 showed in a report published in August of last year.

Even so, they do not give up basic guarantees. Differences between generations help explain the movement To understand this contrast, one must observe how each generation relates to work. Baby boomers (1946 and 1964) grew up in a period when stability was the rule. The idea was to build a long trajectory, often in a single company, with the expectation of future security.

Generation X (1965 – 1980) maintained this foundation, but with more openness to change over time. The balance between stability and growth began to gain ground. Among millennials (1981 – 1996), work needed to make more sense. Purpose, environment, and development became important factors for staying at a company. Generation Z took this transformation further.

Constant learning, identification with the work, and the possibility of rapid change became part of the professional logic. At the same time, they grew up in a more unstable scenario, which helps explain the search for security in essential points, such as formalization. These differences become even more evident at a time when four generations have come to coexist in the same labor market.

This diversity of profiles has become a challenge for companies, which have had to deal with differing expectations about what it means to build a good career. For sociologist Ricardo Nunes, this behavior is not contradictory. “New generations learn early on that they need to adapt and find their own paths,” he states.

In this context, having a formal contract ceases to be just a detail and becomes a form of protection. Flexibility is still desired In addition to the generational breakdown, the study shows a mismatch between what Brazilians want and what they find in the market. Six out of 10 prefer to work in a hybrid or remote manner.

But in practice, only four out of 10 are currently in this model. Still according to the study, returning to the office is not ruled out, but it comes with conditions. About 82% would accept returning to in-person work if they received a higher salary. Even with ongoing changes, the majority positively evaluate the resumption of in-person activities.

According to the survey, 72% consider that the return to the office was organized and structured. At the same time, work-life balance remains a priority. For 64%, it would be worth earning less to preserve this relationship. This scenario reinforces the challenge for companies: finding a balance between different expectations.

While some professionals seek security and stability, others push for more flexible models and a less traditional relationship with work. The study's conclusion is that the future of the Brazilian labor market will be the result of this coexistence between generations. Rather than the substitution of one model for another, the current movement indicates a reorganization of professional relations, with companies and workers adjusting new ways of working. Each generation carries values shaped by its time, economic context, and social transformations g1.