Three-quarters of Gen Z is looking to switch jobs for this reason

Over seven in 10 young Americans are currently looking for a job change, according to new research.

A survey of 2,000 employed Americans revealed that 73% of Gen Z respondents would like to switch jobs or careers, along with 70% of millennials surveyed.

That’s compared to 51% of Gen X respondents and just 33% of baby boomers.

Commissioned by isolved and conducted by Talker Research ahead of National Mental Health Awareness Month, the data highlighted burnout as one reason respondents may desire a new job.

Fifty-two percent of respondents currently feel burnt out at work — with younger respondents once again coming out higher.

Two-thirds of Gen Z (68%) are experiencing burnout, as well as 61% of millennial respondents.

For Gen X, this drops to 47%, and only three in 10 boomers reported feeling burnt out.

The survey dug into the reasons why respondents are experiencing burnout — topping the list was the repetitive nature of their jobs, with 33% saying, “It feels like I do the same thing day after day.”

Almost a quarter said the expectations for them have increased, but the pay hasn’t (23%), while the same number don’t feel like their work is appreciated (23%).

At the end of 2024, isolved conducted their annual “Voice of the Workforce” study on a similar topic, surveying 1,127 full-time American workers to understand the consequences of unhealthy workplaces on burnout, productivity and company loyalty.

They found that three in 10 employees work in a toxic workplace. More than half (52%) of those surveyed by isolved confessed they work when they’re sick and nearly a third (31%) said they don’t take lunch breaks.

While these “toxic” workplace features likely contribute to Americans’ burnout, they’re also impacting the overall company culture.

Respondents said the top threats to a positive work culture are stress among colleagues (47%) and lack of flexible work environments (40%). They also highlighted negativity (32%) and company-wide burnout (31%).

The findings from isolved aligned with those from Talker Research, as isolved’s study found that nearly eight in 10 (79%) have suffered from burnout in the last year.

Because of it, more than a third (36%) said they don’t do anything extra to go above and beyond in their role, but stick to only doing their required tasks.

Uncovering workers’ biggest stressors, their sheer workload (46%), meeting their goals (34%) and the pressure to always be “on,” even outside working hours (32%), make them the most anxious. 

Adding to these stress factors, almost seven in 10 (67%) said their company has reduced its staff size in the last 12 months and most (58%) said they’re worried about getting laid off in the next year. 

Adding financial strain to the already complex web of stress, nearly three-quarters (74%) reported living paycheck to paycheck. 

“With so many employees under pressure, it’s critical for organizations to invest in technology — not to replace their workforce, but to empower them,” said Amy Mosher, Chief People Officer at isolved. “Employers need to identify and address the specific stressors impacting their people, which requires ongoing, two-way communication.”

“Burnout looks different across roles and teams, so there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Listening to employees is the first step to designing work environments that support both performance and well-being.”

Digging into the employer-employee relationship and how loyalty goes both ways, almost half of workers (46%) said their employer’s commitment to furthering and enhancing their career is simply average. Almost a tenth (8%) said their employer’s commitment is poor. 

Only a little more than half of Americans (51%) have a strong sense of loyalty to their employer and more than a third (36%) rated their experience in their current role as less than shining. 

To improve their experiences, workers want better compensation packages more than anything else (58%) — and to help fix the burnout problem, they want flexible work arrangements (48%) and company policies that prohibit after-hours messaging (43%).

“The level of burnout employees are experiencing is deeply concerning,” said Mosher. “But even small changes can go a long way in improving how people feel at work.

“While compensation adjustments may take time, companies can act now by offering more flexible work arrangements or setting clear boundaries around after-hours communication. These practical steps can significantly improve both employee well-being and organizational health.”

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 employed Americans; the survey was commissioned by isolved and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between March 17–21, 2025. (Separately, this story also draws on data from a survey isolved commissioned in 2024, which included a sample of 1,127 full-time American workers).