Strategic Education Inc

About 70% of Generation Z healthcare workers in the United States expect to explore new roles over the next year, according to a survey released on Wednesday by Harris Poll, commissioned by education services company Strategic Education and Workforce Edge. The findings point to a retention challenge for U.S. healthcare employers already facing a projected shortage of nearly 500,000 workers by 2038. Yet 65% of Gen Z respondents said they ultimately hope to remain with one employer for five years or more, and nearly all said job stability was important to them. Across all age groups, 59% of healthcare workers said they expect to seek a new role over the next year. The survey, conducted online from June 12 to July 1, covered 1,514 healthcare employees and 304 employers, and found that nearly half of employers cited a lack of career growth or training as the top reason workers leave, while only about one in four employees trusted their employer to invest in their future. Employers also appear to be reassessing artificial intelligence in workforce planning, with about 79% saying AI skills would be critical for employees to remain competitive, down from 89% a year earlier.