Political instability and corruption entered the top three concerns for young people in Romania in 2025 (36%, respectively 22% of Millennials and 23%, respectively 25% of Generation Zs are concerned about these issues), according to Deloitte Global Gen Z and Millennial Survey 2025, conducted in 44 countries, including Romania. The cost of living remains the biggest concern for Millennials (48%, up from 43% last year) and Gen Z (39%, up from 29% a year ago). At the same time, young Romanians worry they will retire with no financial comfort (60% of Millennials and 46% of Gen Zs), many of them said they were living paycheck-to-paycheck (44% of Millennials and 50% of Gen Z representatives), and more than one in three in each category struggle to pay living expenses.
Globally, the top concern for young people is also the cost of living (42% of Millennials, 39% of Gen Zs), followed by personal safety (19%) and environmental protection (18%), for Millennials, and by the mental health of their generation (21%) and unemployment (18%), for Gen Zs.
From a career perspective, young Romanians' main goals are to become financially independent (18% of Millennials and 25% of Generation Zs) and to maintain a good work-life balance (24% of Millennials and 21% of Gen Zs). On the other hand, more young people are looking for a sense of purpose - 92% of Millennials and 91% of Generation Zs said that doing something meaningful is important for their professional satisfaction.
"The concern for financial well-being is therefore back in the foreground, with younger generations clearly being more flexible in changing their career path, including the field of work, in order to achieve their goals. There is a difference in their approach on the subject, as Millennials are willing to make such a change especially for a better compensation (41%), while Gen Z representatives rather look for career growth (33%), while recognizing that supplementing their income is also important (29%). In this landscape, employers are called upon to find resources and benefits that really matter, because retention is no longer a simple human resources indicator, but a test of mutual loyalty," said Raluca Bontaș, Partner, Deloitte Romania.
At the same time, young Romanians are increasingly interested in using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) solutions in the workplace – 43% of Millennials and 42% of Gen Zs said they were already using GenAI in their day-to-day work, up from 11% and 13% respectively a year ago. Globally, however, the proportion of young people already using such technologies is much higher – 56% of Millennials and 57% of Gen Zs.
Environmental concerns also remain high – 73% of Millennials and 68% of Gen Zs in Romania (above the global numbers, respectively 63% and 65%) said they worry about climate changes. Under these conditions, more than 60% of them are willing to pay more for sustainable products or services, and around 70% consider the company's environmental credentials and policies when evaluating a potential employer.
Now in its 14th edition, the Deloitte Global Gen Z and Millennial Survey was conducted among approximately 8,700 Millennials (born between January 1983 and December 1994) and 14,700 Generation Zs older than 18 (born between January 1995 and December 2006), in 44 countries worldwide.
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