As Gen Z enters the workforce, a striking generational divide in trust is emerging. Our recent research found that Gen Z employees are much less likely to trust their leadership teams, unlike millennials and Gen X workers.
The 2025 Workmonitor research also found that Gen Z talent in Singapore are the most likely to quit if they feel that they cannot trust their leadership team, followed by Millennials. Worryingly, Gen Z are the generation of workers who are least likely to trust the leadership team of the company they work in.
Trust indices are typically high in Singapore because of the country’s strong reputation of being able to deliver on stability and growth promises over the last decades. However, with the younger working generations establishing a new status quo, this longstanding trust between employee and employer could be shaken. How can employers decode Gen Z working style?
what is trust, and why is it non-negotiable for generation Z in the workplace?
Trust between employees and employers reflects mutual reliability, integrity and the ability to deliver on promises. On both sides, this is built through transparency and consistently delivering on commitments.
For leaders, earning the trust of employees is hard work, but it pays off in the long run — high trust leads to deeper connections, greater loyalty and advocacy for your employer brand.
As consumers, we’re much more likely to continue buying from brands our friends trust and recommend to us. Similarly, when employees trust their leadership team and organisation, they’re more likely to stick around and recommend jobs in the company to their network.
how leaders build trust with generation Z employees
With the global talent shortage at hand, employers are eager to connect with younger workers to fill crucial skills gaps and nurture the next generation of leaders. However, companies struggle to establish trust with this group of talent, with 42% of Gen Z professionals reportedly not having a strong relationship with their managers.
Given that millennials are most likely to be the line managers of Gen Z talent, they are best positioned to close this trust gap. Millennial managers’ direct contact with Gen Zers allows them to address their concerns immediately, give constructive feedback on their performance and help rebuild the credibility that leadership teams lack.
However, this comes with the caveat that employers are dedicated to investing in their management’s development so they can carry out their duties to their fullest potential.
33% have quit a job because they couldn’t trust their leadership team
what are gen Z looking for in a job?
In the face of a rapidly evolving business environment that is constantly disrupted by digital transformation and corporate changes, one thing is clear: Gen Z employees crave growth opportunities to future-proof their skills. This key expectation is a crucial Generation Z characteristic in the workplace that leaders must understand if they wish to connect with this group of talent.
At the moment, 25% of Gen Zers don’t trust their employers to invest and provide opportunities for continuous learning related to non-technical skills - such as leadership, equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) efforts and sustainability. However, they may also feel that their company’s take on soft skills is outdated, and doesn’t align with what they desire.
Randstad’s 2025 Talent Trends report states that although 9 in 10 HR professionals accept it is the employer’s responsibility to re-skill workers. 58% state that while they want to make more of an effort to provide re-skilling opportunities, there is a lack of organisational knowledge to make this happen.
Here are some ways that you can meet Generation Z expectations at work for them and to earn their trust in the process.
1. providing greater support for skills that are challenging to qualify
As many Gen Z professionals began their careers during the pandemic which may have impacted their education and workforce entry, they are facing a more challenging job market and fewer traditional opportunities for mentorship, networking and skill development.
Understanding how to navigate the workplace, decoding corporate lingo and broaching difficult conversations with managers are among topics of interest that Gen Z talent want employers to offer resources and mentorship for. Generation Z communication in the workplace will certainly look different from other generations in the workplace.
For instance, this can look like collecting anonymous feedback on what Gen Z talent wants to learn, and launching programmes that explicitly teach workplace norms, communication protocols and unwritten rules. This gives employees a structured environment to learn more about the different aspects of the workplace, while establishing their personal boundaries and expectations.
Managers play a significant role in strengthening the younger workforce’s skills and confidence, as they are in a position where they can share their feedback in a timely manner and help Gen Z improve progressively, every day.
Some simple actions may seem normal to managers, like how to write an email subject line that captures the attention of the intended recipient and asking thoughtful questions during meetings without being prompted. These are skills that individuals learn through practice and reinforcement, by having had the opportunity to learn and observe. The onus is on managers and leaders to be present when guiding the younger workforce so they may gain the same proficiencies.
When implementing educational programmes and resources, an important aspect of effective training is to include real-life case studies and role-playing exercises. This allows less experienced employees to simulate challenging conversations or workplace scenarios and build practical skills, while receiving mentorship from their line managers and bonding with peers.
Providing these resources and mentorship opportunities not only helps Gen Z feel more confident and included, but also builds the trust that is critical for engagement and retention. By investing in these targeted solutions, employers can bridge generational trust gaps, empower Gen Z talent, and create a more inclusive, future-ready workplace.
nearly 1 in 5 workers don’t trust their employer to invest in their soft skills
2. strengthening access to AI & tech development opportunities
Gen Z professionals are already frequent users of AI. However, 25% of Singaporean Gen Z workers do not trust their employers to provide opportunities for AI-relevant skills development, compared to the lower percentage in other generations.
17% don’t trust their employers to invest in their AI & tech skills
AI is a significant driver of productivity and innovation in Singapore, with AI-powered solutions projected to add up to S$193.8 billion of the city-state’s economy by 2030. Alongside the national economic imperative to grow a bigger, more sustainable pool of AI talent, hiring AI-skilled talent is a priority for 81% of Singapore employers, according to research by Amazon Web Services (AWS), of which 74% can’t find the AI talent they need.
Gen Z wants advanced AI skills that extend beyond the basic computing skills they picked up on their own. As AI automates tasks such as data collection and analysis, notable skills gaps are being uncovered in organisations. Now more than ever, employers need professionals who can strategically refine and use big data to drive their business forward.
Beyond having access to AI tools, this group of younger employees wants to know how AI will shape their careers in the future, which jobs may be automated and what new opportunities will require more advanced and specific AI expertise like predictive analytics and modelling.
For example, a retail brand could data analysts to explore which non-conventional companies they could partner with to create more successful collections, or understand which markets to sell their products in, based on evolving customer preferences. However, without someone to make sense of this large data, untapped opportunities continue to go to waste.
Being young, bold and curious, Gen Z employees are in a prime position to spot these gaps, and even fill them, if given the right opportunities to strengthen their technical know-how.
In this same vein, employers stand to benefit significantly from remaining open-minded to the opportunities their younger workforce can usher in. To meet these expectations, employers should consider providing targeted AI training tailored to employees’ skills development. Companies can also provide them the opportunity to test out their skills in small projects and sandbox environments to allow them to fail and learn, and more importantly, have a taste of accomplishment so that they are motivated to move forward.
download the randstad singapore 2025 workmonitor report
As the workforce evolves, building trust across generations is essential. Employers who prioritise fairness, growth and meaningful relationships will not only attract top talent but also retain it. How will you cultivate your office for young people?
You can find out more from the 2025 Workmonitor report (Singapore edition) that gathered insights from 750 respondents in Singapore to improve the outcomes of your talent attraction and retention strategies.
partner with randstad
To thrive in today's fast-paced job market, employers must stay connected to the evolving needs and expectations of job seekers.
At Randstad, we continuously offer country-level and industry-specific market insights and collaborate with our clients to streamline their recruitment processes and craft compelling employer brands that resonate with top talent. Connect with us to learn more about our research capabilities and drive your talent strategies with data.