Report: 1 in 3 Gen Z workers are being left behind by inadequate training
You鈥檝e heard the stereotypes: Gen Z wants too much, expects things too fast and isn鈥檛 willing to put in the work. But dig a little deeper, and a more honest picture emerges: this generation of workers is hungry to succeed鈥攂ut too many feel underprepared, unsupported and on the edge of burnout.
We polled 500 Gen Z frontline workers in the U.S. from retail, food service and hospitality and uncovered where and how training is missing the mark. One stat really stood out:
鉃★笍 1 in 3 feel bored, unprepared or left behind by the training they receive.
In pressure-filled frontline environments where tight staffing, complex operations and rising customer incivility are already major stressors, ineffective training isn鈥檛 a small problem. It鈥檚 a growing crack in your workforce foundation.
What does 鈥渓eft behind鈥 really mean?
It鈥檚 not that Gen Z workers aren鈥檛 getting any training. In fact, nearly 90% say their training technically covers the required topics. But that鈥檚 not the full story. What this generation is really saying is: 鈥淚鈥檓 not retaining what I鈥檝e learned. I don鈥檛 feel ready when things get tough. I鈥檓 still unsure of what to do.鈥
The biggest red flags:
- 77% said they鈥檝e faced job situations where they didn鈥檛 have the skills or knowledge to succeed.
- 62% feel overwhelmed.
- 53% feel embarrassed when they don鈥檛 know what to do.
- 14% have considered quitting because they felt unprepared.
These aren鈥檛 just inconvenient training gaps鈥攖hey鈥檙e moments that chip away at a person鈥檚 confidence. For workers still new to the job market, these early experiences shape how they see themselves, their roles and whether they stick around or look for an opportunity elsewhere.
Uncover what Gen Z really needs to feel confident and capable at work鈥攑lus how you can deliver it with training that sticks.
Why this matters right now
Today鈥檚 frontline jobs aren鈥檛 simple. They require quick decision-making, adaptability and a level of resilience that鈥檚 rarely recognized. With staffing challenges and increasing customer tension, even experienced employees are feeling stretched.
Now, add Gen Z鈥攖he first truly entering the workforce during a time of high economic uncertainty, mental health strain and a shifting relationship with work. They鈥檙e expected to be adaptable and self-sufficient, but are often handed one-size-fits-all training that doesn鈥檛 match the needs of their roles.
What we鈥檙e hearing from this cohort is not entitlement鈥攊t鈥檚 urgency. They want to succeed. They want to feel useful. And they鈥檙e not getting what they need to get there.
The emotional toll of underpreparedness
When training misses the mark, the fallout isn鈥檛 just operational鈥攊t鈥檚 personal. Workers internalize feelings of not being ready to perform, which turns into:
- Anxiety and self-doubt: 鈥淓veryone else seems to get this鈥攚hy don鈥檛 I?鈥
- Disengagement: 鈥淚f I can鈥檛 do my job well, why try?鈥
- Burnout and exit: 鈥淭his just isn鈥檛 worth the stress.鈥
These emotional responses aren鈥檛 irrational鈥攖hey鈥檙e human, especially for young people still forming their professional identity. Organizations shouldn鈥檛 isolate skill-building from emotional safety. If training doesn鈥檛 make people feel more prepared, it鈥檚 not doing its job.
What Gen Z actually wants from training
The good news is that Gen Z is telling us exactly what will help. Their preferences are clear, realistic and rooted in practical needs:
- Relevant, role-specific training (50%): less theory, more day-to-day skills
- Scenario-based learning (44%): help me practice what I鈥檒l actually face
- Short, easy-to-digest videos (35%): not an hour-long slideshow
- Mobile-first content (35%): meet me where I already am
- Ongoing reinforcement and collaboration (36%): I don鈥檛 want to feel alone or forgotten after onboarding
- Interactive tools like quizzes and games (34%): keep me engaged, not just informed
When asked how better training would impact their work, Gen Z frontline workers were optimistic about its impact:
- Make them more confident (90%)
- Improve how they handle difficult situations (89%)
- Increase their productivity (82%)
- Reduce burnout (67%)
- Encourage them to stay longer (81%)
These aren鈥檛 hypothetical outcomes鈥攖hey鈥檙e direct answers to the challenges L&D leaders are already trying to solve.
鈻讹笍 Get our handy Tip Sheet: 7 steps to improve employee training and performance
The opportunity: Training that helps people feel ready to perform
If one in three workers is feeling left behind, the fix isn鈥檛 throwing more content at them. It鈥檚 rethinking how to build and deliver training that meets their needs and helps them do a good job:
- Make it feel relevant: Tie learning directly to their roles and daily experiences.
- Make it continuous: Don鈥檛 stop at onboarding. Reinforce, refresh and revisit.
- Make it feel human: Help people feel seen and supported, not tested or judged.
- Make it accessible: On mobile devices, in small doses and when they need it most.
This isn鈥檛 just about Gen Z鈥攊t鈥檚 about raising the baseline for everyone. When we get it right for the newest generation of workers, we have the opportunity to build stronger, more confident teams from day one.
馃摜 Get the full story on Gen Z鈥檚 training needs and how to support them better