Gen Z represents approximately 13% of the total Luxembourg national population, or around 88,000 people. As the first generation to have grown up with the internet, Gen Z – referring to those born roughly between 1997 and 2012 – has been formed by the digital era. And they have certain expectations that set them apart from other generations.
In summary, they’re ambitious, connected and value-driven. But we need to treat them as future leaders – not kids at work.
Insights from recent jobs.lu surveys reveal that Gen Z talent wants more than a paycheck. 41.5% ranked transparent communication as their top expectation. “Communicate clearly and frequently. And be transparent about goals, decisions and feedback. Gen Z values open dialogue,” jobs.lu general manager Arthur Meulman says, adding that this generation values having a clear career path and plenty of learning or mentoring opportunities along the way.
Some 34% of Gen Z talent also said that learning and fast progression are their top reasons for taking a job. 28% prioritise work-life balance, 26% want meaningful work and 19% seek psychological safety at the workplace.
“In summary, they’re ambitious, connected and value-driven,” Meulman adds. “But we need to treat them as future leaders – not kids at work.”
Bridging the gap
Despite these trends, traditional management styles can sometimes fall short when it comes to meeting Gen Z’s expectations. While some organisations remain stuck in rigid frameworks that lack transparency or fail to prioritise aspects like well-being, Meulman says that other organisations are aware of this generation’s demands and are making efforts to bridge the gap.
“We’re seeing more companies introduce, for example, flexible work arrangements, mental health support and structured career development programmes,” Meulman explains. “It starts already with the onboarding process: Gen Z expects to be well onboarded.”
Meulman adds that it’s important that companies don’t over promise at the outset – Gen Z talent won’t stick around if the company isn’t living up to its commitments. “They don’t expect perfection, but they do like honesty,” he adds.
We’re seeing more companies introduce, for example, flexible work arrangements, mental health support and structured career development programmes.
In the aforementioned surveys, 14% of Gen Z talent also preferred having ongoing feedback over annual performance reviews, and 17% also craved the freedom to innovate. “Please let them make mistakes … if you’re afraid to make mistakes, you’re not creative, you’re not thinking out of the box. Try by doing,” Meulman says, adding that this is an approach also taken within jobs.lu.
Local expertise
In addition to offering a job search platform in four languages (English, French, Luxembourgish and German), jobs.lu also has a blog that provides news and survey insights, as well as tips for job seekers on CVs, cover letters, interviews, etc. For Meulman, the unique selling proposition that jobs.lu offers is that “we understand the local context, from candidate behaviour to employee needs, better than a global platform. We combine this local expertise with powerful digital tools to offer a high-quality, efficient recruitment experience.”
Additionally, there’s the human touch behind the work they’re doing: “With our customer service and sales, we support both companies and candidates beyond the platform. We help them to navigate trends in the workforce and ensure there’s a better match for both sides.”
One thing keeping the jobs.lu team particularly busy this year is preparing for the EU Pay Transparency Directive, due to come into force by 7 June 2026, which will require salary range disclosures on job postings. Such transparency will likely be welcome from Gen Z, Meulman says – saving them the frustration that often occurs when salary is only discussed at the very end of a long interview process.
Posting such salary ranges might make some organisations anxious, given that competitors can glean insights or candidates may try to negotiate for the higher salary point. Meulman says companies are becoming less afraid, but they shouldn’t be just focusing on salaries in any case. “I think the best connection has much more value… When you have an ad on your platform with the right salary range, and you can match that with candidates looking for that, it’s a win-win for both parties.”