For Generation Z, the smartphone is not a technology, but a medium. It typically includes those born between 1997 and 2012, although the boundaries are not universally accepted. The Pew Research Center coined the term in 1997, emphasizing that these boundaries are an analytical tool, not a scientifically fixed boundary between people.
This is the first generation for whom constant connectivity, mobile internet, and social networks have been a given since childhood. Its oldest members were children when the first iPhone was released in 2007. For them, the internet is not a place to “enter” but a layer on top of everyday life – for socializing, learning, entertainment, shopping, and political conversations.
Not lazy, but cautious about the future
The most persistent stereotype about Gen Z is that they don’t want to work hard. The data paints a different picture. In Deloitte’s 2026 global survey of more than 22,500 Gen Zers and millennials in 44 countries, only 25% of Gen Zers said they prefer rapid career development with frequent promotions. 44% prefer gradual growth, and 21% are willing to take a lateral move or even a step back if it gives them a more suitable direction.
This is not a rejection of ambition, but a change in its form. “These generations are adaptable, pragmatic and purposeful in the way they understand progress,” says Elizabeth Faber, Chief People and Meaning Officer at Deloitte Global.
The reason is material. 55% of Gen Zers say they have postponed important decisions because of their financial situation. These include starting a family, further education and starting their own business. For 69%, housing affordability already directly influences their choice of where to work and live. However, 53% expect their financial situation to improve in the coming year.
Meaning, Boundaries and Mental Health
Generation Z does not completely separate work from their values. 89% identify a sense of meaning as important to their satisfaction and well-being at work. Nearly half have left a job they felt was meaningless, and about 40% have turned down an assignment or potential employer because of personal ethical beliefs.
However, this push for boundaries runs alongside high levels of anxiety. 40% of Gen Z respondents in a Deloitte survey said they feel stressed or anxious all or most of the time. Financial concerns, the cost of living, and workload are among the top reasons.
For the youngest, anxiety is also intertwined with school, social pressures, and news. A 2023 survey of high school students by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 39.7% experienced persistent sadness or hopelessness, and 28.5% reported poor mental health. This is data for American students and cannot automatically be transferred to the entire Generation Z or to Bulgaria.
News comes through people, not just media
Generation Z perceives information through platforms in which news, personal opinion and entertainment are often in the same video. A Pew Research Center survey of more than 10,000 Americans shows that 37% of people between the ages of 18 and 29 regularly get news from news influencers. Among young people who follow such profiles, 72% say that the content helps them better understand current events.
This does not automatically mean better information. It means that trust is built not only around the institution or media, but also around the voice, face and community behind the message.
Added to this environment is artificial intelligence. In a Deloitte survey, 57% of Gen Zers said they already use generative AI in their daily work, while 63% fear the technology could eliminate jobs. So the shortest label for Gen Z isn't "the smartphone generation" but "digital pragmatists" - people who accept technology as a natural part of life but don't blindly accept the promises of the future.
Sources: pewresearch.org, deloitte.com, www2.deloitte.com, cdc.gov