Young Romanians (78% of Generation Z representatives and 85% of Millennials) said they cannot afford to own a home, significantly above the global averages of 51% and 40%, respectively, a challenge that is substantially shaping their career path, according to Deloitte Global Gen Z and Millennial Survey 2026, conducted in 44 countries, including Romania.

At the same time, more than half of Romanian participants (55% of Gen Zs and 66% of Millennials – 10 and 22 percentage points above the global averages, respectively) report feeling financially insecure, while 46% of Gen Zs and 62% of Millennials said they were living paycheck-to-paycheck. As a result, more than half of participants of both generations reported they have delayed major life decisions due to their financial situation.

The cost of living remains the primary concern for young Romanians (50% of both generations). It is followed by political instability (26% of Gen Zs and 34% of Millennials) and corruption (25% and 30%, respectively).

In this context, stress levels remain high among young Romanians, with 38% of Gen Zs and 30% of Millennials saying they feel stressed most of the time. Their main concerns relate to their long-term financial perspective (51% of Gen Zs and 41% of Millennials), the health and welfare of their families (47% and 45%, respectively), and their current financial situation (46% and 41%, respectively).

On the other hand, young people in Romania view the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace as beneficial. 66% of Gen Zs and 48% of Millennials said they use AI in their daily work, while the majority believe it has a positive impact on both their personal lives (81% of Gen Zs and 71% of Millennials) and professional activities (77% and 67%, respectively).

However, several barriers continue to limit the use of AI tools in the workplace. A quarter of participants from both generations said they do not trust AI-generated outputs, while others point to the limited capabilities of available tools (22%) and poor integration into existing workflows. Furthermore, only 25% of both generations believe that the AI tools provided by their employers are sufficient, well below the global average of approximately 40%.

AI readiness also remains relatively low. Only 17% of Romanian Gen Zs and 24% of Millennials have completed AI training programs. Nevertheless, one-third of Gen Zs and one-quarter of Millennials are actively seeking additional learning opportunities. Confidence in using AI also varies, with 68% of Gen Zs expressing confidence compared to only 46% of Millennials.

“This year’s study highlights both the uncertainties facing young people in Romania compared to their peers in other countries and their openness to the major changes brought about by the accelerated adoption of artificial intelligence in the workplace. However, persistent challenges – including concerns regarding the reliability of AI-generated outputs and insufficient organizational support – have the potential to rapidly erode young people’s enthusiasm for these technologies. Employers therefore need to continuously refine their AI integration strategies by keeping pace with developments in this area, investing in ongoing training, establishing clear usage guidelines, and embedding AI tools effectively into daily workflows. Equally important is building trust in these technologies through transparency regarding outcomes and concrete plans for aligning AI capabilities with human skills,” said Raluca Bontaș, Partner, Deloitte Romania.

In terms of career goals, although 79% of Romanian Gen Zs and 62% of Millennials would like to assume leadership roles at some point in their careers, leadership is not their top priority. Only 4% of participants in each generation identify it as their primary career goal. Instead, their main priorities are work-life balance (25% of Gen Zs and 37% of Millennials), achieving financial independence (24% and 14%, respectively), continuous learning and development (12% and 17%), and becoming an expert in their field (15% and 12%, respectively).

Regarding career path, one-third of young Romanians emphasise steady progress (around ten percentage points below the global average). However, a significant share of participants is seeking accelerated career growth (25% of both generations). At the same time, lateral career mobility is more common than the global average, with 24% of Gen Zs and 23% of Millennials willing to move laterally in order to find the right role.

The Diplomat Bucharest

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