A recent nationwide survey by the Institute of Labour of GSEE in collaboration with ALCO, titled “Youth and Work 2025”, paints a stark picture of Generation Z in Greece. Young people are highly educated and values-driven, yet face a labor market characterized by job insecurity, low pay, and limited opportunities, leaving many trapped in dependence on their families.

Financial Dependence and Delayed Independence

The survey of 1,500 workers under 30 reveals a generation struggling to achieve financial independence:

  • Only 20% live alone, while 45% still live with their parents.
  • 70% report that their income does not cover basic needs.
  • 62% remain financially dependent on their families.

High housing costs, low wages, and insufficient social support prolong the transition to independent adulthood. Many young Greeks work yet cannot afford autonomy.

Education vs. Employment Reality

Despite high education levels, 38% say their current job is unrelated to their studies, and 49% feel unprepared for the labor market.

Yet motivation for learning remains strong: 86% seek continuous education, and 65% feel confident in their digital skills. The labor market, however, struggles to utilize this talent, resulting in underemployment or work outside their field.

Work Stress and Mental Health

The study highlights significant pressures on young workers:

  • 62% report negative impacts on personal life.
  • 60% experience exhaustion.
  • 46% feel work harms their health or sleep.
  • Only 21% achieve a healthy work-life balance.

For Generation Z, high performance and personal resilience are survival requirements, not rights.

Values and Job Meaning

This generation prioritizes mental health and purposeful work:

  • 70% place mental health above financial security.
  • 73% believe work must have meaning beyond salary.
  • 44% would leave a job that does not align with their values, even at financial cost.

Yet, only 36% feel able to express ideas at work, and 24% see their creativity rewarded. Many may resort to informal or “under-the-table” work just to survive.

Distrust in Institutions, Readiness for Action

While 65% distrust government institutions, 67% would join a strike or collective action for a fair cause. 36% have already engaged in collective initiatives, showing a willingness to act even amid skepticism.

A Generation Looking Abroad

A majority sees limited opportunities in Greece:

  • 72% do not foresee career prospects.
  • Only 9% feel satisfied with their future.
  • 46% seriously consider working abroad, raising concerns of a new brain drain.

Most believe their parents had better conditions (79%) and doubt they can start a family under current work conditions (65%).