Gen Z at Work

Email is here to stay – just ask Gen Z. Here's how they use it, and what drives them in their careers and lives.

Iced coffees in hand and TikTok notifications pinging, Generation Z – born between 1997 and 2012 – is bringing fresh habits and mindsets to the workplace. But what does that look like in practice?

• Do they still rely on email – or is it fading in favor of instant messaging?
• How much AI do they really use?
• What makes them happiest in their careers?

We surveyed nearly 1,400 Gen Zers across the US, Canada, the UK, and other European countries to find out. We wanted to understand how this generation uses email and what truly makes them tick – like whether email hinders their productivity or if salary matters more than purpose.

The insights? They just might change how you communicate with this generation – and help you build stronger connections to the Gen Zers around you.

A first look at Gen Z women vs. men at work

From their favorite ways to communicate to their views on career growth, this exclusive ZeroBounce report unpacks the trends shaping the next chapter of work.

It highlights key cultural differences between Gen Zers in the US, Canada, and Europe.

And, for the first time, delves into how Gen Z women and men prioritize work and life differently.

Let’s dive into the stats to see how these differences play out.

Key insights: The Gen Z at Work 2026 Report

• Email is Gen Z’s favorite way to communicate at work, with 42% picking it as their top choice.
• 36% of Zoomers check their email because of FOMO (fear of missing out) on updates.
• Gen Z’s biggest confusion about email? 57% are unsure how formal they should be.
• Most Gen Zers (53%) sign off their emails with “Thanks.”
• The most commonly used abbreviation? “ASAP” (as soon as possible). But 10% avoid abbreviations altogether for fear of seeming too informal.
• 52% of Gen Zers say email stresses them out, with 14% admitting they strongly agree.
• 92% say the number of emails they get affects their productivity to some degree – with 33% saying this is “always” or “often” the case.
• 60% of Zoomers admit using email to avoid a conversation or confrontation.
• AI tools? 27% don’t use them, while 24% reveal that AI email tools save them a lot of time managing their inboxes.
• Gen Z would rather get on a phone call (7%) than a video call. Only 2% picked video calls as their favorite channel to communicate at work.
• Will email be obsolete in 10 years? 63% of Gen Zers don’t think so, and some are irritated by that, wishing the older generations would just “get with the times.”
• Those who think email is on its way out say “it’s only used by old Boomers or Gen X” and that “the younger generations rely on text messaging.”

What motivates Gen Z at work?

• Work-life balance matters most to Gen Z (32%).
• Earning a good salary is the second biggest career driver for Zoomers, with 26% stating it’s what matters most to them.
• Purpose is less important: only 15% say they most care about contributing to something meaningful in their jobs.

Gen Z may be more traditional than they (and you) think

While Gen Z prides itself on challenging the status quo, our data reveals that some long-standing gender dynamics still hold true. Some of the patterns suggest a nod to tradition– especially in what men and women prioritize in their careers.

What the data shows

• Gen Z women value work-life balance more than men (33% vs. 31%) and care more about working in a positive company culture (7% vs. 6%).
• Earning a good salary is slightly more important to men (26% vs. 25%). Gen Z men also prioritize contributing to something meaningful (16% vs. 14%) and the ability to grow in their careers (8% vs. 7%).
• Gen Z women have a somewhat greater desire to be recognized for their contributions at work than men (6% vs. 5%).

Other fun facts about Gen Z women vs. men

• Avoiding confrontation: Gen Z women are much more likely than men to use email to avoid an uncomfortable conversation (65% vs. 57%).
• Email preferences: More women than men like email as a communication tool at work (45% vs. 39%).
• Email stress: Men report higher email anxiety than women (55% vs. 52%).

These trends suggest that while Gen Z is rewriting workplace norms in many ways, traditional gender values still influence their priorities. This doesn’t mean that all Gen Zers conform to these patterns, but it highlights how traditional expectations around gender roles continue to shape their beliefs and behaviors.

Ready for the full picture?

Let’s break down all the stats and see how Gen Z uses email, what motivates them in their careers, and how American Zoomers differ from peers in Canada and Europe.

The Gen Z at Work 2026 Report: Breaking down the stats

Email has stood the test of time, and it’s still a major player in the workplace. Ninety-three percent of people use it every day, with 35% spending up to five hours a day in their inboxes.

But how does Gen Z feel about it? While some don’t look at their emails unless they have to, most Gen Zers rate it as their favorite communication channel for work.

42% of Gen Zers say email is their favorite way to talk at work

Despite the rise of instant messaging apps, email is Gen Z’s top choice for workplace communication. Email is the preferred tool for 42% – more than double the number who chose apps like Slack or WhatsApp (20%). Texting came in third with 15%, while social media messaging wasn’t far behind at 14%.

And what about video calls? Let’s just say it’s not their thing: only 2% of Gen Zers say it’s their favorite way to communicate at work. Phone calls, on the other hand, are way more appealing, with 7% saying it’s their top choice.

36% of Gen Zers check email because of FOMO

Email is very much a part of Gen Z’ routine: nearly half (47%) check their inboxes for work and school messages. But not everyone’s glued to their inbox. In fact, 11% of our respondents admit they don’t check email unless they have to.

For many, FOMO (fear of missing out) is the primary reason they check email – they don’t want to miss out on brand deals or job offers. Interestingly, a smaller 6% use email to stay in touch with their family and friends.

57% of Gen Zers don’t know how formal they should be

For more than half of our respondents (57%), the biggest challenge about using email at work is figuring out how formal their tone should be. Also, 51% of Gen Zers don’t know when to follow up if they don’t get a reply, while 18% wonder how quickly to respond.

Even seemingly small details, like when to CC or BCC someone (26%) or whether to use emojis, can cause confusion for Zoomers navigating the workplace.

Some Gen Zers, confused by email threads and “what to write in the emails”

When asked what other things confuse them about email, the Gen Zers we surveyed mentioned:

• Email length: some wonder "how short is too short" for an email
• What subject lines to use
• Managing "huge numbers of emails" in their inboxes
• Separating business from personal in work emails
• Knowing whether "the email was delivered to the inbox (not spam)"
• Reading email threads in the correct order and "finding the last email in a series of back and forth messages"

One Gen Zer admitted they can have trouble “understanding what they are saying,” while another said their biggest confusion is “what to write in the emails.”

Blessings, grace and peace: the most common Gen Z email signoffs

Fourteen percent of our respondents don’t use any email signoff – they just use their email signature. Among those who use a signoff formula, “thanks” is the most common one (53%). “Sincerely” comes in second (35%), while “Best” takes third place.

Asked to share what other formulas they prefer, respondents mentioned:

• Best wishes
• Kind/best/warm regards
• All the best

Two signoffs stood out to us: “grace and peace” and “blessings.” Once popular in emails, “cheers” isn’t commonly used among Gen Z, with only one person mentioning it.

For some Gen Zers we talked to, signing off is confusing. “I match what the other person did,” one told us, while another one confessed: “I never know how to sign off, or if to do so.”

10% of Zoomers avoid abbreviations

While many Gen Zers use shorthand in emails, a significant 10% avoid abbreviations in work emails, worried they may seem too informal. “I only use ASAP,” one respondent told us, “but at heart I wanna use them all.” Another Gen Zer said: “I keep it as professional as possible,” while another added: “I don’t use abbreviations. I might be overly serious.”

Still, some shorthand remains popular: ASAP is a clear favorite, used by 69% of respondents. FYI (33%) and BTW (26%) also made the list, with less common abbreviations like IDK (14%) and Thx (11%) rounding the group.

Other abbreviations some Gen Zers mentioned they use are:

• COB (close of business)
• ETA (estimated time of arrival)
• EOD (end of day)
• FYSA (for your situational awareness)
• WDYM (what do you mean).

A small group said they stick to industry-specific abbreviations only.

53% of Gen Zers say email stresses them out

An overflowing inbox can make us all anxious, and Gen Z is no different. Most of our respondents (53%) said email stresses them out, with 14% saying they strongly agree.

That said, it’s not all bad news. Attitudes about email can vary widely among Gen Z. A significant 47% stated they don’t experience any email stress.

92% say email makes them less productive

While not every Gen Zer feels anxious about their inbox, a staggering 92% admitted that the volume of emails affects their ability to get work done. Furthermore, 33% stated it’s an issue they face “always” or “often.”

For many, email is a real time sink. Even those who feel the effects less frequently (20%) still experience productivity dips due to busy inboxes. On the other hand, a small 8% said email volume never affects them.

60% of Gen Zers use email to dodge awkward conversations

Email isn’t just easy, safe, and convenient – it can also be an escape from awkward and tense situations. For 60% of Gen Zers, email is the perfect way to avoid face-to-face or video conversations when things get uncomfortable.

But not all of Gen Z leans on email to navigate workplace tension. A significant 40% say they prefer to deal with challenges face-to-face.

Psychologist explains: “This is a maladaptive coping mechanism.”

Oxford graduate and clinical psychologist Dr. Catherine Wikholm explains why relying on email to avoid difficult conversations can do more harm than good.

“Many young adults struggle with social anxiety in the workplace – especially young women – often relating to fear of confrontation, disapproval, or negative judgment from others.

Social anxiety can significantly shape people’s preferences around forms of communication. In this context, a strong preference for email could be a form of avoidance coping. This is a maladaptive coping mechanism that reduces anxiety in the moment, but actually maintains it and often exacerbates it in the longer term.

Young adults who struggle with anxiety at work may feel vulnerable when it comes to direct communication. They worry about the impact anxiety could have on their verbal expression (e.g., stumbling over words or going blank) or anticipate the onset of physical symptoms (e.g., feeling hot or blushing), which they seek to avoid by relying on email.

The problem is that this limits their opportunities to build up their tolerance for anxiety and learn that they can cope with these situations. Over time, the occasions where they do have to engage with phone or video calls will continue to provoke anxiety.

Learning coping strategies such as grounding and breathing techniques can help to reduce anxiety symptoms. Also, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) strategies like graded exposure encourage a manageable, step-by-step approach towards facing fears, rather than avoiding them. This helps to build confidence and reduce anxiety in the long term.”

— Dr. Catherine Wikholm, clinical psychologist specializing in adolescent and young adult mental health, co-author of The Buddha Pill

Check out her Instagram

27% of Gen Zers don’t use email AI tools

With AI so prevalent across all industries, this came as a surprise: 27% of the Gen Zers we surveyed said they don’t use AI tools to manage their inboxes. Out of those who do use them, 14% said AI features and tools don’t make much difference.

The majority of our respondents (35%) think AI tools “somewhat” improve their efficiency. Only 24% said AI saves them a lot of time.

36% of Gen Zers think email will die in 10 years

Email has been around for over half a century, and most Zoomers (64%) think “it’s here to stay for sure.” Some are unhappy about that, saying that “not everyone can get with the times.” Others see it as a necessary tool for business or a way to avoid getting too personal at work.

A sizable 36% believe email is a relic that will disappear over the next decade. It’s worth taking a closer look at their insights and predictions, so here’s how this generation envisions the future of email.

Why Gen Z thinks email is here to stay

For many Gen Zers, email remains an indispensable tool that no other platform can fully replace. Whether it’s the traceability or convenience it offers, these respondents shared compelling – and often witty – reasons why email isn’t going anywhere.

Will email vanish in 10 years?

• “No way Jose.”
• “No, unless there’s a world war and we have to resort to pigeon messengers again.”
• “Don't think it will since it is already part of account creation and security for many platforms across the web.”
• “No. Not everyone can get with the times.”
• “I don’t think so. And as much as I hate email, I’m also glad for it because it offers a way to contact people without the pressure of an immediate reply. Also, for job search, I don’t want to give out my number right away and get a ton of cold calls. I hate that even more.”
• “There is no 'next-best' alternative.”
• “It's still the best service for long replies and sharing documents/assets. I don't foresee anything new coming in to replace that.”
• “Businesses use email for everything.”
• “For professional purposes they’ll be around forever.”
• “Emails can be legally binding.”
• “It’s been around for many years despite other technological changes, so I think it will remain in some capacity, even with new methods of communication.”
• “Quick and easy.”
• “Unless AI takes over completely, email will exist for a variety of reasons: confirmation of purchase, bookings, work, banking, and other types of communication.”
• “If anything, email will become more prevalent as technology continues to expand.”
• “New mediums won't necessarily push out the old. Texting didn't eliminate calls. Sure, we have moved past carrier pigeons, but messages on an email app are a pretty basic concept.”
• “I see regular mail becoming obsolete before email.”

Some Gen Zers back email because it protects their personal space

We noticed an interesting perspective among the 64% of Gen Zers who think email will continue to exist. Some of the people in this group think email will survive because the workplace will always need a formal, professional channel to communicate. They also see email as a tool that provides a level of distance, which helps to protect their personal space.

Here are this group’s thoughts:

• “Email is formal and allows a degree of separation.”
• “It’s professional and needed for documentation.”
• “I think it's important to have a formal way to communicate for professional purposes.”
• “It will always be more professional than text messages.”
• “I feel email will always be the main source of professional contact.”
• “It's efficient for communication in large companies without getting too personal.”
• “People still want that divide between personal and professional, and email provides that.”
• “Most common way to communicate with coworkers.”
• “Emails are linked to businesses and are used as a formality.”
• “It’s a formal way to interact with peers and connections. I can’t think of a possible new way of changing this.”
• “Email remains one of the few formal and legally recognized methods of communication.”

Why Gen Z thinks email is changing

Some Gen Zers believe email will endure, but evolve into something new. They agree it will stick around, but predict it will become less popular or morph into a different format.

Here’s what these Gen Zers had to say:

• “I think it’ll gradually get used less, but it will still be around.”
• “It’s so incorporated into our lives, especially work-wise, that it will still be used, but less.”
• “Email will continue to be the primary form of professional communication. However, it will evolve to incorporate AI, like AI email summaries.”
• “It’s slowly going out of use, but email addresses are commonly used in signing up for things, so that could change the answer.”
• “I imagine it being the same as paper mail. Although we can send it electronically, we still send things in the mail. There may be a better way to communicate professionally, but email has been the go-to for a while now.”
• “I think it’s still going to be an important way to message people, but the way that it’s delivered may change.”

Why Gen Z thinks email is a dying relic – and hope for its demise

For 36% of Gen Zers, email is outdated and unnecessary. They see it as a relic they inherited from older generations and believe better communication tools will make it obsolete within the next decade. Some even admit to hoping for its demise.

Here’s what they said when asked whether email will fade away in 10 years:

• “I hope so, it’s easier to text than email.”
• “Yes, because there’s different ways of communicating professionally now.”
• “Change is inevitable.”
• “Email is only used by old Boomers or Gen X.”
• “Yes, because new communication platforms like instant messaging, collaboration tools, and AI-driven apps are becoming faster, more efficient, and user-friendly, potentially replacing email for many purposes.”
• “Fewer people use it and Teams is becoming popular.”
• “There’s so many different things coming out, email is just outdated at this point.”
• “Management strictly uses it for a paper trail.”
• “It’s no longer needed in the work environment.”
• “There will be a new method of communication in 10 years that most formal businesses will end up adopting.”
• “There are so many other ways of communicating, I think it will become outdated.”
• “The younger generations rely on text messaging.”

32% of Gen Zers most value work-life balance

For Gen Z, happiness at work is about balance more than anything else. A significant 32% of respondents said keeping a good work-life balance is what makes them happiest in their jobs.

Earning a good salary ranked second, with 26% prioritizing financial reward and stability. Other factors – like working in a positive company culture or having career growth opportunities – also made the list, but none came close to the top spot.

The younger generation clearly puts well-being above traditional career markers.

“Some of these findings were surprising even to us.

Many Gen Zers wonder how formal they should be in emails and avoid abbreviations because they worry about sounding unprofessional.

We didn’t expect a generation known for casual texts and DMs to stress so much over emails, but it’s a reality – even among some of our own Gen Zers here at ZeroBounce.

These insights give business leaders a chance to better connect with this generation. Setting clear email expectations is a great first step. Also, creating an environment where all generations feel comfortable sharing ideas can make collaboration more natural and productive. There’s room for growth on both sides.”

- Liviu Tanase, founder and CEO of ZeroBounce

Curious to learn how consumers use email?

Read our Email Marketing Statistics Report

Read now

How American and British Gen Zers compare

Are American and British Gen Zers different? Our data says yes. From their email habits to what they value most at work, these two groups show some fascinating contrasts.

While both rely on email, Americans lean more towards texting for work, while Brits prefer instant messaging apps. Work-life balance is a bigger priority for the 300+ Brits we surveyed, while Americans are more driven by making good money.

Let’s dive into the stats to see what sets these Zoomers apart.

How they communicate at work

• American Gen Zers like email more than their British peers (44% vs. 41%).
• More US than UK Gen Zers check email as part of their work and school routine (48% vs. 42%).
• On the other hand, 10% of UK Gen Zers use email to keep in touch with family and friends, compared to only 4% of Americans.
• UK Gen Zers are almost twice as likely (26%) to prefer instant messaging apps to talk at work compared to their US counterparts (14%).
• Social media direct messaging is also more popular in the UK as a work communication channel, with 19% of Brits vs. 11% of Americans picking this option.
• Video calls are unpopular in both regions, but are even less preferred in the UK. Only 0.6% opted for this channel. In contrast, around 3% of Americans chose video calls.
• Texting is far more popular among US Gen Zers, who are nearly three times more likely to use it for work messages (20% vs. 7%).

How they sign off their emails

• US Gen Zers are twice as likely to use "Best" as their email signoff compared to their UK peers (21% vs. 11%).
• "Thanks" is also much more popular in the US: 56% vs. 45%.
• 40% UK Gen Zers are more inclined to sign off using "Sincerely" vs. 33% of Americans. British email etiquette shows a clear preference for a more formal tone.
• Only 12% of Brits don't use a signoff formula compared to 15% of Americans.

How they perceive email stress

• British Gen Zers experience much more email anxiety than their US peers: 61% of British Zoomers vs. 50% of Americans agree or strongly agree that email is a source of stress.
• This stress affects productivity too, but with some differences: 77% of UK Gen Zers say email volume affects their efficiency (always, often, or sometimes), compared to 69% of Americans.

What makes them happy at work

• Work-life balance is the top motivator for both groups, but it’s more important to British Gen Zers (36% vs. 30%).
• 27% of Americans say earning a good salary makes them happiest at work, as opposed to only 23% of Brits.
• Americans also care more than the Brits about working in a positive environment (8% vs. 4%).

Other fun facts

• Brits are more likely than Americans to use email to avoid an uncomfortable conversation (62% vs. 59%).
• Gen Zers in the UK use AI tools for email more than their American counterparts: 27% of Brits say these tools save them a lot of time.
• More British Gen Zers (45%) think email will be obsolete in 10 years (vs. only 32% of Americans).

72% of Canadian Gen Zers use email to avoid unpleasant conversations

Zooming in on the Canadian Gen Zers we surveyed – a smaller sample of 150+ respondents – a few trends stand out. While most young Canadians feel email hinders their productivity, they also use it strategically to avoid face-to-face confrontation.

Here’s what caught our eye:

• 79% of Canadian Gen Zers say email affects their productivity. This is the highest percentage among our surveyed countries (UK: 76%; US: 69%).
• 72% use email to avoid tricky conversations.
• 42% check their inboxes because of FOMO – they don’t want to miss out on brand discounts or job offers.
• 0% picked video calls as their go-to choice for work communication channels. Most of them (40%) prefer email, with instant messaging apps coming in second (28%).
• 56% admit their biggest email confusion is how formal their tone should be, with 48% stating they don’t know when to follow up if they don’t get a reply.
• Most Canadian Zoomers (63%) sign their emails off using “Thanks,” and ASAP is their most used abbreviation.
• 28% say earning a good salary is what motivates them the most in their careers.
• However, for the majority (42%), having a good work-life balance matters the most.

“My inbox can feel overwhelming.”

“I was surprised to see that 42% of my peers prefer email for workplace communication because I thought we were all about instant messaging – but it looks like email still dominates.

The statistics about email stress (53%) and its impact on productivity (72%) resonate strongly. My inbox can feel very overwhelming, and it definitely affects how much I get done some days.

The split opinion on whether email will become obsolete (36% think it will) is interesting to me. I'm curious to see if email really will stick around. It seems like it's here to stay for now, but who knows what new tech might replace it?”

— Lily Bradshaw, Marketing Specialist at ZeroBounce and a member of Gen Z

Methodology

ZeroBounce created The Gen Z at Work Report to gather insights for business leaders, marketers, and HR professionals looking to build better connections with the youngest generation in the workplace.

To compile this report, ZeroBounce surveyed nearly 1,400 Gen Zers (born between 1997 and 2012) across The United States, Canada, UK, and other European countries. Conducted between December 2024 and January 2025, the survey included a nearly even split of respondents: 51% men and 49% women.

Fair use statement
We encourage you to share these findings for noncommercial purposes. Please include proper attribution with a link back to this page if you do. For questions or media inquiries about this report, please contact Corina Leslie at corina@zerobounce.net.