A new study has found that America’s youngest workers are struggling with loneliness on the job.
A survey of 2,000 employed U.S. adults, commissioned by Bingo Card Creator, found that 60% of Gen Z employees—those ages 18 to 29—wish they were closer to their colleagues, more than any other generation surveyed.
While Gen Z is more likely than older workers to have at least one workplace friend, they tend to have fewer close connections overall. The study shows that just 21% of Gen Z workers say they have no friends at work compared to 26% of workers over the age of 29, suggesting that younger employees are at least slightly better at avoiding total social isolation on the job.
But when it comes to building a larger circle of workplace friendships, Gen Z lags behind, the study reveals. Just 18% of Gen Z workers report having four or more friends at work, while that number jumps to 25% for older workers.
“While Gen Z may be more open to connection, they’re struggling to build depth and volume in their workplace relationships,” the study says.
The data suggests that workplace loneliness isn’t about being alone, it’s about being emotionally disconnected. Gen Z employees, many of whom started their careers in remote roles during or after the COVID-19 pandemic, report feeling both physically isolated and emotionally distant from their teams.
While a similar proportion still value boundaries between work and personal life, fewer young workers say they’re satisfied with the current level of closeness they have at work.
Once a common workplace dynamic, only 12% of Americans currently have a “work spouse,” with the tradition appearing to fade across generations. Even so, younger workers are more likely to report having one, with 17% of Gen Z saying they do, compared to just 9% of workers over age 50.
Gen Z is redefining workplace socializing
Gen Z may not have as many close friends at work, but they’re far more likely to spend time with co-workers outside of the office, according to the study.
A striking 79% of Gen Z employees say they socialize with their colleagues beyond working hours, and one in five (20%) report doing so more than once a week. In contrast, only 69% of workers aged 30 and over say they hang out with co-workers outside of work, and just 10% do so more than once a week.
While 31% of older workers say they never spend time with co-workers outside of work, that number drops to just 21% for Gen Z.
“These stats suggest that while Gen Z may be forming fewer deep bonds during the workday, they’re more likely to build relationships outside the confines of the office, over dinners, drinks, or weekend plans,” the study says.
Gen Z feels the most isolated at work
Despite being the most socially connected generation outside of work, Gen Z is also the most likely to feel lonely on the job, according to the study. A striking 77% of Gen Z employees say they’ve felt lonely at work at some point, compared to a national average of 64%, and 14% report feeling lonely often.
That sense of isolation is even more pronounced among Gen Z men, with 18% saying they often feel lonely at work, the highest of any demographic in the study.
“These numbers highlight a disconnect between Gen Z’s desire for workplace connection and their day-to-day reality,” the study says. “While they crave closeness, many young workers are navigating remote roles, short job stints, or workplaces that don’t invest in team bonding, leaving them feeling emotionally adrift despite constant digital communication.”
Gen Z faces more fallout from work friendships
While Gen Z is eager to connect with co-workers, they’re also more likely to face the consequences of those connections. According to the data, 42% of Gen Z workers say they’ve experienced negative fallout from workplace friendships, such as gossip, favoritism, or interpersonal conflict.
That’s notably higher than older generations, where only 34% of workers aged 30 and over report similar issues.
“This suggests that for Gen Z, blurring the lines between personal and professional can come at a cost,” the study says. “In a hyper-connected workplace culture, where social dynamics often play out over Slack, social media, and informal hangouts, navigating friendship at work can be trickier than ever.
Culture and connection matter more to Gen Z’s career choices
Gen Z workers place greater importance on workplace friendships when deciding whether to stay in a job. According to the study, 38% of Gen Z employees say that having friends at work influences their decision to remain with a company, significantly higher than the 22% of workers aged 30 and over who feel the same.
However, when it comes to balancing salary against company culture, Gen Z are pragmatic. While they value workplace friendships and culture highly, 35% of Gen Z workers say they would still take a higher-paying job even if the workplace culture felt cold or isolating. This is slightly higher than the 28% of older workers who prioritize salary over culture.
Still, 65% of Gen Z say that workplace culture plays an important role in their decision-making when considering a higher-paying position, compared with 72% of workers aged 30 and above who weigh culture heavily.
Methodology: The data was derived from a survey by Bingo Card Creator conducted online via Pollfish on June 3, 2025. About 2,000 employed Americans aged 18 and older completed the survey. All decimals in this report are rounded to the nearest percentage point, which may lead to certain numerical totals adding up to slightly more or less than 100%.
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Tags: employees, generation z, Payroll, work friends
