Over 80% of Companies Cite 'Work-Life Balance' as Key Trait of Gen Z in 20s Career Recruitment; 'Prompt Screening Notification' Tops Strategies for Improving Applicant Contact Rates [Survey of Companies and Job Seekers]

Gakujo Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo) conducted an online survey targeting human resources personnel at companies and organizations regarding the career recruitment of people in their 20s, including experienced professionals and recent graduates on their second job hunt. When asked about the unique values and characteristics of "Generation Z" observed during 20s career recruitment, an overwhelming majority of over 80% cited an "emphasis on work-life balance." This was followed by a "tendency to seek flexible working styles" and an "emphasis on time performance (taipa)," indicating that items related to working styles ranked highest. Many pointed out a self-centric tendency with comments such as, "They choose companies prioritizing welfare benefits over job content," "They focus more on 'what the company will do for me' rather than 'what I want to become after joining'," and "Personal time is highly valued."

Regarding efforts to improve the contact rate with applicants, "prompt screening notification" was the clear number one choice at nearly 80%. When job seekers were asked what corporate responses gave them a good impression, the top choice was the same, but it was found that they also highly value "company information sessions."

A notable gap between companies and job seekers was seen in the option to "communicate points of interest from the application information when contacting about screening." Only 17.5% of companies chose this, compared to 29.2% of job seekers. Telling an applicant "We are interested in this particular aspect of your profile" seems to resonate well with job seekers.

[TOPICS] (1) Over 80% of companies feel Gen Z values "work-life balance" the most in 20s career recruitment. (2) The top initiative to increase applicants is "revising the contents of job postings," followed by "revising the recruitment website." (3) "Prompt screening notification" is the undisputed top measure to improve applicant contact rates, though job seekers also value information sessions.

[Survey Background] As competition to acquire talent through mass recruitment of new graduates intensifies, an increasing number of companies are strengthening their career recruitment (experienced hiring) targeting people in their 20s. Those in their 20s correspond to "Generation Z," born between the mid-1990s and the early 2010s. This survey investigated how companies perceive the career consciousness of this generation and what proactive recruitment steps they are taking.

(1) Over 80% of companies feel Gen Z values "work-life balance" the most in 20s career recruitment. When asked about Gen Z values observed during recruitment activities (multiple answers allowed), "emphasis on work-life balance" was exceptionally high at 81.6%. This was followed by "tendency to seek flexible working styles" (47.6%) and "emphasis on time performance" (31.6%). Items related to abilities or motivation, such as "high information literacy" or "high motivation for skill-up and growth," were selected by only about 20% of companies.

Specific observations included numerous comments pointing to self-centric tendencies: "The 'life' in work-life balance is important, and a sense of responsibility toward 'work' is low," "Many choose companies based on welfare rather than job content," and "There are many questions emphasizing compliance and ease of taking leave." While some noted an increase in candidates citing "growth" as a keyword, others opined that "awareness of growth is weak, responses are slow, and awareness of social norms is thin."

(2) The top initiative to increase applicants is "revising the contents of job postings." Regarding efforts to improve application numbers (multiple answers allowed), "revising the contents of job postings" was the most common at 54.5%, chosen by over half of the companies. This was followed by "revising the company's own recruitment website" (43.6%), "utilizing previously unused recruitment services" (41.8%), and "revising recruitment conditions (salary and welfare)" (37.8%). Specific actions mentioned included "increasing annual days off and raising salaries," "changing the recruitment website," "creating video content," and "utilizing YouTube."

(3) Gap in communicating specific interests to candidates. While "prompt screening notification" was the top initiative for companies (77.8%) and the top desired response for candidates (61.0%), a significant gap existed regarding "communicating points of interest from the application information." Only 17.5% of companies prioritize this, whereas nearly 30% (29.2%) of job seekers value it. Providing personalized feedback during initial contact could significantly increase the likelihood of a candidate proceeding with the selection process.

Survey Overview - Period: March 16 - April 10, 2026 (Companies), April 5 - April 15, 2026 (Job Seekers) - Agency: Gakujo Co., Ltd. - Targets: HR personnel, Job seekers in their 20s - Valid Responses: 295 (Companies), 154 (Job Seekers) - Method: Online survey