In 2025, Gen Z healthcare workers are becoming a powerful force across hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities. They’re not just showing up to work — they’re reshaping how the healthcare workforce communicates, develops, and delivers care. With bold expectations and a drive for efficiency, Gen Z professionals are changing the conversation around staffing, leadership, and innovation in healthcare.
According to Sentara Healthcare’s workforce planning team in Norfolk, Virginia, this younger generation is clear, confident, and unafraid to speak up. Their communication style is direct, and their expectations are specific.
Clear, Direct, and Purpose-Driven: Gen Z’s Approach to Work
Gen Z healthcare workers stand out because of how they communicate. As Justin Fulton, SVP and Chief Talent and Learning Officer at Sentara, explains, they aren’t vague or passive.
“They’re telling us very clearly, ‘This is exactly what I want,’” says Fulton.
These emerging professionals crave clear expectations, actionable feedback, and structure. They want to know what the task is, when it’s due, and how it should be done. And if something can be improved, they’ll say so—confidently.
Challenging Tradition with Innovation
Today’s healthcare organizations are being pushed to evolve, not just from external pressures, but also from inside their own walls. Gen Z healthcare workers bring a fresh mindset and are quick to challenge outdated practices.
Fulton highlights that this is not resistance—it’s reinvention.
“The thinking that got us here 30 years ago is not the thinking that’ll take us even five years from now.”
This mindset is essential as systems confront burnout, staffing shortages, and digital transformation. Gen Z professionals want more efficient systems, modern tools, and the opportunity to be part of the solution.
Sentara’s Workforce Strategy: Built for Gen Z
To meet these expectations, Sentara launched a strategic workforce development program tailored to empower young talent:
High-Potential Leadership Cohort
A 4–6 month initiative designed to help high-performing contributors move into frontline leadership roles—exactly the kind of growth path Gen Z healthcare workers are asking for.
Aligning Talent with Business
Sentara began aligning workforce strategies with business needs, starting in IT and expanding to ambulatory and post-acute care units. By examining internal demographics and high-impact roles, the organization created customized talent strategies with each department.
Each initiative includes:
- Immediate actions (0–6 months)
- Near-term plans (6–18 months)
- Long-term goals (18+ months)
This phased approach brings visibility, direction, and accountability to career development.
Giving Departments Ownership of Talent Strategy
Unlike traditional HR-led programs, Sentara’s model empowers departments to take the lead. IT teams, for example, are now driving their own talent initiatives with HR as a collaborative partner.
“The business is in the front seat, driving,” says Fulton.
This shift appeals directly to Gen Z healthcare workers, who value inclusion and want to shape the future of their workplace. They’re not looking to be managed — they’re looking to lead, contribute, and innovate.
Why Healthcare Employers Must Adapt
The future of healthcare staffing isn’t just about hiring—it’s about meeting the expectations of a new generation. And Gen Z healthcare workers expect:
- Transparent, two-way communication
- Opportunities for career progression
- Collaborative, efficient workflows
- The ability to question and improve outdated systems
Healthcare organizations that fail to adapt may struggle with retention, engagement, and long-term stability. Those that succeed will build future-ready teams with stronger leadership pipelines.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
They want clear communication, growth paths, efficient workflows, and the ability to contribute to change.
Offer transparent leadership tracks, involve staff in innovation, and align talent development with real business goals.
Yes. Their expectations and mindset are already reshaping communication, structure, and innovation in care delivery.
Ready to build a healthcare workforce that thrives in 2025?
Let us help you design leadership programs, talent strategies, and workplace cultures that appeal to Gen Z healthcare workers — and strengthen your teams for the future.
To dive deeper into how healthcare roles and training are evolving, explore our related insights. Learn how New York’s new rule allowing nurses to follow orders from physician assistants is expanding care access in underserved communities. Discover how CNA training programs in 2025 are adapting to new healthcare demands.
And don’t miss our blog on hospital nursing strategy priorities 2025, where we break down how safety, staffing, and leadership are reshaping nursing in the year ahead.
Together, these trends reveal a healthcare system in transformation—driven by innovation, flexibility, and future-ready talent.
Stay connected—follow us on social media for more!
