When KPIs Aren't Enough: Redefining Success According to Gen Z
Oct 1, 2025
Performance, numbers, KPI – traditional measures of success that have dominated business for decades. However, Generation Z comes with a different perspective. Success for them is not just about how much a company makes or how many tasks an employee can handle. Engagement, the courage to create, and the ability to collaborate are also important.
According to research by G82, young employees perceive success far more complexly than their older colleagues. Managers are still holding on to numbers, but they also admit that they would like greater recognition for innovation and a creative approach.
Success as team performance
Gen Z wants success to be measured not only by performance indicators but also by qualitative aspects – whether the team engaged, whether it brought new ideas, whether it collaborated. Managers still prefer results, but both groups agree that innovativeness should carry more weight.
Meetings: creativity vs. efficiency
This difference is clearly shown in work meetings. Young people want brainstorming sessions, space for idea generation, sharing, and open discussion. Managers prefer quick, structured meetings focused on results. A solution might be a combination of a creative ritual with a clear framework. Informal meetings, where everyone has space to share their idea (sometimes referred to as open mic), or regular days without a formal agenda – like informal Wednesdays – or short morning meetings to energize the team (morning jams) can work great. But only if they have a clear framework and purpose. Otherwise, they could turn into chaotic chatter without results.
“Generation Z reminds us that success also has a human face. If we recognize collaboration and creativity alongside performance, we will have a culture that does not bind generations but connects them,” adds Šárka Rauchová, Senior Consultant at Kogi.
A culture that recognizes only KPIs risks losing motivation and creativity. However, if success is redefined to include courage, collaboration, and innovativeness, both generations will benefit from it. Data from the G82 research shows that such a redefinition can bring higher loyalty and long-term growth.