A new survey from Harris Poll, commissioned by Strategic Education and Workforce Edge, reveals a striking paradox in the U.S. healthcare workforce: 70% of Gen Z healthcare workers plan to explore new job opportunities within the next year, yet 65% say they ultimately hope to stay with a single employer for five years or more. Across all age groups, 59% of healthcare workers said they expect to seek a new role soon.

The disconnect points less to wanderlust and more to unmet ambition. Nearly half of employers surveyed identified a lack of career growth or training as the top reason workers leave — yet only about one in four employees said they trusted their employer to invest in their professional future. That trust gap may be fueling the churn.

By the Numbers:

• 70% of Gen Z healthcare workers plan to explore new roles in the next year
• 65% of Gen Z workers still hope to stay with one employer for 5+ years
• 59% of all healthcare workers expect to seek a new job soon
• ~500,000 projected U.S. healthcare worker shortage by 2038
• 79% of employers say AI skills will be critical — down from 89% a year ago

Why it matters: With a looming workforce crisis on the horizon, healthcare employers can't afford to lose talent to preventable turnover. The data suggests that investing in career development and rebuilding employee trust could be the most effective retention strategy — especially for the next generation of healthcare workers.