• 94% of Thai Gen Zs and 85% of Thai millennials say housing affordability directly impacts their career decisions — well above global averages of 69% and 64%.

• 83% of Thai Gen Zs and 84% of Thai millennials are interested in pursuing leadership roles at some point, outpacing global figures of 76% and 67%. Yet only 2% name it as their primary goal today.

• 87% of Thai Gen Zs and 88% of Thai millennials use AI in their day-to-day work, significantly above the global figure of 74% for both generations.

• 99% of Thai Gen Zs and 100% of Thai millennials say having a sense of purpose is important for their job satisfaction.

Thai Generation Zs (Gen Zs) and millennials are facing greater concern about their financial future than their peers in many other countries, with housing affordability a particularly acute pressure point. 94 percent of Thai Gen Zs and 85 percent of Thai millennials say affordability of housing directly impacts their career decisions and where they can work — well above the global averages of 69 percent and 64 percent respectively.

Furthermore, 65 percent of Gen Zs and 57 percent of millennials in Thailand say they have delayed major life decisions, such as starting a family, furthering education, or launching a business, due to their financial situation, compared to 55 percent and 52 percent globally. Cost of living tops the list of concerns for both Thai Gen Zs (43 percent) and millennials (45 percent), consistent with the global trend now in its fifth consecutive year.

This data was revealed in Deloitte’s 2026 Global Gen Z and Millennial Survey. Now in its 15th year, the research draws on responses from more than 22,500 Gen Zs and millennials across 44 countries, alongside qualitative insights from business leaders. This includes the views of more than 300 Gen Z and millennial respondents in Thailand.

“Cost of living has topped the list of concerns for Thai Gen Zs and millennials for the fifth year running, and with recent salary growth in Thailand recorded as below historical averages, the financial squeeze this generation feels is real. The findings make clear that financial reality is not only reshaping spending habits but changing timelines for major life and career decisions. Yet, what stands out about Thai respondents is their resilience — they remain ambitious and deliberate in their career goals, showing higher rates of AI adoption and stronger interest in leadership than their global peers. These generations are being adaptable, pragmatic and intentional about how and when they move forward,” said Mr. Ariya Phukfon, Technology and Transformation Leader, Deloitte Thailand.

Financial pressures for Gen Zs and millennials are echoed at the organisational level, with Deloitte’s Thailand Salary Policies Survey 2025 Report revealing that Thai salaries rose by 4.5 percent in 2025, below the historical average of 5 percent.

Leadership is welcome, but other values such as purpose and balance prevail

Thai Gen Zs and millennials show strong aspirations for leadership. 83 percent of Gen Zs and 84 percent of millennials in Thailand say they are interested in pursuing leadership roles at some point in their careers, outpacing the global figures of 76 percent and 67 percent. Yet only 2 percent of both generations name it as their primary career goal today, suggesting interest is widespread but not urgent.

Despite their career ambitions, work-life balance maintains a top priority for Thai Gen Zs and millennials, with 23 percent of Thai Gen Zs and 27 percent of millennials citing it as a driving factor for their career choices. Echoing their financial concerns, job stability is also a key priority for 23 percent of Thai Gen Zs and 21 percent of millennials. For this generation, leadership is associated with well-being trade-offs, with concerns cited about stress, burnout, and lack of work-life balance as barriers.

Thai respondents place huge value on purpose at work, compared to their global counterparts. 99 percent of Gen Zs and 100 percent of millennials in Thailand say having a sense of purpose is important for their job satisfaction. Thai respondents also show higher rates of rejecting potential employers or assignments due to misalignment with personal values — 52 percent of Thai Gen Zs versus 41 percent globally, and 46 percent of Thai millennials versus 39 percent globally.

Workplace relationships matter deeply, too. 81 percent of Thai Gen Zs and 75 percent of Thai millennials say they have colleagues they consider personal friends, and those with strong work friendships report higher happiness and longer planned tenure with their employer.

Thailand leads on AI adoption, but the readiness gap remains

Thailand stands out globally when it comes to AI adoption. 87 percent of Thai Gen Zs and 88 percent of Thai millennials report using AI in their day-to-day work, above the global figures of 74 percent for both generations. Thai respondents are also more confident in their AI capabilities and more proactive in seeking new AI training as the technology evolves.

However, organisational readiness has not kept pace. Only 44% of Thai Gen Zs and 43% of Thai millennials say the AI tools provided by their employer are mostly or completely sufficient. The top barriers to AI use at work include compliance limitations, tools that do not address specific needs of the role, lack of effective training opportunities, and the lack of knowledge and experience.

“Thai Gen Zs and millennials are approaching the world with resilience and adaptability. They are adopting AI faster than their global peers, seeking out training, and making purposeful choices about where and how they build their careers. The organisations that keep up will be those willing to evolve with the younger generations. They will be the ones who invest in structured learning and skill-based progression, build systems designed to change with them, and recognise that adaptation is a continuous exercise,” said Mr. Phukfon.

To learn more, read the full report here: www.deloitte.com/genzmillennialsurvey and for the Thailand country report here: https://www.deloitte.com/southeast-asia/en/services/consulting/perspectives/th-genz-millennial-survey-2026.html

About Deloitte Global 2026 Gen Z and Millennial Survey
Deloitte’s 2026 Gen Z and Millennial Survey reflects the responses of 14,384 Gen Zs (born between 1995 January and 2007 December*) and 8,211 millennials (born between 1983 January and 1994 December). In total, 22,595 respondents were surveyed from 44 countries across North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. The survey was conducted using an online, self-complete-style interview between 24 November 2025 and 15 January 2026.

The report includes quotes from survey respondents who answered open-ended questions, as well as from participants in one-on-one, ethnography style, qualitative interviews conducted separately from the online survey. In addition, the report draws on insights from in-depth interviews with business leaders on workforce trends and intergenerational dynamics. The qualitative interviews were conducted between 18 December 2025 and 13 March 2026. Qualitative insights from Gen Z and millennial respondents are attributed by pseudonym and generation to protect participant privacy. Business leader insights are attributed to named individuals and their organizations, with permission.

*Gen Zs are typically defined as being born between January 1995 and December 2010, but this study does not include respondents younger than 18, so each year the definition of Gen Zs in this survey shifts a year to include all adult Gen Zs.