Harris Poll: 70% of Gen Z Healthcare Workers Look to Leave as U.S. Faces Critical Healthcare Workforce Shortage, Commissioned by Workforce Edge

Survey reveals expectations of younger employees; declining interest in AI among employers

HERNDON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--One year after the initial survey, the 2026 Healthcare Workforce Barometer conducted by The Harris Poll finds that more than half of the healthcare workforce (59%) is still looking to leave with 70% of Gen Z healthcare workers saying they will look for a new role in the next year. These findings come as the U.S. is projected to face a shortage of nearly 500,000 critical healthcare workers by 2038 (HRSA, 2025).

Strategic Education, Inc. and its subsidiary Workforce Edge commissioned the study to better understand how to retain and replenish the workforce amid acute staffing shortages. These challenges are further compounded by an aging workforce, with the HRSA reporting that 1 in 3 nurses is over the age of 50. The poll, which surveyed both healthcare employees and employers, examined the career expectations of younger workers, the impact of AI and the value of workforce education.

The findings suggest that Gen Z’s workplace mobility may be due to different workplace expectations, not a lack of long-term commitment.

• While 70% of Gen Z workers expect to explore a new role in the next year, they show a willingness to eventually settle in somewhere: 65% of Gen Z workers claim they expect to stay with one employer for five or more years and 95% value job stability/long-term security.
• Gen Z workers have a greater expectation for advancement, with 89% of Gen Z reporting that clear opportunities for advancement are important to them in their jobs, compared to 77% of older generation workers reporting the same.
• 86% of Gen Z workers think that education and/or learning new skills will help them move up in their careers.

“As a nurse and educator of more than 42 years, these findings confirm what I have seen first-hand. Younger healthcare workers are willing to move on if their employer doesn’t support their career trajectory,” said Adele Webb, Healthcare Workforce Advisor for Workforce Edge. “Employers must develop a retention strategy that incorporates the learning and advancement opportunities this generation expects.”

The survey also found that few healthcare employees trust their employer to invest in their future.

• While employees report that clear opportunities for advancement are important, only 26% of employees have a great deal of trust that their employer will support their long-term career growth.
• Meanwhile, nearly half (47%) of employers point to a lack of opportunities for advancement, professional development or education as the main reasons employees leave.

Despite high expectations, workforce education remains an underutilized retention strategy.

• 75% of healthcare workers say they are interested in continuing their education through degree programs, certifications, or skills-based learning, and 81% report they would be interested in participating in an employer-sponsored education benefits program.
• Meanwhile, 89% of employers offering workforce education programs indicate that they improve retention and career mobility among those that use them, but less than half (48%) have a comprehensive workforce education program.

“The disconnect between what healthcare workers value and what they believe their employers will provide is striking. Employees are looking for opportunities to grow and advance, and employers themselves recognize that a lack of those opportunities can drive people to leave,” said Jennifer Musil, Global President of Research, The Harris Poll. “The findings point to a clear opportunity for employers to strengthen retention by making professional development and education a more meaningful part of their workforce strategy.”

The survey findings also suggest that AI hasn't fundamentally changed healthcare work—yet.

• Only 48% of healthcare workers report feeling comfortable using AI-based tools in their current role, and 39% note that AI has had no noticeable impact on their work yet.
• Two-thirds (66%) believe that as healthcare workers, they are less at risk of AI replacing their jobs entirely than workers in other industries. Pew Research cites that 56% of U.S. adults (regardless of industry) are extremely or very concerned about AI eliminating jobs.
• 45% of healthcare workers agree that they trust AI will provide meaningful benefits to patients.

Employers view AI as less important than they did last year.

• In 2025, 89% of healthcare employers agreed that it was critical for employees to learn AI skills to stay competitive in the healthcare field. That number dropped in the 2026 Healthcare Workforce Barometer, with 79% of employers believing AI skills were critical for employees to stay competitive.

“These results suggest that both employers and employees recognize the value of preserving the human element in healthcare,” added Webb. “While AI remains an important capability and can help streamline work and create efficiencies, the demands of patient care coupled with the need to protect sensitive health data require a more measured approach when it comes to implementing AI tools in clinical settings.”

The full survey can be found here: HealthcareWorkforceBarometer.com.

Survey Methodology:

The research was conducted online in the U.S. by The Harris Poll on behalf of Strategic Education, Inc. and its subsidiary Workforce Edge among 1,514 healthcare employees (U.S. adults aged 18 years or older who were employed full-time in healthcare and provided direct patient care in care-giving roles) and 304 healthcare employers (U.S. adults aged 21 years or older who were employed full-time in healthcare and provided direct patient care in director or higher roles). The survey was conducted between June 12 and July 1, 2026.

About Workforce Edge Workforce Edge helps employers understand what skills exist across their workforce, build new ones quickly, and connect learning to business outcomes. Through curated, flexible learning pathways, degree or short form programs, a centralized platform, and hands-on partnership services, we design education strategies that go far beyond traditional benefits.

The result: strong internal mobility and a workforce that can adapt to constant change without increasing complexity or losing control of budget.

We support working adults and have helped employers invest over $100 million in their workforce. For more information, visit https://workforceedge.com/. Workforce Edge is a subsidiary of Strategic Education, Inc.

About Strategic Education, Inc. Strategic Education, Inc. (NASDAQ: STRA) (www.strategiceducation.com) is dedicated to helping advance economic mobility through higher education. We primarily serve working adult students globally through our core focus areas: 1) Education Technology Services, developing and maintaining relationships with employers to build education benefits programs providing employees access to affordable and industry-relevant training, certificate, and degree programs, including through Workforce Edge, a full-service education benefits administration solution for employers, and Sophia Learning, which offers low-cost online general education-level courses that are ACE-recommended for college credit; 2) U.S. Higher Education, including Capella University and Strayer University, each institutionally accredited, and collectively offering flexible and affordable associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs; and 3) Australia/New Zealand, comprised primarily of Torrens University. This portfolio of high quality, innovative, relevant, and affordable programs and institutions helps our students prepare for success in today’s workforce and find a path to bettering their lives.