Research finds fear of judgement is costing young professionals valuable career opportunities and mentorship
Research from LinkedIn shows most Gen Z professionals recognise the value of a professional network but are avoiding building one. The study found that while 89 per cent of Gen Z say a professional network matters for their career, 61 per cent remain on the sidelines, held back by a fear of bothering people (41 per cent), being judged (37 per cent) or sounding inauthentic (30 per cent).
The research was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of LinkedIn among 18,050 full-time and part-time workers aged 18 to 80, surveyed between 20 July and 11 August 2026 across markets including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, India, Singapore, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia – making the networking gap it identifies a pattern for employers to watch well beyond any single market.
A generation that's never been taught how to network
More than seven in 10 Gen Z respondents (71 per cent) told LinkedIn that no one had really taught them how to build professional relationships – they had either had limited guidance or worked it out themselves.
That lack of grounding shows up in outcomes: almost a quarter of Gen Z (22 per cent) say they've found their next role through their professional communities online, and LinkedIn's data shows job applicants with an inside connection were 6.7 times more likely to get hired than those without one.
Brendan Wong, LinkedIn career expert, said the barrier for most young professionals isn't a lack of understanding – it's the first step. "No one can predict exactly where work is heading next. Jobs are changing, new skills are emerging, and many young professionals are still figuring out where they fit. That's why the people around us matter so much. They can open doors, share advice, help build confidence and connect us to opportunities we might never have discovered on our own."
Older generations are more willing to help than Gen Z assumes
One of the more striking findings is the gap between what Gen Z fears and what older colleagues are actually willing to do. The majority of Millennials (85 per cent) and Gen X professionals (87 per cent) say they would offer advice and support to someone at the start of their career, even if they didn't know them personally.
Asked how HR leaders could help normalise a lower-pressure approach to networking inside their organisations, Wong said the emphasis should shift away from formal events. "I think the key is helping people see that relationship-building is often just the result of people sharing ideas, supporting each other and participating in conversations."
"We often think of networking as attending events or introducing yourself to strangers, but most people build relationships through regular, small interactions over time. Whether that's sharing an idea, recognising someone's work or joining a discussion, those moments help create familiarity and trust," he said.
On why young professionals underestimate senior colleagues' willingness to help, Wong pointed to perception rather than reality. "I think one of the biggest barriers is perception, because a lot of young professionals assume senior colleagues are too busy or wouldn't be interested in hearing from them, when the reality is often the opposite."
"The more organisations can highlight examples of people helping each other, whether that's sharing advice, mentoring someone or making an introduction, the more approachable those conversations become."
What this means for employers as artificial intelligence reshapes hiring
As artificial intelligence (AI) changes how people search for and apply for jobs, Wong argued that human relationships remain an advantage no algorithm can replicate. He noted that applicants who apply to a company where they already have a connection are 4.5 times more likely to be hired, yet only around one in five applications currently go to those companies.
"A personal introduction or a referral cuts through the noise in a way that technology simply cannot replicate, as careers are still built on people," he said.
For HR teams working to close the gap between young talent and the relationships that could accelerate their careers, the research suggests the fix doesn't require a major program overhaul. Wong's advice to young professionals is to start with shared ground – a school, an industry or a shared interest – and to follow people whose careers or ideas interest them before sending a connection request, so any later outreach feels natural rather than cold.
He also encouraged employers to invest in relationship-building "before you need them," pointing out that LinkedIn members are almost three times more likely to receive a connection request, and nearly five times more likely to receive a message, if they've engaged with a connection's post first.
Organisations already running structured mentoring support for early-career staff may be best placed to close the gap Wong describes, and it's worth benchmarking that support against how peer employers are approaching Gen Z retention and development this year.
