The Evolving Working Life
The Evolving Working Life
Here's how Kiwis are feeling about work and careers in a world where we’re working longer than ever.
With the average life expectancy and retirement age continuing to climb, leading employment Marketplace, SEEK, has released its Evolving Working Life Report, providing insights into how New Zealand workers feel about their working life and careers in 2025 and beyond.
Key findings:
54% of New Zealand workers wish they had chosen a different career, with ‘career regret’ spiking amongst Millennial workers.
Financial concerns are the biggest barrier for those who regret their career choice.
More than two in five New Zealand workers (41%) believe they will realistically work into their 70s and beyond.
41% are comfortable making a career change, but only 6% are actively looking at ways to change careers.
When thinking about the future of work, over half of Kiwis are feeling optimistic (52%) and hopeful (59%), and 2 in 5 (40%) feel confident.
What this means for hirers:
1. Extended career spans create new talent pools
With 41% of New Zealanders expecting to work beyond age 70, talent acquisition professionals need to develop age-inclusive recruitment strategies. This extended working life means accessing experienced talent who might have previously been overlooked, while also planning for longer employee lifecycles and multi-generational workforce management.
2. High career mobility indicates transferable skills
Half of New Zealanders have worked across three or more different industries, demonstrating significant career diversity and adaptability. This suggests that hirers should focus more on transferable skills and potential rather than strict industry experience, opening up broader candidate pools for hard-to-fill roles across sectors.
3. Career regret presents opportunity for attraction
With 54% of New Zealanders regretting their career choices (primarily due to financial reasons at 50% and changed interests at 36%), there's a substantial pool of professionals potentially open to new opportunities. Hirers can leverage this by positioning roles as pathways to more fulfilling careers and better financial outcomes.
4. Extremely low active career change despite openness
While many Kiwis are open to career changes, only 6% are actively seeking new opportunities. This means hirers need to be highly proactive in outreach and employer branding, as potential candidates may not be actively job searching but could be interested in the right opportunity presented to them.
5. Financial security and family support drive career decisions Financial considerations are the primary driver for career decisions, with 50% citing financial reasons for not changing careers and 58% feeling they have no choice but to work longer. Additionally, Gen Z Kiwis show a strong desire to support family (18%), reflecting cultural values that hirers should understand within different generational groups.
Source: Independent research conducted by Nature of behalf of SEEK between October 2024 and February 2025. Over 5000 responses collected from Australians and Kiwis currently in the workforce (either employed or looking for work), aged 18 to 64.