Overview
- LinkedIn published a multinational survey on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, based on 18,050 workers polled by Censuswide between July 20 and August 11, 2026 across 12 countries including India.
- The survey found 83% of Gen Z professionals in India are not actively networking and cited top barriers of fear of being judged (44%), worrying about bothering people (39%), and fear of sounding inauthentic (37%).
- LinkedIn data shows Indian applicants with an inside connection are nearly 8.5 times more likely to be hired and the platform says interacting with others’ posts increases the chance of receiving connection requests by about threefold.
- The report exposes a perception gap: 92% of surveyed Millennials and 95% of Gen X professionals said they would offer help to early-career workers, yet 59% of Gen Z say no one has taught them how to build professional relationships.
- LinkedIn recommends low‑barrier steps such as following before connecting, engaging with content, and building relationships before they are needed; if Gen Z does not act on that advice the survey suggests the shortfall could widen hiring inequalities.