3 in 10 Gen Zers Say CEOs Are Evil; Many Believe Mangione Should Go Free

Gen Zers are increasingly critical of CEOs and their influence on society. This sentiment extends to figures such as Brian Thompson, with some Gen Zers supporting extreme consequences for perceived misconduct.

In mid-December, ResumeTemplates surveyed 1,200 U.S.-based Gen Zers to learn more about their opinions of CEOs.

Study highlights:

• Half of Gen Zers surveyed say CEOs have too much power in society today
• 6 in 10 believe CEOs are overpaid; the majority say they shouldn’t be able to earn more than $750,000 in total compensation annually
• 2 in 3 say CEOs drive corporate greed, and 3 in 10 believe they are evil
• 3 in 10 Gen Zers believe CEOs are evil
• 1 in 5 are not opposed to CEOs, such as Brian Thompson, paying for perceived professional wrongdoings with their lives

Half of Gen Zers Believe CEOs Have Too Much Power in Society

Our survey revealed that over half of Gen Zers (55%) believe CEOs wield excessive power in today’s society. This sentiment extends beyond corporate influence, with many perceiving CEOs as having too much influence over critical areas such as elections (46%), the economy (55%), and policymaking (54%).

6 in 10 Gen Zers say CEOs are overpaid

The majority of Gen Z respondents (59%) believe CEOs earn more than they should. When asked about appropriate compensation, most favored limits far below traditional executive packages. In fact, most respondents feel CEOs shouldn’t earn more than $750,000 annually in total compensation.

Specifically, 20% of the respondents say compensation should be under $250,000, 23% favor compensation between $251,000 to $500,000, and 18% support $500,000 to $750,000. Earnings of $751,000 to $1 million are supported by 15% of those surveyed, while 10% support $1 to $5 million, 4% favor $5 to $10 million, and just 3% back earnings above $10 million with a cap. Finally, 7% believe CEOs should have unlimited earning potential.

Along with the sentiment that CEOs are overpaid, only 20% of Gen Zers believe CEOs create the most value within a company. A larger share, 39%, believe all levels of the workforce equally contribute to a company’s success. Among specific roles, 16% point to non-management employees as critical to company success, while 13% say middle management, 8% say senior management, and just 3% say other C-suite employees contribute the most.

3 in 10 Say CEOs Are Evil

While the majority of Gen Zers agree CEOs create jobs and provide vision and direction for companies, a number also believe CEOs create harm and are “evil.”

1 in 5 Gen Zers say “CEOs deserve to lose their lives”

The survey reveals stark opinions about the accountability of CEOs for their professional actions. For the statement, “CEOs deserve to lose their lives for their professional actions,” 21% of Gen Zers agree, with 7% strongly agreeing and 14% somewhat agreeing. However, 54% disagree, including 13% who somewhat disagree and 40% who strongly disagree.

When asked specifically about Brian Thompson’s killing, 22% of respondents believe he definitely (10%) or probably (12%) deserved what happened, compared to 50% who say he probably didn’t (22%) or definitely didn’t (28%).

Similarly, 21% believe Luigi Mangione, the accused killer, should go free, as 10% say he definitely should go free and 11% said he probably should. On the other hand, 51% oppose his release, and 19% say he probably shouldn’t go free and 33% say he definitely shouldn’t go free.

Methodology: This survey was conducted December 18, 2024. In total, 1,200 U.S.-based Gen Zers were surveyed. The survey was balanced for gender. Media inquiries can be directed to [email protected].