Despite making up one-third of the U.S. workforce—more than three times the number of boomers in the office—Gen X is 18% less likely than other generations to say they feel a strong sense of belonging at their organization, according to a new report from Achievers, a workplace software company. This generation, aged 44 to 59 years old, is also 30% less likely than others to say they’re meaningfully recognized at work.
Hannah Yardley, chief people and culture officer at Achievers, tells *Fortune* that Gen X isn’t being neglected because of their birth order. Instead, these workers largely occupy middle management positions. Overwhelmed and stretched thin with a litany of responsibilities, nearly half of middle managers want to quit their jobs, according to a 2023 survey from the Workforce Institute at UKG, an employee software company. Management can often forget that these managers also need feedback, attention, and appreciation.
“Gen Xers tend to be in more leadership roles, and so they’re expected to operate more independently,” says Yardley. “When you think about all the things that are happening in our workplaces, between COVID and our outside world, that’s a huge burden to be placed on managers. We’re seeing this high level of burnout because of the dualness of their roles as an employee and leader.”
RockieK on
Gen X is tired of reinventing themselves every time the economy tanks, too.
Just cannot freaking get ahead: first, pensions replaced by 401ks (that only a few employers offered), then the dot com bust, then 9/11… the The Great Recession… then COVID… so tired of reinventing every ten years.
Shington501 on
Good thing the media is there to remind them of their burdens, should be good for their confidence. How about a solution?
3 Comments
Despite making up one-third of the U.S. workforce—more than three times the number of boomers in the office—Gen X is 18% less likely than other generations to say they feel a strong sense of belonging at their organization, according to a new report from Achievers, a workplace software company. This generation, aged 44 to 59 years old, is also 30% less likely than others to say they’re meaningfully recognized at work.
Hannah Yardley, chief people and culture officer at Achievers, tells *Fortune* that Gen X isn’t being neglected because of their birth order. Instead, these workers largely occupy middle management positions. Overwhelmed and stretched thin with a litany of responsibilities, nearly half of middle managers want to quit their jobs, according to a 2023 survey from the Workforce Institute at UKG, an employee software company. Management can often forget that these managers also need feedback, attention, and appreciation.
“Gen Xers tend to be in more leadership roles, and so they’re expected to operate more independently,” says Yardley. “When you think about all the things that are happening in our workplaces, between COVID and our outside world, that’s a huge burden to be placed on managers. We’re seeing this high level of burnout because of the dualness of their roles as an employee and leader.”
Gen X is tired of reinventing themselves every time the economy tanks, too.
Just cannot freaking get ahead: first, pensions replaced by 401ks (that only a few employers offered), then the dot com bust, then 9/11… the The Great Recession… then COVID… so tired of reinventing every ten years.
Good thing the media is there to remind them of their burdens, should be good for their confidence. How about a solution?