Job Engagement Levels Across the Generations at Work

Abstract

For more than a decade, low levels of employee engagement have consistently been reported by the press and consultant community. A recurring chorus has emerged from this pattern of reporting: not only are less than 30% of employees fully engaged in their work, but this statistic is even lower among the fastest growing segment of the workforce – Millennials. But is the engagement level of Millennials really as low as reported? Are Millennials more likely to be actively disengaged than their older coworkers? This chapter takes a fresh look at these questions. A series of field studies were conducted to determine if there are indeed large differences in the level of engagement between the generations. The research conclusions in this chapter are at odds with the often-cited reports of low employee engagement. The reason for this variance is discussed and actionable solutions for facilitating high levels of employee engagement across a generation-diverse workforce are offered.