If leaders want to effectively operate their teams and retain employees, they must understand what drives workplace happiness for everyone. A recent study from Cangrade, an artificial intelligence-based hiring solutions company, sought to find out how happy each generation is at work and why, according to Fast Company.
Cangrade’s study asked 608 U.S. employees from four generations—baby boomers, Generation X, millennials and Gen Z—a series of questions in an online survey to gauge their attitudes and values at work. The results showed that though there are similar rates of happiness across the three older generations, Gen Z is by far the least happy at work.
Twenty-six percent of Gen Z workers reported they are unhappy in their jobs. One factor could be because they have recently entered the workforce and are more likely to hold entry-level positions. Additionally, Mental Health Million Project reports Gen Z has the lowest rates of overall mental wellness.
Important values also varied by generation. Gen X and millennials said feeling proud of the work they do is crucial to workplace happiness; baby boomers were more likely to say their work is significant to their overall identity and they value feeling heard at work; and Gen Z employees’ happiness at work is connected to how passionate they are about the work they do.
Some key highlights from the survey include 17% of Gen Z workers highly agreed with the statement, “I think about quitting my job,” which was more than all other generations surveyed; 42% of millennials highly agreed with the statement, “I am proud of the work I do”; 91% of Gen X workers agreed with the statement, “My manager trusts me”; and 50% of baby boomers agreed with the statement, “I like telling people what I do for a living.”
As the roofing workforce ages and contractors face a labor shortage, it could help to know what the youngest generation of workers values in the workplace: professional development, new opportunities to learn and grow, mentorship and knowing their work means something.
