Mind the generation gap: analysis reveals job satisfaction lifecycle

 

According to a study conducted by Westfield Health, 73% of workers between the ages of 18 and 24 were satisfied with their jobs but despite that, 55% are considering a new position. This compares to workers aged 55-64 where 54% were dissatisfied with their position but only 30% of them expressed interest in changing jobs. The life cycle of job satisfaction is an enigma for companies and HR teams now face a challenge where they must not only address the issues of a multigenerational workforce but must also be able to understand the challenges employees face at different points in life and the individual differences in what they want.

The article then mentions two major challenges for companies, being able to retain younger workers and being able to prevent resentment in older workers. Younger workers are difficult to predict, as they may show that they are happy with their current position, and still want to seek new opportunities, so to retain them, companies must develop a solid strategy to generate a commitment to the company and not just measure whether or not they are happy in their workplace. So, it is important to create a talent retention and benefits strategy and to know what really motivates them in their job, also taking into consideration their individual preferences.

Similarly, to prevent "resentment" in older workers, it is also important to listen to them and make them feel valued, thus avoiding the creation of a toxic work culture that can affect their well-being and the company's productivity. In addition, the study revealed that older workers were less likely to prefer benefits such as working from home or gym memberships but were more likely to prefer medical care and private medical check-ups.

It should not be overlooked that all people are different so always ask employees about what they want and emphasize personal development, encouraging the pursuit of new projects and skills, this is the key to keeping workers engaged and bringing out the best in themselves and their happiness.

This article has personal relevance to me because, in my experience, I totally validate the statistic since I had the opportunity to lead a team of analysts, where we worked in a very cohesive way and where each employee really showed their commitment and satisfaction with the company. So as a leader, you would never think that if employees are happy why would they look to change jobs. Well, here come the generational differences, I think that when they are young, they seek to experiment, try new experiences, things that can finally add up, and depending on the generation, they always seek to have something better. So when a member of my team resigned and we conducted the exit survey, she said that she was very happy in the position, that she was able to grow professionally, and that everything was fine, but she felt that she needed to experience new things, that she needed new challenges, these are issues that neither the human resources area nor I as a leader could foresee. So, we should not only measure job satisfaction, we must go a step further, try to connect with the employees, know their preferences, their motivations and try to put together a development plan that is compatible with the employee and the company, in this way, we will avoid that a talent leaves the company, and we will generate a greater commitment to it.

What impression has this article had on you, and do you agree with what the study reveals? Let me know in the comments if you have had any similar experiences.

HR News. (2023, February 23). Mind the generation gap: analysis reveals job satisfaction lifecycle. https://hrnews.co.uk/mind-the-generation-gap-analysis-reveals-job-satisfaction-lifecycle/