Gen X disengagement rises in U.S. tech sector
UTAH & WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — A startling new Qualtrics survey has revealed that American Gen X tech professionals, born between 1965 and 1980, are displaying declining engagement in their workplaces, a trend that could have significant implications for the tech industry.
Study findings show 68% of Gen X workers consider work less central to their lives compared to before the pandemic, while 15% find work significantly less central to their life ambitions. In contrast, only 38% of Gen X workers feel more inspired by their company’s mission now than before COVID-19.
Millennial tech professionals, born between 1981 and 1996, seem more committed to their work. Approximately half claim that their work is now more important to them than before, and nearly one-third would exclusively seek jobs within the tech sector if they were to change roles.
Dr. Benjamin Granger, Qualtrics’ Chief Workplace Psychologist, indicated that the older workforce’s dwindling enthusiasm requires a fresh employer-employee contract.
“Call it a ‘mid-life crisis’ for tech companies or just one more change brought on by the pandemic years, but there’s clearly a shift in sentiment, especially among the older, more tenured employees,” he noted.
Location also plays a role in employee attitudes. Tech workers in dense tech hubs are more concerned about job stability and more confident about securing better-paying positions if needed. Among them, 61% plan to job-hunt within the year, partly due to the push to return to offices. This drops to 41% for tech workers located in other regions.
The study, conducted online in July and August 2023, gathered insights from 1,000 tech employees across the United States.
