Generational Divide Remains In Employee Tenure

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The COVID-19 pandemic initiated a reset in the workforce, and for many employees, that meant simply finding a new job. 

More than 4 million employees quit their jobs in December 2021 alone, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). However, one thing the pandemic didn’t change is which type of employee is most likely searching for his or her next career opportunity.

According to a recent study by CapRelo, frequent job-hopping remains a generational divide.

With an eye on ‘The Great Resignation,’ the researchers used BLS data to track employee tenure from 2010-2020, analyzing trends across age groups and gender. Probably to no surprise, the data showed that younger employees change jobs much more frequently than older employees.

Generational Divide Remains In Employee Tenure

Averaging the median years of tenure from 2010 to 2020, the study showed an increase for every consecutive age group measured. For example, employees who are 20-24 have an average median tenure of just 1.3 years while employees who are 45-54 have an average median tenure of 7.2 years. The pattern was very pronounced, with 18-19 year-olds staying with an employer for 0.8 years on average, 20-24 year-olds staying for 1.3 years, 25-34 year-olds staying for 3.0 years, and so on.

Median tenure dropped not only by age group but also over time, with employees aged 25 and over averaged 7.1 years in 2020 down from 7.2 years in 2010. When including employees aged 18 and over, the entire range dropped slightly, rendering the median tenure 5.5 years in 2010 and 5.4 years in 2020.

“This suggests that frequent job-hopping isn’t necessarily an acute issue brought on by the pandemic or other immediate economic stimuli,” Caprelo said. “Rather, it’s a generational shift, where younger employees are prioritizing different aspects of work culture and looking for those larger career jumps and skill development.”

Final Words

Of course, there are other factors involved. Different genders and careers also bring different rates of tenure, but there is no doubt that one thing the pandemic didn’t change is the young person’s itch to find new work opportunities.

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