The U.S. Workforce Is About To Experience A Major Generation Shift

It was bound to happen, and the moment is expected to occur sometime next year: There will be more Gen Zers in the workforce than Baby Boomers.

According to analysts at Glassdoor who took a deep dive into relevant census numbers, Gen Z (aka Zoomers) are reaching adulthood and getting jobs at a pace that will eclipse the remaining Boomers who are retiring and exiting the workforce.

What it means for your generation

As you might know, many Zoomers are still minors and won’t be in the workforce next year. And it’ll be a while before they make up the majority of Americans with jobs.

Estimates indicate there will be more Millennials working in the U.S. for roughly the next two decades.

Once again, Gen X is underrepresented, even though its focus on a healthier work-life balance than their Boomer parents had is still at the root of today’s job culture.

The end of an era for older workers

As its name implies, the “Baby Boomer” generation was particularly large as post-war Americans enjoyed a robust economy and many had lots of kids. Now, many Boomers are already retired and even the youngest of the bunch are approaching retirement age.

By the late ‘70s, Boomers had already occupied the majority of the American workforce … and that dominance continued for more than 30 years.

The comparatively small Gen X occupied the status next, but it only lasted from 2012 to 2018. Then Millennials shifted into the role, bringing along a new attitude to work. A focus on flexibility and “job-hopping” has defined this period, which is expected to last until the early 2040s.

What will Zoomers contribute? Most analysts think they’ll bring about more transparency between managers and workers as well as an increasingly diverse and inclusive workforce.

Chris Agee November 23rd, 2023

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