September 04, 2025
Job-Hopping? More Like Myth-Hopping
Despite the stereotype that Millennials and Gen Z employees can’t stay in one place for long, new research from the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) shows otherwise. In fact, younger workers today display job tenure patterns strikingly similar to those of Baby Boomers and Gen X at the same stage of their careers.
The NIRS issue brief, Debunking the Job-Hopping Myth: A Data-Driven Look at Tenure and Turnover Among Younger Workers, draws on decades of U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics data, as well as independent research, to examine generational trends in job tenure. It highlights that the myth of the restless, commitment-averse Millennial or Gen Zer doesn’t hold up.
“These findings should put to rest the myth that Millennials and Gen Z inherently are job hoppers,” said Dan Doonan, NIRS executive director. “Younger workers have always changed jobs more often than older workers as they find their career path. That was true for Baby Boomers, Gen X, and it remains true today. The real drivers of turnover are the economy, benefits, and job opportunities, not generational differences.”
In fact, another report highlights that most Gen Z employees have a strong work ethic, and their dedication to work has drastically increased in the last year.
According to the report, workers aged 25–34 in 2024—today’s Millennials and Gen Z—have a median tenure of 2.7 years, closely mirroring the same age group of Baby Boomers in 1983. In addition, it emphasises that economic conditions play a bigger role in job-switching than employee attitudes: turnover rises during strong economic periods and drops sharply during downturns, as seen during the 2008 recession and the 2020 pandemic.
The findings also highlight the influence of benefits and industry on employee loyalty. State and local government workers, who typically receive pensions and healthcare, are much less likely to leave their positions. Similarly, retention is higher in manufacturing jobs, which often provide more comprehensive benefits, compared with sectors like retail or professional services, where turnover tends to be higher.
For policymakers and employers, this means that job stability isn’t about generational differences. It’s about creating the right economic conditions and benefit structures to encourage workers to stay.
