Gen Z – The Canary in the Coal Mine

Gen Z has a reputation for being entitled, immature, difficult to manage, and quick to complain about work.

But Gallup’s latest employee engagement figures suggest that workplace dissatisfaction is hardly unique to Gen Z.

In 2025, just 31% of American employees were engaged at work, meaning they felt involved in, enthusiastic about, and committed to their work. That leaves nearly seven out of ten who weren’t.

And as the chart below shows, engagement was remarkably low across generations, with surprisingly little difference between the youngest and older workers.

That’s a lot of disengaged employees, and hardly a problem unique to Gen Z.

Younger workers want meaningful work, opportunities to grow, supportive management, and a reasonable balance between work and personal life. Those aren’t unreasonable expectations, nor are they exclusive to younger workers.

Perhaps the difference isn’t what the generations want from work, but how they respond when they don’t get it. Older workers may have learned to tolerate frustrations that Gen Z is more willing to challenge.

Not every complaint is justified, but dismissing Gen Z as entitled risks overlooking problems affecting the entire workforce.

Gen Z may be the canary in the coal mine, saying out loud what other generations have learned to keep to themselves.