New Research Debunks "Job-Hopping" Myth About Millennials and Gen Z

National Institute on Retirement Security Research Finds Younger Workers Are Staying in Jobs at Rates Similar to Baby Boomers and Gen X at the Same Age

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Contrary to popular belief that Millennials and Generation Z employees are constantly switching jobs, new research from the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) finds that younger workers today show job retention patterns that closely mirror previous generations at the same stage of their careers.

The new issue brief, Debunking the Job-Hopping Myth: A Data-Driven Look at Tenure and Turnover Among Younger Workers, uses decades of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and additional independent research to examine employee tenure across generations. Read the research.

"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. This is a critical point for policymakers and employers to consider as they design retirement and benefit programs and policies for the workforce of the future."

The research key findings include:

• Median job tenure is nearly identical across generations. Workers aged 25–34 in 2024 (Millennials and Gen Z) had a median tenure of 2.7 years, only slightly lower than Baby Boomers at the same age in 1983.
• Economic conditions, rather than generational attitudes, drive worker turnover. Quit rates rise during strong economies and fall during recessions, as seen during the 2008 Great Recession and the 2020 pandemic.
• Public sector benefits promote retention. State and local government employees have significantly lower quit rates due to more widespread access to pensions and healthcare benefits.
• Industry differences shape job stability. Manufacturing jobs, which traditionally offer stronger benefits, show higher retention rates compared to retail and professional services.

The National Institute on Retirement Security is a non-profit, non-partisan organization established to contribute to informed policymaking by fostering a deep understanding of the value of retirement security to employees, employers and the economy as a whole. Located in Washington, D.C., NIRS membership includes financial services firms, employee benefit plans, trade associations, and other retirement service providers. More information is available at www.nirsonline.org.

SOURCE National Institute on Retirement Security