Job satisfaction rose across nearly all age groups in 2025 — except for 18-24-year-olds — resulting in a 15-percentage point satisfaction gap between the youngest and oldest generations, according to a new survey from The Conference Board.
The survey, conducted in January, is based on responses from 1,734 employed U.S. workers. More than 100 respondents were under 25; 1,167 were 25-54-year-olds; and 466 were 55 or older.
Among respondents 55 or older, 72.4% rated their satisfaction as 4 or 5 on a 5-point Likert scale with 1 as least satisfied, 5 as most satisfied. That’s compared to 57.4% of 18-24-year-olds.
For context, a 14-percentage point satisfaction gap was found between the youngest and oldest generations in 2021.
Overall job satisfaction climbed 5.6 percentage points in 2025 compared to the last survey in 2023, according to the Board. However, 18-24-year-olds were the only age group to experience a decline. At the same time, older workers saw substantial improvements across nearly every aspect of their job, which ranged from performance review process to commute to work.
“This year’s results reveal a widening generational divide in how happy workers are in their jobs,” Allan Schweyer, principal researcher, human capital at the Board, said in a June 11 news release. “While mid- and late-career workers are reaping the benefits of improved leadership, manageable workloads and meaningful work, younger workers are still searching for the right culture fit. This highlights a need for more personalized strategies to engage early-career talent.”
Read more about the survey here.
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