Six Generations in the Workforce

U.S. workplaces now employ six generations — from the youngest members of the Silent Generation, often still holding key leadership roles, to the teenagers of Gen Alpha beginning their first summer jobs. Gen Z, millennials, Gen X, and baby boomers make up most of the American workforce, each with distinct values and needs.

Recent research on white-collar workers highlights the importance of corporate culture and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) efforts, as well as workplace flexibility across these groups. Notably, flexibility is equally valued by baby boomers and Gen Z, underscoring how a post-pandemic hybrid work environment can benefit employees of all ages. But the “silver tsunami” — the mass retirement of baby boomers, a group currently comprising 76 million workers — is approaching, which could lead to a significant workforce shortage for decades to come.

This generational shift will also impact the planning profession. The retirement of baby boomers combined with younger generations’ workplace expectations could create tensions and challenges in planning practice, particularly in public-sector planning.