ATLANTA, GA – January 29, 2024 – Randstad USA unveils its highly anticipated 2024 Workmonitor report, capturing the pulse of the American workforce and shedding light on the key trends shaping employee expectations. This year’s report uncovers the latest workforce dynamics, with a focus on the preferences and expectations of different generations in the workplace.
“Attracting and retaining talent is always a top priority for businesses, but it's even more critical in today's competitive labor market. Our Workmonitor report showcases the unique perspectives of the workforce, allowing organizations to get a glimpse of what’s top of mind of their employees,” commented Greg Dyer, Chief Commercial Officer at Randstad.
Here are three of the seven key insights uncovered by Randstad's Workmonitor 2024 survey in the United States:
The Remote Work Debate
- According to the data, an increasing number of employees in the United States prefer returning to the office, but this impacts the younger generations more. The survey reveals that 23% of Gen Z and 19% of Millennials in the U.S. are working from home more to avoid commuting costs. Interestingly, in an ideal world, a majority of people are interested in returning to the office. Younger workers in the U.S. (21% Gen Z, 23% Millennials, Gen X 23%) want to return at least five days, while Boomers (27%) prefer remote work. Moreover, 29% of U.S. Gen Z and 40% of Millennials would consider quitting their jobs if their employer asked them to spend more time in the office compared to older Americans (48% Gen Z and 53% Boomers), who were more likely to disagree.
Work-Life Integration and Career Development
- 42% of Gen X and 38% of Boomers in the U.S. agree they would quit a job if it prevented them from enjoying their life. For younger generations, this number is even higher, with 57% of Gen Z and 53% of Millennials expressing the same sentiment. It is worth noting that different generations place varying levels of importance on development and advancement opportunities. Gen Z (50%) and Millennials (54%) consider these opportunities crucial in influencing their career ambitions, while Gen X (37%) and Boomers (19%) also acknowledge their significance, albeit to a lesser extent.
- When asked what learning & development opportunities they would be most interested in if provided by their employer, there are several noteworthy responses — among Gen Z respondents, programming and coding, coaching and mentoring, and management and leadership ranked highest in their top three choices. Similarly, Millennials were interested in management and leadership skills, IT and technological literacy, and programming and coding as their top selections. Meanwhile, Gen X expressed an interest in management and leadership skills, well-being and mindfulness, IT and technological literacy, and coaching and mentoring. Boomers, on the other hand, selected well-being and mindfulness, artificial intelligence training, and IT and technological literacy for their training.
Job Satisfaction and Retention
- 57% of Gen Z employees in the U.S. agree they would quit a job if it prevented them from enjoying their life. A majority of older generations agreed, with (53% Millennials, 42% Gen X and 38% Boomers) sharing the sentiment.
Dyer continued, “These trends showcase the continued shift in employees' perspectives on the role of work in their lives and their expectations from organizations. As the market evolves, organizations must adjust their strategies to remain competitive.“
The data in this report is based on the global Randstad Workmonitor 2024 survey, which surveyed over 27,000 workers aged 18 to 67 across 34 different markets. The U.S. edition focuses exclusively on the insights and trends specific to the American workforce.
For more detailed findings and additional trends, visit here.
about randstad north america
Randstad North America, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Randstad N.V., the world’s largest talent company and a partner of choice to clients. We are committed to providing equitable opportunities to people from all backgrounds and helping them remain relevant in the rapidly changing world of work. We have a deep understanding of the labor market and help our clients to create the high-quality, diverse and agile workforces they need to succeed.
Randstad was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Diemen, the Netherlands. In 2022, in our 39 markets, we helped more than 2 million people find a job that feels good and advised over 230,000 clients on their talent needs. We generated revenue of €27.6 billion. Randstad N.V. is listed on the Euronext Amsterdam. For more information, see www.randstad.com
Randstad's North American operations comprise 7,100 associates and a deployed workforce of 91,100 in the U.S. and Canada. In addition to staffing and recruitment, Randstad offers outsourcing, consulting and workforce management solutions for generalist and specialist disciplines, including technology, engineering, accounting and finance, clinical and non-clinical healthcare, human resources, legal, life sciences, manufacturing and logistics, office and administration and sales and marketing. Global concepts available to North American client companies include RPO, MSP, integrated talent solutions, payrolling and independent contractor management and career transition services. Learn more at www.randstadusa.com or www.randstad.ca.
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Kiara Reynolds-Westry