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.