It is not secret that the facilities management industry is facing a significant labor shortage as the Baby Boomer generation begins to retire. As older workers begin to transition out, they take a wealth of knowledge with them, leaving more gaps than just a shortage of workers.
Gen Z, born between the years of 1995 – 2012, are just the youngest members of the workforce, with the oldest of the bunch turning 30 this year. Despite this, many facility executives are still hesitant to hire Gen Z employees. According to a study by Intelligent, one in eight hiring managers said that they are avoiding hiring recent college graduates in 2025, saying that the generation lacks work ethic and are unprepared for the workforce.
The generation hasn’t had the fairest shake when it comes to the workforce, though. Many first entered their respective industries at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and either had to navigate unemployment or working remotely. As many companies are deciding to shift back into in-office operations, many people are still adjusting to this new way to work.
For the last five years, many Gen Z employees have not had side-by-side learning opportunities that new employees traditionally need in order to thrive in new working environments, The Wall Street Journal reports. But while this is seen as a negative for some, many Gen Zers are able to adapt and use new technology. In addition, Gen Z is more likely to have transparent conversations with their bosses about their career trajectory, often wanting their bosses to be coaches or mentors rather than just their manager.
But with people continuing to turn their noses up at the younger generation, Generation X has made it clear that retirement is not on their radar, despite feeling overwhelmed in their careers.
According to a report by Fortune, 67 percent of Gen Xers said that they are overwhelmed by the constant changes in their jobs. The same report found that the generation is also worried about being left behind in their careers due to these workplace changes.
Despite these concerns, 20 percent of the workforce today is over the age of 65 – double the amount than it was 35 years ago. While it is easy to blame the economy for this ongoing change, that simply might not be the case. According to a separate Fortune report, many Gen Xers continue to work because they just enjoy it. Even though retirement isn’t necessarily on the horizon, many are interested in reducing their workload as they age.
Similar to Gen Z, though, Gen X wants to work for a company that demonstrates a commitment to company culture and working for organizations that align with their personal beliefs.
Mackenna Moralez is the associate editor of the facilities market and the host of the Facilities in Focus podcast.
