Why Gen Xers Are Struggling With Remote Work

When it comes to remote work, Gen X seems to have mixed emotions. It’s a challenge employers are faced with as they try to reshape what the future of work looks like for a range of job candidates — and what that marketability looks like for those applicants.

From the article:

It’s something Gen Xer Jennifer Moss regularly discusses with friends. 

“Burnout is a big factor for this group because it takes a lot more work to work,” said Moss, author of Unlocking Happiness at Work and The Burnout Epidemic: The Rise of Chronic Stress And How We Can Fix It. “Millennials and Gen Zers are used to a full-time relationship with tech. Gen Xers have had to adopt it quickly when we moved to remote work overnight. It’s so much quicker to stop by someone’s desk.”

Karen McCullough, an expert on bridging the generational gap on the job, said she recently spoke at a conference on managing younger generations at work, and said several Gen X attendees approached her afterwards to express their frustration in communicating with younger direct reports.

“They told me their communication style is being questioned and they’re being called insensitive,” McCullough said. “They’re being told they’re too focused on work and not focused enough on the person. They’re making people cry.”

The sandwich generation

Another factor is their stage in life — sandwiched between caring for aging parents and kids whose mental health was deeply impacted during the pandemic. That’s case-in-point for Moss, whose parents just sold their home and informed her they’re moving in until their new place is ready. Meanwhile, she’s helping her teenage daughter deal with social drama, all while her husband, chief innovation officer at the local YMCA, is struggling with work-from-home.

Read the full article at the link below.