The generation that hates work the most isn’t the one you’d think

New research reveals that while disliking one's job is common, feelings about work vary significantly among different generations. Conducted by AI-based résumé-building company KickResume, the survey polled over 1,000 anonymous respondents about their attitudes towards their careers. The findings show that most workers (38%) fall somewhere between loving and hating their jobs, with 15% actively disliking them and 12% hating them.

However, when it comes to being the least content with their chosen profession, one age group stands out as the most unhappy: Generation X. Thirty-four percent of workers aged 46 to 61 said they dislike their jobs, compared to 26% of millennials and just 22% of Gen Zers. Additionally, 53% of Gen Xers stated they would quit if they didn't have to work, compared to 46% of millennials and 36% of Gen Zers. Furthermore, 29% of Gen Xers stay in their jobs only because they can't find better alternatives.

Interestingly, this discontent might be linked to Gen X's reputation as "the original quiet quitters." The survey also classified respondents into six different groups based on their feelings about their jobs and how these feelings manifested at work. The majority of workers (37%) were categorized as "The Performer," acting like everything is great most of the time but dreading work a few times a week. In second place were "The Undercover Job Hunter" (26%), who enjoyed their jobs but used work time to quietly job-hunt.

Other groups included "The Stuck" (20%), who only stayed put because they couldn't find another job, "The Daily Dreaders" (16%), who actively dreaded each day at work, and "The Genuinely Happy" (13%), who genuinely liked their jobs. The survey also revealed that 86% of respondents faked enthusiasm about work during the previous week, with 39% doing so a few times and 25% on most days. Only 14% were always honest about their feelings.