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74% Of Employees Surveyed Admit Currently Living Paycheck To Paycheck
In a nutshell
- 73% of Gen Z and 70% of millennials are looking to change jobs, compared to only 33% of baby boomers, highlighting a significant generational divide in workplace satisfaction. Nearly 3 in 4 workers are living paycheck to paycheck
- Burnout affects 68% of Gen Z workers but only 30% of boomers, with monotonous work and stagnant pay cited as top factors contributing to workplace exhaustion.
- Most workers want better pay (58%), flexible work arrangements (48%), and policies limiting after-hours communication (43%) to improve their job satisfaction and reduce burnout
NEW YORK — The workplace landscape is changing, with younger and older employees viewing their careers very differently. New research reveals younger workers are far more likely to be heading for the exit door, exhausted and underpaid.
A survey of 2,000 employed Americans conducted by Talker Research found that 73% of Gen Z workers and 70% of millennials are actively looking to change jobs or careers. Compare that to just 51% of Gen X and 33% of baby boomers with similar plans.
Burnout Hits Young Workers Hardest
The research, commissioned by HR platform isolved, uncovered that workplace burnout affects over half (52%) of all workers, with younger generations bearing the brunt. A whopping 68% of Gen Z workers report feeling burned out, alongside 61% of millennials, while only 47% of Gen X and 30% of baby boomers experience the same.
Workers cite job monotony as their primary burnout trigger, with 33% feeling stuck in a daily grind of repetitive tasks. Many (23%) are frustrated by increased job expectations without corresponding pay raises, and an equal number feel their work goes unappreciated.
“The level of burnout employees are experiencing is deeply concerning,” said Amy Mosher, Chief People Officer at isolved. “But even small changes can go a long way in improving how people feel at work. While compensation adjustments may take time, companies can act now by offering more flexible work arrangements or setting clear boundaries around after-hours communication. These practical steps can significantly improve both employee well-being and organizational health.”
The Reality of Toxic Work Environments
Nearly one-third of employees believe they work in toxic environments where concerning patterns emerge – over half (52%) work while sick, and about one-third (31%) skip lunch breaks entirely.
The biggest threats to workplace culture? Stress among colleagues (47%), rigid work environments (40%), general negativity (32%), and widespread company burnout (31%).
This toxicity directly impacts productivity, with over a third (36%) of burned-out workers now doing only what’s explicitly required rather than going above and beyond.
Workers identified several major stressors: overwhelming workload (46%), pressure to hit targets (34%), and being expected to stay connected outside normal hours (32%). Adding to these pressures, 67% reported staff reductions at their company in the past year, with 58% worrying about their own job security.
What Workers Want (And Need)
When asked what would improve their situation, better pay topped the list (58%). To combat burnout specifically, workers want flexible work arrangements (48%) and policies prohibiting after-hours communication (43%).
The research shows a troubling disconnect in professional development too. Almost half of workers (46%) rated their employer’s support for career advancement as merely adequate, while 8% described it as poor. This translates to wavering loyalty, with just over half of Americans (51%) feeling strongly committed to their current employer.
Financial insecurity compounds these workplace stresses, with nearly three-quarters (74%) of workers living paycheck to paycheck.
“With so many employees under pressure, it’s critical for organizations to invest in technology — not to replace their workforce, but to empower them,” Mosher emphasized. “Employers need to identify and address the specific stressors impacting their people, which requires ongoing, two-way communication. Burnout looks different across roles and teams, so there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Listening to employees is the first step to designing work environments that support both performance and well-being.”
The Bottom Line for Businesses
With more than seven in ten young workers already looking elsewhere, companies ignoring compensation issues, flexibility needs, and toxic workplace cultures face a significant talent drain, particularly among younger employees.
While comprehensive compensation adjustments may take time, businesses can take immediate steps to address workplace concerns. The message to employers is clear: act now on the warning signs, or watch your talent walk out the door.
Methodology: Talker Research surveyed 2,000 employed Americans; the survey was commissioned by isolved and administered and conducted online between March 17–21, 2025. The article also references data from a 2024 isolved survey of 1,127 full-time American workers. Quality control measures excluded speeders, inappropriate responses, bots, and duplicates. All data was analyzed at 95% confidence level. The survey was limited to internet users, which may affect generalizability.
Sounds like a lot of “I want it now, I’m not willing to pay my dues like everyone else in America has done since its founding, and WHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAA! woe is me, sniff sniff”.
Most work is boring and repetitive. Work is not a video game. Since these younger generations are brought up on video games which are short in duration, quickly rewarding and narcissitic they do not cross over to the work place. Also, since so many do not want to have children, the need to keep a job to feed the “family” is not a requirement. So burn out is probably not the correct phrase.
Gen Z and the Millennials are the laziest generations to come along yet. Based on the output at my company I don’t know what they could be so exhausted from.
It’s probably no coincidence that it’s the younger workers who have the greatest amount of job dissatisfaction since it’s younger folks without seniority who get paid less. If the job stinks, no amount of money is going to make the worker like the job more. BTW, today’s younger generations don’t have the work ethic that older employees possess.
completely useless with out context. How many were living paycheck to paycheck 3 years go? 5 years? 10 years? I suspect it hasn’t changed dramatically in 5 years.
All of us were living paycheck to paycheck long before Trump took office,,,, have you forgotten Bidens COL spike of double digits…? well those high prices just dont retreat when the COL goes down…hell no business keeps them there for more profit.
As for “young people” employees,,,,they are just lazy and coddled too much… ask any employer… a real PIA
Well as soon as we get the 24 hr work week that’s deserved and rational than we can see but until then power to the people who care about the We in we the people and not the I in Cry Baby. (Yeah I know).
It’s always around that %, and very often higher
While I know that there are people who are on a limited income, I have to ask how many people who claim they are living “paycheck to paycheck” are living beyond their means?
Exactly. I’m guessing 90% of that 70%
Its also what state you live in. Living in California vs another state with lower taxes affects the cost of living. However, if relocation is involved, the company will adjust the pay to match the demographic. Essentially, if you work like a machine, then that is how you will be treated. Humans do not have replaceable parts. Wearing multiple hats at work is no longer a badge of honor, it is something to be compensated for. Either they pay more or AI will gladly do the job. I sense a work revolution coming in the next decade. The technological demands of business is not something a human can keep up with without sacrificing mental health and work/life balance. We are not cattle to work/go home/watch tv/go back to work/rinse and repeat. If you get stuck in that cycle and dont invest your money in something that generates income back, you will always be working check to check since that is how the game was initially organized. You will just get enough to get by with bills but not enough where you have financial freedom.
13,197.
It could go either way though couldn’t it?
Further, how many baby boomers give a crap about finding new work when they’re in their 70’s/80’s? Seems like a potentially flawed comparison
Clearly employers must shift focus as the best workers will simply go elsewhere.
They need to drop the Entitlement and just get to work! Nobody is going to take care of you but you! Stop wasting your money on takeout and the bar and track your spending! I went from paycheck to paycheck to only owing on my mortgage and current on bills. I pay off the Cards each month. You too can have this but it takes a little fortitude from your side!
You are delusional, sadly. I make bank (over 150K) and have no CC debt. Just car loan and few other expenses. I am single. I don’t waste money. But I live in this hell hole called LA where it costs money just to exist. I am not complaining about my own shit, but I can’t buy a house or even a condo on one income and work my ass off. Imagine some young people making half of that working twice as hard, they are all just lazy and entitled?