After statistically analyzing more than two million data samples from the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) government-wide Federal Viewpoint Surveys from the years 2006-2013, Millennials consistently had the lowest job satisfaction levels (compared to other generations)—and unfortunately those levels decreased over time. Meanwhile, analyzed OPM Fedscope data from the years 2000-2014 revealed a continual increase of Millennials quitting the federal government.

The results from these two independent data sources beg the question: Why is this particular generation of federal employees so dissatisfied to the point of quitting?

While there is empirical evidence of this phenomenon, it is difficult to discover conclusive answers as to why. Synthesizing the results with private-sector research reinforces the significant value Millennials places on their workplace attributes. Incorporating this evidence with continual Baby Boomer retirements promotes the urgency of further analysis.

On a positive note, while the research that uncovered these trends is government-wide, the results may not be indicative of all federal agencies. This means that while the big picture doesn’t look promising, it can be a different landscape among high performing agencies. Further analyses should be conducted to find these agencies and understand what sets them apart.

Organizations can learn from the agencies with high Millennials satisfaction scores and emulate them. Do they encourage collaborative environments? Do they reward innovation and smart risk-taking? While these professional characteristics are not limited only to Millennials, they are known to be hallmarks of the government’s youngest employees. Considering workplace values such as these could go a long way in keeping these young leaders and future innovators in the federal workforce.

Ian Barford will discuss his research on this topic further during the “Next Generation Leadership Development: Learning for Every Phase” session at Government Workforce: Learning Innovations.