MIT study: Employers have abandoned young workers, not the other way around

A new book by MIT labor economist Paul Osterman challenges the narrative that Gen Z avoids traditional careers, citing survey data showing the opposite. His research finds that 35% of U.S. workers hold what he calls "disposable jobs"—roles with no real attachment to the organization and high expected turnover. This category, which includes contractors and marginal W-2 employees, far outnumbers gig workers, who make up only about 2% of the workforce.

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Osterman's survey covered more than 6,000 adults aged 24 and older, supplemented by nearly 100 interviews with workers, employers, and staffing agencies. His "marginal workers" category spans adjunct faculty, case-based attorneys, and high-turnover retail staff—W-2 employees hired with no expectation of advancement or long tenure. Contract workers embedded in tech companies for years without full-time paths also qualify.

The book directly challenges the popular narrative that younger generations reject traditional employment. Osterman found attitudes toward career-seeking remain stable across age groups, with the only notable shift being greater emphasis on work-family balance. Glassdoor's chief economist Daniel Zhao corroborates