A new survey by Talker Research, conducted on behalf of Newsweek, has found that employees in Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2006) are most likely to be working on Christmas Day.
The survey of 1,000 participants across various age groups revealed that while most people avoid working on December 25, more than half (52 percent) of Gen Z respondents reported working on the holiday at least occasionally. In contrast, only 14 percent of Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) said the same.
Who Is Working on Christmas Day?
Always working: 5 percent of both Gen Z and Millennials (1981-1996) reported they “always” work on the holiday, compared to just 3 percent of Generation X (1965-1980) and almost none of the Silent Generation (1925-1945).
Often working: 7 percent of Gen Z respondents said they “often” work Christmas Day, compared to 6 percent of Millennials and only 1 percent of Baby Boomers.
Sometimes working: 16 percent of Gen Z reported “sometimes” working, slightly less than the 19 percent of Millennials but far exceeding the 4 percent of Baby Boomers.
Overall, only 48 percent of Gen Z respondents said they “never” work on Christmas Day. That figure was dramatically higher the older respondents were, reaching 86 percent among Baby Boomers and 97 percent in the Silent Generation.
Experts attribute Gen Z’s higher likelihood of working on Christmas to their strong presence in industries that often operate through the holidays, including retail, hospitality, healthcare, and gig work. “Younger workers are heavily represented in industries like retail, hospitality, healthcare, and gig work—essential jobs that don’t shut down for the holidays.” Eva Chan, lead career expert and Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), told Newsweek.
As well as the likelihood for Gen Z employees being needed at work during the holidays, Chan explained that financial incentives also play a role. “For many Gen Z workers, it’s a practical decision: holiday shifts often come with higher pay, like double-time or bonuses, which can be hard to pass up, especially with the rising cost of living,” she said.
These factors are combined with the younger generation often having fewer personal obligations, such as childcare or hosting family events, may make younger workers more open to holiday shifts.
Where older generations traditionally see the holidays as a time to spend with family, meaningful incentives—such as extra pay or flexible time off later—can transform holiday work into an appealing opportunity for Gen Z. “For many, it’s not about giving up a holiday but making a choice that benefits them,” Chan said.
This survey result comes as other studies point to potential “mass resignation” in the Gen Z and Millennial workforce in 2025. A report from background screening platform Checkr, for instance, suggests that over half of Gen Z workers surveyed said they would quit their jobs without a raise, a stark contrast to only 20 percent of Baby Boomers expressing the same sentiment.
At the same time, efforts like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis‘ announcement of additional holiday leave for state workers will give nearly 100,000 full-time state employees extra paid days off around Christmas. But part-time OPS workers are excluded from the policy, underscoring persistent inequities in how labor is valued.
This random double-opt-in survey of 1,000 general population Americans was commissioned by Newsweek between December 2 and December 6. It was conducted by market research company Talker Research, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).
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