Many employers say they don’t play favorites, but one generation seems to be getting lost in the shuffle. While bosses think a lot about incoming Gen Z employees and retiring boomers, Gen X is being overlooked, and it’s hurting their morale. 

Despite making up one-third of the U.S. workforce—more than three times the number of boomers in the office—Gen X is 18% less likely than other generations to say they feel a strong sense of belonging at their organization, according to a new report from Achievers, a workplace software company. This generation, aged 44 to 59 years old, is also 30% less likely than others to say they’re meaningfully recognized at work. 

Hannah Yardley, chief people and culture officer at Achievers, tells Fortune that Gen X isn’t being neglected because of their birth order. Instead, these workers largely occupy middle management positions. Overwhelmed and stretched thin with a litany of responsibilities, nearly half of middle managers want to quit their jobs, according to a 2023 survey from the Workforce Institute at UKG, an employee software company. Management can often forget that these managers also need feedback, attention, and appreciation. 

“Gen Xers tend to be in more leadership roles, and so they’re expected to operate more independently,” says Yardley. “When you think about all the things that are happening in our workplaces, between COVID and our outside world, that’s a huge burden to be placed on managers. We’re seeing this high level of burnout because of the dualness of their roles as an employee and leader.” 

Gen X is around 30% less likely than other generations to say they’re able to share candid feedback, and know they will be heard and respected. They’re also 27% less likely to say their company does a good job supporting their well-being in contrast to older and younger coworkers. Their emotional health is also suffering—Gen X is about 31% less likely to say their mental well-being is supported relative to other generations. 

This lack of support is trickling down into how they show up to work. Gen X is 24% less likely to be enthusiastic about their job, 23% less likely to say they’re more productive at work, and 20% less likely to say they’re very engaged on the job compared to other generations, according to the report. 

And with many Gen Xers carrying the burden of supporting both children and aging parents, they’re less likely than other generations—like Gen Z—to speak up when they’re unhappy. 

They were not “born into a generation that was typically used to sharing their voice in a public way,” says Yardley. 

Emma Burleigh
emma.burleigh@fortune.com

Around the Table

A round-up of the most important HR headlines.

Technology companies say that demand for industrial robots has waned in 2024, despite many manufacturing factories touting they’re taking on the automated machinery. Bloomberg

OpenAI leased 90,000 square feet of Soho real estate to open its first New York City office, and property owners are hopeful it will drive demand for workspace in the area. WSJ

The largest U.S. firefighter union, representing almost 350,000 workers, declined to endorse a presidential candidate after both nominees have tried to garner their support. The Guardian

Watercooler

Everything you need to know from Fortune.

On hold. The dock workers strike has been suspended until Jan. 15 to allow time for contract negotiations, but they have reached a wage agreement. —Tom Krisher, AP

Careful. Amid slumping plane ticket sales, Dutch airline KLM is rolling out a slew of cost-cutting measures to boost productivity, while attempting to avoid mass layoffs. —AFP

Jump in. Billionaire Richard Branson says that Gen Z might find more career success by adopting a “just get out into the world and do it” attitude, and skip college to “get on with it.” —Orianna Rosa Royle