Inconsistent hiring trends in the civilian sector of the Department of Defense (DoD) have resulted in a series of gaps in the age demographics of the workforce. Currently, the Baby Boomer generation is approaching retirement, and the percentage of Civilian DoD workers eligible for retirement continues to increase. In the near future, this situation will result in the mass exodus of a large portion of the Civilian DoD workforce, leaving many critical roles and responsibilities to be assumed by the younger generations. In order to best understand how to manage this transition, federal managers must understand the key age and generation-related differences that exist in satisfying and engaging the federal workforce.

A survey instrument was compiled using the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), and a job factor importance questionnaire. The survey was distributed to a sample population at the US Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC), with a total of 277 responses being used for analysis. MANOVA and ANOVA techniques were used to determine any statistically significant age and/or generation related differences in the importance of job factors, the satisfaction with certain job factors, and the level of engagement in one's job. Additionally, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to investigate the relationship between job satisfaction and work engagement.

The findings of the research project suggest that several statistically significant differences in the level of job satisfaction and work engagement did exist, however these differences were due primarily to age, maturity, or career stage rather than generational cohort. Generational stereotypes found in popular literature were not supported. Lastly, the SEM analysis suggested that work engagement is a contributor to job satisfaction. By understanding the age-related differences suggested in the research, federal managers can better structure the work environment to become more satisfying and engaging to an age- diverse civilian DoD workforce.