David McQuinn poses for a photo Tuesday, May 10, 2016, in Chesterfield, Mo. McQuinn, 61, is retiring Tuesday after 30 years with MiTek, a construction and engineering firm in suburban St. Louis, a length of time with one employer that is unlikely to be achieved by many younger workers. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)A new poll says more than 40 percent of America’s baby boomers stayed with their employer for more than 20 years. But it’s unlikely that their children or grandchildren will experience the same job tenure.
The survey of more than 1,000 Americans 50 and older by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that 41 percent of those employed workers have spent two decades with the same company, including 18 percent who’ve stayed at least 30 years.
But it’s a trend more common among the older baby boomers than younger ones, and traditional pensions appear to be one of the driving factors.
Among those who have had at least 20 years with a single employer, the survey found that about half are excited about retirement, but a third are anxious about their post-work lives.
David McQuinn, 61, is retiring Tuesday after 30 years with MiTek, a construction and engineering firm in suburban St. Louis. He says there were times he thought about leaving but he liked his co-workers and his senior position and also owned stock in the company.