Understanding the job-hopping syndrome among millennial employees in the U.S. food and agribusiness sector: a national survey

A company’s ability to retain its employees is one of the pillars of long-term success for any business. For this reason, employee retention and employment continuity have been topics of interest among researchers in business, human capital and psychology fields. By 2025, millennials will constitute approximately 40% of the U.S. workforce. The existing research suggests that 60% of millennial employees will leave their employer within three years from their start date imposing significant costs on the company to re-hire and train new employees. These challenges can be even more significant in the U.S. food and agribusiness sector, where a growing global demand for food and fiber increases demand for talent. Therefore, this study uses a national-level survey of millennial employees who work in the U.S. food and agribusiness sector to: (1) explore the frequency of job-hopping; (2) identify job-related factors influencing their decision to stay with their current employer; and (3) evaluate how these factors impact millennial employees’ frequency of job-hopping. The findings indicate that the job-hopping is indeed observed in the U.S. food and agribusiness sector but to a lesser degree compared to non-agriculture sectors. The number one reason for leaving or considering leaving their current employer was the lack of opportunities for career growth and advancement. These findings show that employers need to focus on meeting the employees’ not only short-term but also long-term career goals, as well as work-life balance, relationship with management, health care benefits to increase employment continuity and reduce job-hopping.