Beyond cohorts: how age-based differences on work engagement challenge generational determinism among Spanish professionals

Introduction Underpinned by the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, this study examines the effectiveness of generational classifications in predicting work engagement, challenging the assumption that birth cohorts determine professional behavior. Methods Using a quantitative research approach with a descriptive, cross-sectional design, the study targeted the broad population of active professionals across the Spanish labor market. A final sample of 339 participants (comprising Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z) was selected via non-probabilistic snowball sampling. Primary data were collected using an online questionnaire incorporating the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-17). Results The results revealed significant differences in the vigor dimension with Baby Boomers scoring higher. Yet they also showed that sociodemographic variables (such as employment status) were more predictive than generational membership. Discussion In theoretical terms, this study contributes to the field by demonstrating that the resource-accumulation perspective of the JD-R model is a more effective explanatory framework than “generational determinism.” Empirically, the study provides evidence from the Spanish context that organizational HR strategies should prioritize individual life stages and resource management over broad generational stereotypes.