Express Employment Professionals’ America Employed and Canada Employed series explore the state of employment in North America, including everything from hiring expectations and HR challenges to job seekers’ optimism and shrinking the skills gap. Learn about the latest insights uncovered in a recent Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey.
Is the label “entitled” accurately applied to younger generations in the workplace, or does it reflect their heightened ambition, assertive self-advocacy, and emphasis on work-life balance and personal fulfillment? A recent Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey indicates Gen Z and millennials are widely perceived as the most entitled regarding raises and promotions, adding fuel to this ongoing debate.
In the U.S., job seekers say they haven’t received a raise or promotion in the last two years, with more than 1 in 10 reporting they received one more than two years ago (12%) or never received one at all (11%).
Ninety percent of job seekers who received a raise or promotion felt entitled to it.
Among those who have received a raise or promotion, the most common reasons include:
- Meeting individual accomplishments (40%)
- Receiving positive performance evaluations (38%)
- Positive feedback from colleagues (37%)
- Skill growth (31%)
- Company success (28%)
- Desire for more time off (24%)
- Skills better suited for another career (27%)
Canadian job seekers (18%) say they have never received a raise or promotion or haven’t received one within the past two years.
Among those who have received a raise or promotion, the most common reasons include:
- Meeting individual accomplishments (34%)
- Positive feedback from colleagues (34%)
- Receiving positive performance evaluations (32%)
- Long time service with the employer (31%)
- Long period between last raise or promotion (27%)
- Company performing well (26%)
The majority of those who received a raise or promotion (69%) report that their employer proactively gave it to them, while only 31% proactively requested it.
Read more about the latest employment insights in America Employed at ExpressPros.com and Canada Employed at ExpressPros.ca.
Last Updated on November 4, 2025
