Gallup, the company known for its surveys, seems to be usingdata gathered about millennials to create anxiety among businessleaders.

In a recent report, How Millennials Want to Work and Live, itoffers this (partial) summary of its findings:

“… The strength of the marketplace and workplace depend on whatthe millennial generation can accomplish. If millennials cannotfind good jobs, the economy will continue to lag. If they are notengaged in those jobs, companies' profitability, productivity andinnovation will suffer. And if they are not thriving in theirwell-being, they will struggle in life, affecting how they performas citizens, consumers and employees.”

Related: Millennials too focused on work

The survey report then proceeds to declare millennials the“least engaged generation in the workforce.” This is critical,since Gallup, among other consulting groups, identifies engagementas the key to productivity.

Yet let’s take a look at this alarming generational gap inengagement:

Engagement by generation

• Millennials: 29 percent

• Gen Xers: 32 percent

• Baby boomers: 33 percent

Not engaged by generation

• Millennials: 55 percent

• Gen Xers: 50 percent

• Baby boomers: 48 percent

Actively disengaged

• Millennials: 16 percent

• Gen Xers: 18 percent

• Baby boomers: 19 percent

Of course every percentage point of engagement allegedlytranslates into a related bump up in productivity. But could notthe following statement found in the report apply just as well toGen Xers and baby boomers, based on the above numbers?

“The millennial workforce is predominantly ‘checkedout’ — not putting energy or passion into their jobs. They areindifferent about work and show up just to put in their hours.”

Are the percentages cited marginal differences or huge gaps? Dothey indicate a severe problem with millennials only — or with theentire U.S. workforce?

Now, when it comes to job-hopping, Gallup’s report confirmed whatmany other surveys have found: that millennials job-hop morefrequently than other generations. Again, the difference betweenthis young generation and their elders is a matter ofinterpretation. Gallup says 50 percent of millennials “stronglyagree that they plan to be working at their company one year fromnow.” Among non-millennials, that number is 60 percent.

Other gaps are more substantial. The survey found that 60percent of millennials say they are “open to a different jobopportunity;” while 45 of non-millennial workers say the same.Additionally, 36 percent of millennials say that will look for ajob with a different organization in the next year if the jobmarket improves, compared to 21 percent of non-millennials.

It’s a sizable gap. But that’s also a pretty big “if.”

Other findings from the survey include a lack of affiliationamong millennials with political parties and religiousorganizations, compared to their elders. And, of course, they aremore “wired” and more constantly “connected” to work and friendsthan the others.

The survey also reported myriad points of strong similaritybetween the three main working generations. Yet Gallup would haveorganizations undergo complete structural and philosophicaloverhauls to accommodate millennials:

“In nearly every corner of the U.S., business executives,community and civic leaders, marketers and managers are talkingabout millennials and their behaviors, attitudes and beliefs. Theywant to understand how this generation is similar to and how theydiffer from their predecessors, as well as how to apply thisknowledge to create more engaged employees and consumers andhealthier, happier citizens.”

What the data seems to suggest is that employers should havebeen addressing engagement much earlier by striving for a strongermission and better communications with all generations.

Perhaps millennial data can be used to finally get leadership topay attention to the tired old ways of doing business that justdon’t work for most employees. Because there is one area wheremillennials are indisputably ranked much higher than othergenerations: Many more of them will be in the workforce for manyyears to come.