diff --git a/changelog.d/12457.doc b/changelog.d/12457.doc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a4871622cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/12457.doc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Update worker documentation and replace old `federation_reader` with `generic_worker`.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/systemd-with-workers/README.md b/docs/systemd-with-workers/README.md
index b160d93528..d516501085 100644
--- a/docs/systemd-with-workers/README.md
+++ b/docs/systemd-with-workers/README.md
@@ -10,15 +10,15 @@ See the folder [system](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/tree/develop/docs/
 for the systemd unit files.
 
 The folder [workers](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/tree/develop/docs/systemd-with-workers/workers/)
-contains an example configuration for the `federation_reader` worker.
+contains an example configuration for the `generic_worker` worker.
 
 ## Synapse configuration files
 
 See [the worker documentation](../workers.md) for information on how to set up the
 configuration files and reverse-proxy correctly.
-Below is a sample `federation_reader` worker configuration file.
+Below is a sample `generic_worker` worker configuration file.
 ```yaml
-{{#include workers/federation_reader.yaml}}
+{{#include workers/generic_worker.yaml}}
 ```
 
 Systemd manages daemonization itself, so ensure that none of the configuration
@@ -61,9 +61,9 @@ systemctl stop matrix-synapse.target
 # Restart the master alone
 systemctl start matrix-synapse.service
 
-# Restart a specific worker (eg. federation_reader); the master is
+# Restart a specific worker (eg. generic_worker); the master is
 # unaffected by this.
-systemctl restart matrix-synapse-worker@federation_reader.service
+systemctl restart matrix-synapse-worker@generic_worker.service
 
 # Add a new worker (assuming all configs are set up already)
 systemctl enable matrix-synapse-worker@federation_writer.service
diff --git a/docs/systemd-with-workers/workers/federation_reader.yaml b/docs/systemd-with-workers/workers/federation_reader.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 13e69e62c9..0000000000
--- a/docs/systemd-with-workers/workers/federation_reader.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-worker_app: synapse.app.federation_reader
-worker_name: federation_reader1
-
-worker_replication_host: 127.0.0.1
-worker_replication_http_port: 9093
-
-worker_listeners:
-    - type: http
-      port: 8011
-      resources:
-          - names: [federation]
-
-worker_log_config: /etc/matrix-synapse/federation-reader-log.yaml
diff --git a/docs/systemd-with-workers/workers/generic_worker.yaml b/docs/systemd-with-workers/workers/generic_worker.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8561e2cda5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/systemd-with-workers/workers/generic_worker.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+worker_app: synapse.app.generic_worker
+worker_name: generic_worker1
+
+worker_replication_host: 127.0.0.1
+worker_replication_http_port: 9093
+
+worker_listeners:
+  - type: http
+    port: 8011
+    resources:
+      - names: [client, federation]
+
+worker_log_config: /etc/matrix-synapse/generic-worker-log.yaml
diff --git a/docs/workers.md b/docs/workers.md
index caef44b614..446b7e5064 100644
--- a/docs/workers.md
+++ b/docs/workers.md
@@ -146,12 +146,10 @@ worker_replication_host: 127.0.0.1
 worker_replication_http_port: 9093
 
 worker_listeners:
- - type: http
-   port: 8083
-   resources:
-     - names:
-       - client
-       - federation
+  - type: http
+    port: 8083
+    resources:
+      - names: [client, federation]
 
 worker_log_config: /home/matrix/synapse/config/worker1_log_config.yaml
 ```