Across industries and time zones, workplace stress is a growing concern. Long hours, instant deadlines, office environment and the economic precarity have been detrimental for the employees globally.
While stress is not a new concept in the work arena, the amount of work, technology, scale and speed with which the Gen Z is experiencing it are unrivaled, and they are regarded as the most stressed generation. The AI disruption and the global strain that some call a permacrisis have made work a stress rather than a passion. Significantly since the global pandemic, many are reluctant to work in the traditional work settings. A striking 46% of Gen Z workers report feeling stressed, while 35% experience depression, significantly higher than the 20% average. Furthermore, 44% of Gen Z employees feel burned out, surpassing the overall rate of 34%, and 30% report feelings of isolation.
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The root causes for the emotional strain:
In the modern workplace, where challenges come hand in hand, the unspoken stigma and the tendency to step away from the emotional distress have been commonly seen among the young workers.
Financial Security:
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Financial Security is one of the major reasons for the trigger. The inclusion of AI and automation has threatened the job security and future goals. Financial insecurity is on the rise since last year with nearly half of Gen Zs (48%) and millennials (46%) saying they do not feel financially secure.
Work seen as a stress:
Most view work as a means to end and not a passion. Only 6% of Gen Zs say their primary career goal is to reach a senior leadership position. There has been a shift in the mindset, Gen Zs are more inclined towards work flexibility, variable working hours and seeks purpose but avoid stepping up the traditional work ladder.
Unappreciative work environment and culture:
Young workers struggle with zero motivation now when exposed to constructive criticism by their superiors. Roughly half (50% of Gen Zs and 48% of millennials) want their managers to teach and mentor them, but only 36% of Gen Zs and 32% of millennials say this happens in reality. Basic workplace expectations like socializing, maintaining work ethics or integrating into workplace culture and with peers make them anxious and feel like an intimidating task.
Low Work-Life Balance:
Work life balance is something that creates a neutral environment, motivates to keep working and provides space and time for them to live their standard personal life. Young employees lack in communicating what they need and often involve themselves in emotional isolation and emotional strain due to the workload.
Genz is not the ultimate villain, it’s a story of deeper reflections such as the generational gap, the cognitive thinking and the work life balance. In a world where working can be a challenge, minimum efforts and mindful support can lower the burden. It’s no longer just about stress, for many it turned into emotional isolation. This growing concern should be acknowledged and addressed by providing safe spaces, mentorship, counselling not just to build better workforce but also for the wellness and better mental health of the workers.