Gen Z workers are feeling burnout and stress on the job more than any other age group, new data finds.
An estimated 91% of Gen Zers are reporting such stress, higher than the 84% average, according to stats from Cigna International Health’s 2023 survey.
The stress has become “unmanageable” for 23% of the demographic and 98% say they’re feeling symptoms of burnout from their jobs.
A Gallup poll also found that 54% of Gen Z are not engaged on the job, slightly higher than generations past. More 2022 data from work-management site Adana found that the youngest working generation disproportionately struggles the most with switching off from work as well.
“We found that during the pandemic, a good portion of Gen Zers admitted to not giving a full effort at work, which is a symptom of burnout and other workplace behaviours, like disengagement, unclear communication, lack of manager support and loneliness,” Los Angeles-based organizational leadership expert Santor Nishizaki said.
But TikTok screen time doesn’t seem to be the culprit here. Young workers are facing a very challenging professional climate, experts say.
“In its essence, work is at a very uncertain time,” Eliza Filby, a hiring advisor specializing in Gen Z and millenials, told The BBC. “There’s horrendous stress about layoffs for everyone.”
Late 2022 data from McKinsey and Company backs Filby’s sentiment as 45% of Gen Z worry for job security whereas only 40% others do.
“I think that Gen Z is getting to see what millennials dealt with when they graduated college during the Great Recession, which is very stressful and will add to their already heightened anxiety,” Nishizaki added.
That same report from McKinsey and Company also found that 26% of Gen Z, as opposed to 20% of other respondents, feel their pay doesn’t enable a “good quality of life.” It was also observed that 77% of Gen Z are looking for new roles and jobs.
Along with the day-to-day stresses and not bringing enough dough home, socialization on the job — amid remote to hybrid transition — appears to be playing another factor as well.
“There are still a lot of question marks around the etiquette of work friendships, office attire and professional boundaries … having to go into an office, socialize and be managed feels very alien to a lot of young people. The social aspects of work remain intimidating,” Filby said.
“Young people are much more willing to articulate what constitutes stress and stress in the workplace.”
So what exactly is Gen Z looking for in a perfect world beyond higher pay and less anxiety? Nishizaki has some thoughts.
“Gen Zers want to work for an organization that offers flexibility, a boss who is a coach and a mentor (rather than a technical expert), frequent communication and clarity on how their work creates a positive impact in the world.”