Gen Z employees (16-26 year olds) report having experienced a mental health problem related to stress, anxiety and depression than any other cohort in the last 12 months.
77% say they are likely to leave their employer, while only 23% say they are committed to staying. And although they represent the most financially stressed out of all generations, their happiness at work is more about cultural factors than it is about money.
These represent just some of the important findings to come out of a new report from Fruitful Insights, in partnership with Legal & General Group Protection, entitled Gen Z – Shaping the future of UK workplaces.
Both organisations say these findings underlie:
- the employer role in supporting the wellbeing of their Gen Z employees and the implications of not doing so
- the need to consider that wellbeing is subjective, so genuinely understanding workforce needs is key
- the evolving understanding that ‘good work is beneficial for health’ and should be considered a goal in recovery, prevention and levelling up wellbeing for the working age population.
Mike Tyler, Chairman and Co-Founder of Fruitful Insights, commented:
Business has a vital role to play in supporting the wellbeing of Gen Z; providing greater purpose and community to this group, relevant benefits and services, and communication that not only connects, but that also contributes to creating the conditions for a better wellbeing culture.
Mike Tyler, Chairman and Co-Founder of Fruitful Insights
The concept of a job for life seems completely alien to Gen Z
Unlike their elders in the Baby Boomer group (age 59+ currently), Gen Z employees are the least likely to expect to have a job for life. When asked whether they had experienced any major life events over the last 12 months, job loss represented the number one life event impacting this group.
Money can’t buy happiness: a truism at all ages
Gen Z employees don’t focus exclusively on money when they decide if they’re happy at work. The following were found to all play a big role: feeling valued at work; feeling that the employer cares about their wellbeing; having confidence in the business and its ethos; and flexibility about how they work at home and in the workplace.
Nearly 45% of Gen Z employees surveyed say they’d like to work from home 2-3 days a week. This brings implications for workplace technology and the ability to afford the same digital experience at work as Gen Z employees enjoy in their personal lives, says Fruitful and Legal & General.
Embrace social media in communications, but don’t overdo it
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the report states that Gen Z employees are active social media users and often share very direct feedback in social forums. To communicate effectively, employers should be present and appropriately active in such workplace channels; especially digital videos and podcasts.*
However, although flexible working patterns and a natural affinity for technology may offer many advantages, they may lead to feelings of isolation for some, according to the report findings.
In comparison to other generations, Gen Z employees feel more disconnected from their local communities and that they have less people in their lives they can depend on to help them.
Vanessa Sallows, Claims and Governance Director at Legal & General Group Protection, commented:
Balance and choice across the spectrum of face-to-face to digital seems key; in terms of how support is accessed and how it’s communicated. Embrace social media but don’t assume that’s the only way Gen Z want to receive information. And don’t assume that information, on its own, leads to wellbeing.
Vanessa Sallows, Claims and Governance Director at Legal & General Group Protection
Click here to access Gen Z – Shaping the future of UK workplaces.
Joanne is the editor for Workplace Wellbeing Professional and has a keen interest in promoting the safety and wellbeing of the global workforce. After earning a bachelor's degree in English literature and media studies, she taught English in China and Vietnam for two years. Before joining Work Well Pro, Joanne worked as a marketing coordinator for luxury property, where her responsibilities included blog writing, photography, and video creation.
