The oldest members of Gen Z are turning twenty-five, and most of them entered the workforce only a few years ago. Yet, they are among workers reporting the highest rates of burnout and driving the “great resignation.”
In 2022, Deloitte surveyed 14,808 Gen Zers and 8,412 millennials around the globe and found out how stressed and burnt out Gen Z is. According to the survey, 44% of Gen Zers recently left their organization due to burnout, and 40% said they’d quit in the next two years.
Workers are demanding more mental health support and better work-life balance from their employers. Change is happening gradually, but the past few years have already taken a toll on Gen Z.
So why is Gen Z so burned out?
The pandemic
One of the apparent reasons younger people struggled with work and their mental health in the past few years is the pandemic. Sapien Labs’ Mental Health Million Project’s survey of 48,000 young adults aged 18–24 across 34 nations revealed that younger generations’ mental health worsened in the past two years.
Many of them entered the workforce or studied through the pandemic, dealing with significant beginnings and endings while isolated. The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly restricted Gen Zers’ freedom to socialize and get to know their peers.
As many organizations weren’t ready to transition into a major change such as remote work, navigating a new workplace remotely has been difficult for Gen Z. Many reported working longer hours and feeling isolated while finding it hard to change their situation or get help in such a new setting.
Although pandemic stressors have affected all generations, more often than others, Gen Z continues to suffer its consequences.
The rising cost of living and stagnant salaries
Inflation is a global phenomenon affecting billions of people worldwide. The youngest workers are struggling to cope with the rising cost of living and stagnant salaries.
Most Gen Zers are taking on side hustles while working full-time, and they find it difficult to disconnect entirely from the “hustle culture.”
Some young people might not have the choice to work one job. It’s a well-known fact that Gen Z and Millenials are worse off financially than previous generations.
According to US census data analysis, median home prices increased 121% from 1960 to 2017, while median household income only increased 29%. When the world was only recently recovering from the 2008 housing bubble, it was hit by the pandemic.
Lack of work-life balance and purpose
Long working hours, isolation, and constant screen time are also responsible for Gen Zers’ burnout. Most Gen Zers report being unable to disconnect entirely from work and their phones.
At the same time, young people are increasingly more stressed about their future. Ongoing wars, climate change, and financial instability aren’t entirely easily resolvable problems.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom because Gen Z is a lot more open to speaking about their mental health.
Insufficient mental health support
Employee benefits used to mean health insurance, 401K plans, paid time off, etc., but mental health awareness has risen over the past few years, and young employees are interested in receiving mental health support as a perk.
A recent survey by TalentLMS and BambooHR showed that 82% of Gen Z employees want mental health days. The secondary reasons Gen Zers were reported to quit their job was “burnout/lack of work-life balance” following “unsatisfactory salary.”
Despite how vocal they have been about needing mental health support from their employers, 20% of Gen Zers still think their employers are not taking burnout seriously.
By 2030, Gen Z will make up 30% of the workforce; mental health clearly plays a huge role in helping young people feel supported at their workplace.
How to recover from burnout?
Burnout is increasingly becoming more common among workers. If you are experiencing burnout symptoms, the most important thing you can do is take some time to recover.
If you have been struggling with burnout and can’t manage to recover on your own, we are here to help. At White River Manor, we have a holistic approach to burnout recovery involving body, mind and spirit. Please contact us today to learn more about our therapy programs and how we can support you.
