Gen Z is notoriously pegged as self-centered and lazy, or assumed to be more prone to
Mental health resources provider Wysa surveyed over 6,000 workers across the U.S., Canada and the U.K., revealing that younger professionals are struggling more with their
Despite these concerning numbers, young professionals are 14% less likely to seek professional help than older generations. While it may be easy to write off Gen Z as being too weak or delicate to handle adulthood, it's vital workplace leaders recognize that young workers are navigating a starkly different political and socioeconomic landscape, explains Rachel Barski, director of sales for employers at Wysa.
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"It's not only that there are so many issues around the world, but Gen Z has so much awareness of it," she says. "How are they supposed to interpret all this information? It's so negative, and it breeds fear, depression and anxiety."
Adding to their stress are financial worries specific to their cohort: Gen Z earns less and has higher debt than their millennial counterparts did at the same age, according to a TransUnion report. Hopes of buying a home or even retirement often seem laughable to younger employees.
Notably, employees across generations do not expect their workplace to be responsive to their mental health needs: Only 50% believe their boss would direct them to mental health resources if they told them their struggle with depression was impacting their work, according to Wysa. Fifteen percent expect their boss to tell them to deal with their personal issues on their own time, 12% expect leadership to become more critical of their work and another 12% expect a direct manager to minimize their problems and tell them to just focus on work.
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These expectations mean workers feel they must address their challenges independently — something Gen Z and millennials do by taking time off or looking for a new job altogether, notes Barski. Wysa found that 39% of workers under 45 would take a day off to deal with their mental health. Nearly one in five 25-34 year-olds said they would try to leave their current company if they were suffering from severe depression, while just 8% of 55-64 year-olds said the same.
However, a good chunk of younger workers — 22% of employees under 44 — would show up to work regardless of whether they had severe depression. Despite efforts to address mental health needs with benefits and workplace programs, it remains a significant driver of presenteeism, absenteeism and poor retention rates.
"If an individual doesn't have their best self coming to work, it's going to affect every part of their work," says Barski. "And the quicker we understand that everyone will go through something at some point, the quicker we understand how imperative mental health [support] needs to be."
Barski advises employers to have several resources, namely professional support from a mental health provider, as well as paid time off for workers to focus on their well-being. Ideally, these resources can be accessed without employees divulging their reasons to their bosses. Barksi reminds employers that if workers do not feel comfortable accessing their benefits, then the benefits are pointless. She shares that Wysa offers one mental health day a month, no questions asked.
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"There are months where I have used it, and I didn't say anything," says Barski. "I was just not in the right head space. If someone asked me a question, I wouldn't be able to answer it. I was aware of myself, took the day, and I'm grateful to have it."
Beyond benefits, Barski emphasizes the importance of leadership training, with set expectations for how bosses should respond to employees across different generations who are struggling with mental health challenges.
"You can't tell an employee who is having a low moment to suck it up and get back out there," says Barski. "You have to be sensitive. This could be that person's worst day, and they're struggling."
