A mental health platform designed with Gen Z in mind

In the crowded field of mental health apps, even the most tech-savvy generation in the workforce is feeling left out. 

For Gen Z employees, finding mental health care that resonates with them is a persistent issue. Only 18% of Gen Z individuals currently go to therapy, though 90% say they've experienced symptoms of anxiety, depression or lack of motivation due to stress, according to the American Psychological Association. Both cost and accessibility are major barriers for any generation seeking care, as nearly half said they would have to stop attending sessions if their costs increased, according to data from Verywell Mind. 

"Gen Z is not looking for their parents' therapy," says Dr. Sarah Adler, founder and CEO of Wave Life, a mental health benefit targeted to Gen Z. "What we're hearing is that it's too expensive, or they can't find therapists who understand them or look like them." 

Read more: Psychologist reveals what employees need to find the right therapist

Adler has focused her private psychotherapy practice on younger individuals for the past 15 years. Wave Life is the culmination of this work, she says, and offers app-based coaching, along with access to scientifically-backed mental health content. Adler says it's important to meet young employees where they are — and for most, that's on their phones.  

"This is the generation that's currently receiving 70% of their mental health information on TikTok, which is both mind-blowing and appalling, because of all the bad information that's out there," Adler says. "This is also a generation that wants to do everything through their phones:  they want to find their mental health, they want to find their lipstick, they want to find their gym membership. They're viewing mental health as a luxury good." 

Read more: Your employees are posting on TikTok. What does that mean for your business? 

Treating employee benefits in this manner can create a positive ripple effect through the workforce, Adler says. With four generations currently working together, the communication divide has left younger employees feeling disconnected from their work, and unable to share their challenges with managers — while Gen Z feel the most comfortable of all generations talking about mental health, 52% say they would not talk to their boss about issues they're struggling with, according to a survey from Harmony Healthcare. 

"Gen X and millennial managers are clashing from a communication and cultural standpoint with their Gen Z employees," Adler says. "We used to hear this when millennials entered the workforce: 'I don't know how to talk to these millennials, I don't understand them.' There's an opportunity to really find a common language to bolster our teams so that they're happy, they're emotionally well, and they're productive." 

While providing mental resources and benefits is important, Adler stresses an app on a phone's home screen isn't always enough to address the full spectrum of mental health care an employee may need. Wave Life connects employees with in-person care as needed, and through predictive analytics, can alert the user when more serious support could be necessary. 

"I fundamentally do not believe an app is enough, which is why we're a care model that starts with meeting the consumer where they are, which is on social media, and then through our entire ecosystem to support you on your mental health care journey," Adler says. "Ninety percent of people are going to have a mental health event in their lifetime, and we need to be managing it like we would any other chronic condition." 

Read more: Why employers need to think beyond mental health apps and chatbots for their benefits

That means prioritizing preventative care first, instead of waiting until more acute symptoms need to be addressed. Adler says this approach leads to better health outcomes for employees, as well as lower healthcare costs for the employer. 

"Most people only seek out mental health care when they're in that acute phase of crisis," she says. "But staying close when you're not in crisis will prevent the crisis, and then when you need more care, we're right there to help you." 

For employers, it's been made clear that "one-size-fits-all" benefits are a thing of the past. Selecting benefit products that support the individual will eventually improve company culture, retention and well-being for all. 

"You will spend a significant amount of your time at work, so divorcing the idea of work and life is intolerable and not realistic to Gen Z," Adler says. "The distinctions that Gen Z employees are asking for are the kind of things that are going to make employee culture better for everyone."