(Updated: 27th November 2023)
How are you Mr/Ms/Mx. HR? Thinking about your strategy in terms of the demographic of the team?
According to Issuu, in 2023, Gen Z accounted for 26% of the world’s population, meaning 2 billion people are in Gen Z. Whilst it’s easy to confuse millennials with Gen Z, millennials are born between 1981 – 1996, and Gen Z are born between 1997 – 2012.
At Stress Matters we have four core pillars of health Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual. We are going to guide you through these 4 pillars with our Gen Z hats on because more than two-thirds of Gen Z see links between mental, emotional and physical wellbeing so if you hadn’t understood how important this was before, you really need to for this growing portion of your workforce.
Physical wellbeing: Eventbrite (event management and ticketing website), found Gen Z’s top events were healthy eating, natural/organic-based nutrition (31%), meditation or mindfulness (23%), decluttering or tidying (18%), and breathing or breath-work (16%). A recent UNiDAYS survey suggested that 43% of Gen Zers are working out at home, 65% using fitness apps, and 28% depending on wearable technology to track workouts at least three or more times per week. The number of Gen Z’s exercising numerous times a week has surpassed past generations considerably and many view working out as a priority for their long-term health.
Our generation has been actively implementing fitness workouts, particularly through the use of Instagram live workout sessions. Like many others, I was motivated to improve my physical fitness and wellbeing, and with that, I decided to join the gym and do a personal training course. This has enabled me to better understand not only the food that I am consuming but the importance of exercise and the impact it has on our bodies. As a result, I have also encouraged my family and friends to start exercising regularly and have set up a circuit in my garden for my sisters.
Mental wellbeing: Twice as many Gen Z’s practice mindfulness or meditation than baby bloomers. As a Gen Z myself, I can confidently say that from those who I know in the same age range, we actively try and practice meditation to combat any potential stresses that may arise. This is also because we value the long-term benefits of the practice, and believe that it will lead to a longer, happier life if we are able to control our mental state.
However, despite this observation, only half of all Gen Zs feel like they do enough to manage their stress. 46% of Gen Z’s struggle to tell their doctor about their mental health, yet 88% of them are willing to take medication for disorders such as anxiety and clinical depression.
In more recent years, workplace environments have shifted considerably, which has been beneficial for many people’s mental wellbeing, particularly Gen Z’s. According to Deloitte’s 2023 survey, 49% of Gen Z’s say work is central to their identity. Having said this, Gen Z’s recognise the importance of a healthy work/life balance and actively seek for this. 75% of Deloitte’s survey responders who work remotely or hybrid would think about searching for a new employer if their current employer asked them to be on-site full-time.
Spiritual wellbeing: 20% of Gen Z participate in organised religion, more than 80% have a sense of spirituality and believe in cosmic power. A recent Los Angeles Times article by Jessica Roy explores how millennials, Gen Z and younger Gen Xers are replacing formal religion with practices such as tarot, astrology, meditation, energy healing and crystals.
It is also clear that Gen Z’s are becoming more conscious of their lifestyle choices, and this includes considering becoming vegetarian or vegan. According to American foodservice provider Aramark, nearly 80% of Gen Z plan to go meatless 1–2x per week, citing health and environmental concerns. I have been vegetarian since birth, initially due to religious reasons however as I grew up, I understood the ethical reasons too. Additionally, I have also taken up yoga to improve my posture and back problems and I have found this has improved my spiritual wellbeing as a result.
Not only are Gen Z’s becoming more conscious about dietary choices, but they are also becoming increasingly interested in having a considered attitude towards sustainability. Gen Z’s have a more noticeably considered and accountable approach towards sustainable fashion. Second-hand shopping, particularly charity shops and online second-hand shopping apps, is becoming increasingly popular. Desire to work within a sustainable field amongst Gen Z’s is prominent with 42% already changing or have plans to change their jobs due to climate concerns. 70% of Gen Z’s have reported that they are actively trying to minimize their effect on the environment.
Emotional wellbeing: 88% of Gen Z’s will use social media as a means to get access to a constant flow of 24-hour news, creative content, keeping up to date with friends, family and influencers, it’s all at our fingertips. The ready availability of course has its benefits, 56% of Gen Z’s say that social media has made mental health resources more accessible.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t always have its benefits. Constant exposure to fitness/beauty influencers on social media leaves 40% of Gen Z’s feeling triggered by the posts, 48% felt sad that they don’t look like the images they see, 40% felt less confident in themselves and 47% felt pressured to lose weight or tone up. These stats suggest that social media can harm Gen Z’s emotional wellbeing likely leading to greater stress issues and anxiety. This is backed up by more than 40% of Gen Z’s feeling lonely or inadequate and that they feel pressured into having an online presence.
From observation, users on Instagram will post things that demonstrate their #bestlife, holidays, social lives etc. This gives off a false impression that younger generations feel like they need to live up to, in order to fit in with social expectations that are often very difficult to achieve in reality.
In conclusion, Generation Z is becoming more pragmatic. They are shaped by economic pressure, particularly struggling with employment and finances. Despite the latter, they actively attempt to change their lifestyles, whether that is through the practice of mindfulness and meditation, exercise, food choices or their spirituality. They are becoming increasingly independent, and use social media to find communities where they belong. The increased use of technology in this generation means they have greater access to improve their wellbeing and deal with the added pressures they may face.
So, the question to line managers and employees is:
‘Is your current wellbeing plan holistic?’.
If yes, then great!
If not, then work with us today to develop a strategy around our four pillars so that no part of wellbeing is neglected for whatever demographic you have in your team. Click here today for our Mental Health First Aid training.
By Beth (One of the Gen Zs in the Stress Matters team)
