Gen Z Is Struggling: 5 Things They Need For A Bright Future

As the newest entrants to the workforce, Gen Z is in the spotlight—and the news isn’t all good. There is emphasis on their challenges, their stress, their worry and their lack of engagement. But despite the sobering statistics, there are bright spots for Gen Z and so much to be hopeful about for this youngest generation.

Employers, family, friends and Gen Zs themselves have the opportunity to influence their experiences and create a positive future.

Struggles and Implications

Here’s what they face, and what it will take.

#1 - Reflecting and Reevaluating

Many Gen Zs are worried about the future, according to a study by Cigna. In fact, 65% of employees say they have spent increased time evaluating their life priorities compared with two years ago—and this number is higher among Gen Z—at 71%. In addition, 34% of Gen Z say they are worried about the future, and 24% are concerned about a lack of learning and jobs. This concern doesn’t keep them from looking for the next opportunity however, with 48% of Gen Z and Millennials (those ages 18-35) planning to look for a new job in the next 12 months.

The Implication: Gen Zs are wise to reflect on what matters most to them. Happiness is significantly correlated with feeling a sense of purpose and meaning, so when Gen Zs are encouraged to think about what they love to do, what they want to learn and the difference they want to make, it can be tremendously helpful for their sense of meaning and identity. Regular reassessment and reevaluation are important so Gen Zs can take action to create the conditions for a great experience—spending time on what means the most to them in work and life.

#2 - Fostering Wellbeing

The data on stress and wellbeing are mixed. On the one hand, the Cigna study found 91% of Gen Zs reported feeling stress and 98% said they felt burned out. A study by Stress in America found 62% of women and 51% of men ages 18-34 were completely overwhelmed by stress. But on the other hand, according to a study by Gympass, 59% of Gen Zs said their wellbeing had improved in 2022. In addition, Gen Zs are prioritizing wellbeing in their work experience, with 78% saying wellbeing at work is equally as important as their salary.

The Implication: Stress is a significant experience which can have broad impacts—so it’s a good idea for Gen Zs to be aware of their experience and get help—and others can support Gen Zs in doing these as well. At the same time, it’s healthy for Gen Zs to remind themselves some stress is natural. Happiness is not defined by constant contentment, rather there are ebbs and flows in positive feelings and some stress can actually be constructive.

A Goldilocks (just-right) state of eustress is characterized by being challenged and needing to stretch in order to deal with something new or difficult—and having the capabilities, skills and resilience to meet the challenge. Young people can validate that there will be challenges in life and reinforce their own ability to grow, learn and develop in their abilities to address problems, solve issues and expand their capabilities.

#3 - Expanding Engagement

Engagement has declined as people are working more on a remote and hybrid basis. According to Gallup, only 32% of people report being engaged and fully 17% are actively disengaged. And according to the Cigna study, Gen Z employees said that for 25% of working time they are present but not fully engaged. Culture is an important part of the employee experience and a study by EY, found 39% of Gen Z workers believe culture has a significant effect on whether they will stay with their current employer. The study by Gympass was more optimistic, reporting that 85% of Gen Zs are engaged at work.

The Implication: Far from the narrative that work all work is bad and doing as little as possible is the ideal—work is actually an important source of esteem and meaning. It’s the place where people express their talents, contribute to community and learn new things. And all of these are correlated with happiness and joy. Gen Zs can seek work which aligns with what they like to do and remind themselves about how their work contributes to their colleagues, their team and their organization.

In turn, employers can support Gen Zs in creating the conditions for meaningful work by ensuring access to inspirational leaders, giving meaningful feedback and providing growth opportunities. All of these encourage greater engagement and a more positive experience of work.

#4 - Connecting with Colleagues

Feeling connected with others is fundamental to wellbeing, at any age and whether people are more introverted or extroverted. Unfortunately, significant numbers of people suffer from loneliness and an absence of friends—and this is more true, the younger people are. The current state of friendships at work is sobering. According to a study by BetterUp, just 31% of people are satisfied with the amount of social connection they have at work, and 22% don’t have even one friend at work. The Cigna study reported 48% of Gen Zs say work feels transactional without the ability to bond with colleagues.

The Implication: Gen Z can prioritize friendship and invest time in inviting people for coffee, meeting up and hanging out with colleagues and people outside of work as well. Others can support Gen Z by reaching out and creating relationships with them, offering a listening ear, advice and companionship.

With the reduction of superficial interactions (think: ordering coffee on an app or getting products delivered rather than shopping for them in person), work takes on an increasingly important role in relating with others. It is context for making friends over time, seeing people in both task-focused and relationship-focused settings and in getting to know people through good days and down days.

Employers can create cultures where team members value each other, where people have the opportunity to collaborate on projects and in which affinity groups can thrive—all of these contribute to Gen Z’s positive relationships and connections.

#5 - Developing Financial Acumen

In addition to other concerns, money is also on Gen Zs’ minds. According to the Cigna study, 39% say worries about money are a major cause of stress. In addition, according to a study by DailyPay and Harris Poll, 48% say they are unable to move out of their parents’ homes due to financial challenges, and 33% are concerned inflation will make it tough for them to buy a home.

The Implication: Gen Zs can actively seek to develop their financial acumen—by taking classes or learning from mentors about investment strategies and lessons learned about managing money. Employers can support Gen Zs by providing fair wages and meaningful benefits which are thoughtfully designed with nudges which encourage smart saving and investing for the future. Far from automatic, smart money management is more often learned than inborn and the knowledge younger workers need is frequently something they need from employers because it wasn’t a topic of study in school.

A Bright Future

There are good reasons for optimism in considering the future for Gen Zs. They’ve survived a global pandemic and arguably some of the biggest historical struggles, but they have the opportunity to learn, develop their resilience and bond with others through hard times. Life hasn’t been easy for them, and there will be challenges ahead, but with their own spirit and support from others, they can create a bright tomorrow.