“US Surgeon General issues advisory on youth mental health crisis further exposed by COVID-19 pandemic,” December 7, 2022. Gen Z bears specific burdens due to their life stage, including emotional stress and grief from the pandemic and educational challenges from remote or interrupted learning.
70% of Gen Z say that anxiety and depression are significant problems among their peers. ² 30% of parents surveyed felt that their child was experiencing negative effects on their emotional or mental health due to social distancing and school closures.
Born between 1995 and 2010, this generation have already found themselves up against immense challenges as they make their way into adulthood: climate change, inequality and social unrest, political division, economic distress and more.
Gen Z Terms and Definitions
Pew Research recently defined Gen Z as anyone born 1997 onwards. Gen Z grew up with technology, the internet, and social media, which sometimes causes them to be stereotyped as tech-addicted, anti-social, or “social justice warriors.”
Gen Z wants mental healthcare but worries about paying for it. Gen Z is more likely to report receiving treatment or diagnosis for a mental-health condition but also the most likely to report being unable to afford mental-health services (a fifth, compared with 14 percent of all respondents).
Gen Z is very concerned about their ability to communicate and forge strong interpersonal relationships. This may be due to the fact that technology has negatively impacted their cognitive skill development, and they recognize that their social skills, like critical thinking and communication, are weak.
The research from the Walton Family Foundation and Murmuration, conducted by John Della Volpe and Social Sphere, shows that more members of Generation Z are grappling with mental health issues than people from older generations.
Gen Z are not 'coddled. ' They are highly collaborative, self-reliant and pragmatic, according to new Stanford-affiliated research. Generation Z, the first generation never to know the world without the internet, value diversity and finding their own unique identities, says Stanford scholar Roberta Katz.
In a Tallo survey of 2,400 Gen Z students, nearly three-quarters ranked soft skills — like critical thinking, leadership and communication — as more important for success than hard skills.
Gen Z's average reported stress level (5.3) is higher than the overall average, as are the reported stress levels for Millennials, who have the highest average (5.7), and Gen X (5.1).
Furthermore, recent research among gen z reveals that almost 56% of this generation experienced more intense social isolation overall due to the Covid-19 pandemic and are more likely to say they were lonely as compared to previous generations (Cox, 2022).
Generation Z has often been labelled as lazy, but that is due to the growth in the efficiency of life with more technology. Self-absorbed. Screen-obsessed.
Why do young people struggle to spend time with friends? While Generation Z — those born in the mid-90s to early 00s — are more connected than ever through technology, their reliance on social media could be hurting their ability to create and nurture face-to-face relationships.
#ActYourWage is the new quiet quitting: 'Visibility doesn't pay the bills' say Gen Z workers. Employees from all generations have noted burnout, a lack of advancement opportunities, flexible hours and location, and the absence of child care as reasons for resigning in recent months.
Provide career growth opportunities
They are a constantly evolving generation and they desire a job that suits their need to develop and grow. Gen Z-ers are ambitious and they're always on the lookout for advancement in their careers, so they can be easily motivated if you provide a pathway to career development.
Gen Z is known for being resourceful, independent learners who value diversity and inclusive culture and place a priority on well-being and mental health in the workplace. They are fiscally conservative with a keen focus on investing and income. Gen Z values justice and equity.
Generation Z characteristics are interesting and specific; Generation Z features avid gamers and music-goers, and they are known for being ever-present messaging, on the internet, on social networks, and on mobile systems—they are truly the “Digital-ites.” They tend to care about trends, but are also quick to research ...
There are several factors that may account for Gen Z's lack of seeking help: developmental stage, disengagement from their healthcare, perceived affordability, and stigma associated with mental or substance use disorders within their families and communities. 7.
The youngest generation in the workforce is also more likely to play conservative with their paychecks right now, with Gen Z most likely to put in longer hours or work harder. Nearly a third are also considering taking a second job or a more stable gig in the face of potential recession layoffs.
But unlike their predecessors, they're primarily focused on flexibility, personalization and emotional support. Gen Z "wants to feel connected to issues that they care about," says Romy Drucker, director of the Walton Family Foundation's education program.