Is Gen Z More Exposed To Burnout? The Generational Divide In Workplace Mental Health

Workforces have always brought together people at different stages of their working lives, and today’s businesses are seeing more people working at both ends of the age spectrum. As retirement ages have risen and people remain in employment for longer, the number of older workers has increased, while younger people continue to enter the workforce through early-career routes. In the US, for example, the number of employed people aged 65 and over rose from 8.5 million in 2015 to 11.4 million in 2025, while employment among 16- to 19-year-olds increased from 4.7 million to 5.6 million over the same period. With this breadth of employees across the age spectrum, organizations increasingly need to consider how psychosocial risks may be experienced and reported differently across a multigenerational workforce; EHS leaders be aware of how this diversity plays into the relationship between worker wellbeing and operational performance.

Greater visibility of burnout may be a case of openness rather than prevalence

Gen Z is sometimes portrayed as the generation most vulnerable to burnout and workplace mental health challenges. But is this really the case? This impression may come from the fact that younger workers are often more willing to talk openly about stress, burnout and psychological wellbeing – but greater visibility does not necessarily mean greater exposure. Mental health has historically received less attention in workplace risk management, and Gen Z’s openness is helping bring these issues further into focus. What may be most difficult for employers to manage is the reality that psychosocial risk is distributed differently across workforce groups, and this needs to be reflected in how risks are identified and managed.

The pressures facing individuals in each generation can also differ. While a millennial employee may be balancing a demanding career with caregiving responsibilities, for example, a worker in Gen X might be facing sustained leadership and organizational pressures. Due to historical stigmas, older workers may be less likely to raise concerns about mental health, making some risks less visible. Across generations, excessive workloads, fatigue, organizational change and poor work-life balance can contribute to psychosocial risk. Age profile and workforce experience should be considered central concerns when building a safety culture where workers feel responsible for identifying and raising concerns.

Failing to address mental health impacts the business as well as the individual

For businesses, the consequences extend well beyond employee wellbeing. Poor mental health can contribute to absenteeism, presenteeism, reduced productivity, turnover and impaired decision-making. In safety-critical environments, stress and fatigue can also affect concentration, judgement and human performance. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that depression and anxiety alone result in around $1 trillion in lost productivity globally each year.

These risks are becoming yet more complicated as organizations operate through rapid technological change, restructuring, economic uncertainty and geopolitical disruption. AI adoption is changing job roles and workforce requirements, while continued economic and operational pressure can intensify workloads and uncertainty. In a period of constant change, mental health can no longer be seen as a low-priority wellbeing issue.

What can EHS teams do?

EHS leaders need to move beyond generic reactive wellbeing programmes and integrate psychosocial hazards into existing risk assessments, leadership accountability and workforce monitoring as part of a total worker health approach. Organizations should not be looking to build a separate strategy for Gen Z, but to understand where risk is concentrated and ensure mitigation measures reflect the needs of a changing, multi-generational workforce.

For further insight into adapting your EHS strategy to accommodate a diverse workforce, please read Verdantix Market Insight: Workplace Mental Health As A Hidden Operational Risk For EHS or explore related reports on Vantage.