Gen Z is already suffering from ‘midlife crisis’, research shows: ‘It’s not going well’

It’s not exactly works for Gen Z.

Zoomer workers struggle in virtually every metric, according to a new MetLife study examining the physical, social, mental and financial well-being of different generations.

“Gen Z is not necessarily doing well,” said Todd Katz, executive vice president of group benefits at MetLife. InsuranceNewsNet. “Our study found that holistic health for all employee age groups has declined slightly, but it has declined the most for Gen Z.”

According to the survey, “holistic health” among workers has declined the most among Gen Z, down 6% from last year, a score lower than a similar age group reported five years ago, according to Katz.

In fact, only one in three Gen Z workers reported feeling holistically healthy—10% lower than the average worker—and according to InsuranceNewsNet, the holistic health gap between Gen Z and Boomers, the healthiest working generation, is now the largest has been.

The survey – which was conducted in September but will be published in full in March – found that Gen Z reportedly feel more stressed, depressed, burnt out and isolated than their counterparts.

Compared to employees who were the same age in 2018, Zoomers reported feeling less successful, less engaged, less happy, and more anxious and overwhelmed.

“They attribute a lot of it to their financial burdens,” Katz explained.

“These people are trying to save money for major living expenses when everything costs more. It fits into the context of why they experience stress and depression.”

The findings coincide with a recent survey that reported a whopping 38% of Zoomers are facing a “mid-life crisis” due to financial stress.

In fact, a separate survey of 2,000 Gen Z workers found that one in 10 turned down job offers because of the cost of commuting or buying work clothes.

The survey also reported that 60% of Gen Z women and 45% of Gen Z men fear the high cost of living will be a barrier to future financial security.

“The workplace population is more diverse than ever, with multiple generations in the workforce, and people from different generations have different needs,” Katz said.

For Gen Z, that means help with student debt repayment, childcare costs, pet insurance, and commuting or savings benefits. Some Zoomers have reportedly turned down job offers when the company culture and workplace benefits didn’t match their wants or needs.

Katz advised employers to better communicate what benefits are available to workers and how to use them “in the most effective way possible.”

“One of the biggest challenges we find is that even if you offer all the great benefits and workers sign up for them, if they don’t use them and have a good experience, their satisfaction is much lower, which means they don’t do it. get the benefit of holistic health,” said Katz.