Millennials and Generation Z—making mental

health at work a priority

Deloitte Global Talent

June 2021

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Millennials and Generation Z—making mental health at work a priority | Table of contents

Table of contents
Table of contents 1
Introduction 3
High stress levels continue 4
Mental health stigma endures 6
Conclusion 8

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Millennials and Generation Z—making mental health at work a priority | Introduction

“If business leaders want to

actively help millennials and
Gen Zs to thrive at work, they
need to prioritize mental
health and embed a
workplace culture where
stigma does not exist.”

- Emma Codd, Deloitte Global

Inclusion leader

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Millennials and Generation Z—making mental health at work a priority | Introduction

Introduction
2020 forced many of us to tackle
monumental new challenges while
continuing to grapple with long-standing
issues. For millennials and Generation Z
(Gen Z) workers, the mental health
challenges they faced pre-pandemic were
further strained by last year’s
uncertainties. This year, as COVID-19
vaccination levels rise in some countries
and economies begin to reopen slowly,
signs of hopeful progress are
emerging. Yet despite this, the
Deloitte Global 2021 Millennial and
Gen Z Survey shows that stress and
anxiety levels remain high – and that
there is much more to do when it comes to
mental health in the workplace.

Deloitte Global’s research, which was conducted at the beginning of this year and
surveyed nearly 23,000 millennial and Gen Z respondents from across 45 countries,
reveals that some worrying mental health data trends from the 2020 Millennial Survey
have continued into 2021. In general, millennials are still, first and foremost, worried
about the health of their families and their financial futures – with both also being two
growing causes of concern for Gen Zs. Both generations also noted that job prospects are
a leading stress driver, with Gen Zs placing it at the top of their list. Women report
experiencing higher levels of stress and anxiety than men, likely because they continue to
be disproportionately affected by job losses and increased family care responsibilities.

Although millennials and Gen Zs surveyed said that they’re experiencing increased stress
and anxiety, they remain hesitant about vocalizing these challenges at work, with nearly
six in 10 saying that they did not tell their leader how they were feeling. The majority of
respondents who feel increased stress did not take off to manage their mental health.
And, as was true last year, of those respondents who did take time off work due to
stress, nearly half gave their employer a different reason – suggesting that despite recent
efforts to normalize conversations about mental health at work, workplace stigma
persists.

As members of these two generations – who together account for a large part of the
global workforce – juggle competing priorities and pressures, striking a healthy work-life
balance is an enduring challenge. This perhaps explains why it is also a major priority for
millennials and Gen Zs when it comes to the workplace, particularly for those in
leadership positions.

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Millennials and Generation Z—making mental health at work a priority | High stress levels continue

High stress levels

continue
In the Deloitte Global survey, a concerning 41% of millennials and 46% of Gen Zs shared
that they feel stressed or anxious most or all of the time, only a three percent drop for
millennials and a two percent drop for Gen Zs from 2020. When comparing their current
lives to the ones they led before the COVID-19 pandemic, around half of respondents say
they feel more stressed than before the pandemic – with nearly a third of millennials
(31%) and Gen Zs (29%) describing this as a ‘little more’ stress, and one in five reporting
feeling a lot more stressed and anxious than before.

Women are experiencing higher levels of stress

Although millennials and Gen Zs across the board are experiencing heightened stress,
there are differences among men and women. Similar to last year’s survey, women
report feeling stressed and anxious more than men; this ‘gender gap’ is 45% to 37%
among millennials, and 54% to 39% among Gen Zs.

Levels of stress have remained high throughout the COVID-19

pandemic, particularly for women

Proportion who say they are stressed “all” or “most” of the time (%)

53% 54%
50%
47% 46% 45%
42%
40% 39%
37% 37% 37%

2020 2020 Pulse 2021

Q13. How often would you say you feel anxious or stressed? MILLENNIALS GENZs
Millennial base: 2021 men 7,327, women 7,327; 2020 “pulse
survey” men 2,750, women 2,750; 2020 men 6,857, women Women Women
6,857; Gen Z base: 2021 men 4,136, women 4,136; 2020 “pulse
Men Men
survey” men 1,800, women 1,800; 2020 men 2,355, women
2,355

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Millennials and Generation Z—making mental health at work a priority | High stress levels continue

Overall drivers of stress and anxiety vary widely Percent of respondents who say that the
When asked to identify the sources of their stress and anxiety, these generations offer a state of their mental health, or that of
wide range of factors. Both millennials and Gen Zs rank financial concerns or uncertainty their family and friends have made them
the highest. And in a labor market that’s still fluctuating, it’s not hard to see why feel more stressed since the pandemic
concerns about jobs and job security caused an increase in stress for nearly four in 10 started:
millennials (37%) and just over one in four Gen Zs (32%) surveyed.

Outside of their economic worries, respondents also listed widespread concerns about
their health, and that of their loved ones. When it comes to their own physical health,
50% and 46% of millennials and Gen Zs, respectively, say it contributes a little to them
feeling stressed and anxious, and 33% and 35% report that it contributes a lot. On top of
that, just over a quarter of millennials (26%) and 31% of Gen Zs say that the state of their
mental health, or that of their family and friends, has heightened their anxiety levels. And
overall, their family’s welfare was a leading stressor for both groups, as was the case in Q16. Since the pandemic started in early 2020
2020. which of the following, if any, have made you feel
more stressed/anxious? Please select up to three
of biggest factors. Base: Those who feel more
stressed form the pandemic.

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Millennials and Generation Z—making mental health at work a priority | Mental health stigma endures

Mental health stigma

endures

Despite more discussion about mental health during the

pandemic, the stigma at work endures

Although nearly half of millennials and Gen Zs (48%) report feeling more stressed since
the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, their employers most likely don’t know how much
they’ve been affected. Indeed, almost six in 10 of these respondents admit that they
have not spoken to their employers or line managers about their increased stress or
anxiety.

Not only are they not talking about it, they seldom take time off to address it. Only 31%
of millennials and 35% of Gen Zs have taken time away from work as a result of stress
and anxiety, and those who do are still hesitant to disclose that it’s for mental health
reasons. An astounding 49% and 47% of millennials and Gen Zs who have taken time off
work for mental health reasons have given their employer a different reason for this
absence. And for those who have never requested time off for mental health reasons,
46% and 51% of them said that they would not give their employer the real reason if they
did.

With an inclusive workplace being critical for removing stigma, it is noteworthy that only
around 21% of millennials and 25% of Gen Zs say that their employer performs very well
at enabling their employees to be their true, authentic selves at work. Nearly 45% of both
groups say that their workplace is doing fairly well, which means that one in four
millennials (25%) and Gen Zs (25%) give their employer a “poor” grade.

Better workplace support is needed

When asked how their employers are performing when it comes to supporting their
mental and physical health, only one in five millennials and Gen Zs said that their
employer is doing well. Four in 10 ranked them as doing fairly well, and around three in
10 graded their workplace’s performance as poor. While this is concerning as a data
point in itself, it is more so when considering that those millennials surveyed who report
lower levels of support from their employers when it comes to their mental health also
report higher levels of feeling stressed and anxious all or most of the time.

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Millennials and Generation Z—making mental health at work a priority | Mental health stigma endures

Mental health stigma endures

Work-life balance matters

Having a healthy work-life balance can also improve workers’ mental health. And
millennials and Gen Zs in positions below management aren’t the only ones concerned
about striking a balance or taking care of their mental health — indeed, those in Nearly four in 10
leadership positions see these as key priorities too.
respondents do not
When asked to think about their top priorities beyond revenue and profit, millennials and believe their employers
Gen Zs in senior roles said that ensuring people have a good work-life balance and
supporting employees' physical and mental health is the most important. Around a have taken actions to
quarter of these respondents ranked work-life balance the highest (followed by 16% who
put supporting the physical and mental health of employees at the top). However, only
support their mental
around one in five millennials and Gen Zs surveyed overall think their employer is well-being during the
performing very well at enabling them to have a work-life balance, while three in 10 say
the support is poor. The plurality of respondents falls in the middle, with four in 10 pandemic.
reporting that their employer does fairly well. Thus, suggesting that much remains to be
done, despite it being a priority for some leaders.

Views on prevalence of discrimination are firm

A large number of millennials and Gen Zs polled during this year’s survey believe that
discrimination is prevalent in their home countries. Nearly half of millennials and 54% of
Gen Zs report that discrimination based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender
takes place a fair amount or a great deal in their country.

And when it comes to mental health-based prejudices, the numbers aren’t much better.
Approximately half of millennials (50%) and Gen Zs (53%) believe that discrimination
based on the state of someone’s mental health frequently happens. This paints a stark
picture – and a significant challenge – when it comes to the removal of workplace stigma.

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Millennials and Generation Z—making mental health at work a priority | Conclusion

Conclusion
The past year has seen people around the globe face unprecedented challenges - leading
to increased stress and anxiety and a longing for better work-life balance for many
surveyed.

This survey has provided an insight into the mental health and wellbeing concerns of a
demographic that makes up a large part of the workforce; from concern for the health of
their families to worrying about their financial futures and job prospects – stress and
anxiety still prevails for many. Notably, women report higher levels of stress and anxiety
over the past year than men, as they did in the 2020 survey.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the subject of mental health
receive more focus by employers, many of those people surveyed remain
reluctant to tell their employers when they experience mental health
challenges – with nearly half of those who have taken time off work for
mental health reasons (such as stress and anxiety) still not giving their
employer the real reason, while those who have not taken such time
off also say they would not disclose the reason should they need to
take such an absence. Thus, this increased focus had not necessarily
resulted in the reduction of workplace stigma.

The survey has also shown the positive impact of a supportive

workplace - with a clear correlation between the support offered
when it comes to mental health at work and the level of stress and
anxiety reported by employees (with the survey finding that those
who work for more supportive employers reported lower levels of
stress and anxiety). Yet it has also shown that many organizations have
more to do – with only one in five seeing their employer as doing a
good job when it comes to supporting their mental and physical
health, with around a third even describing such support as poor.

The findings also emphasize the criticality of employers enabling work-life balance, both
as a contributor to good mental health and as a means to retain talent – but only one in
five of those surveyed believe their employer is doing a good job of supporting them to
achieve this.

Finally, the survey is a reminder of the importance of actions inside the workplace, even
where the local environment may present a challenge, with around half of those polled
reporting their view that discrimination based on someone’s mental health frequently
happens in their country.

This research has shown that there has never been a more pressing need for employers
to make mental health at work a priority – to ensure that the workplace is stigma-free
and to provide a working environment where all employees can thrive; one in which they
feel supported and where work-life balance is the norm.

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Millennials and Generation Z—making mental health at work a priority |

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