Things might finally be looking up for Gen Z.
The generation has struggled with burnout and mental health more thanothers. Manymembersentered the workforce during the pandemic, and have been forced to deal with sky-high inflation. But this year, the cohort actually experienced a huge bump in happiness, according to a new report.
About 62% of working Gen Zers say they are happy at their jobs, according to a survey from MetLife, an employee benefits and insurance company. That’s 8% higher compared to a year ago, and a bigger jump than other generations—millennials saw a 2% increase, Gen X saw a 3% increase, and the number of boomers who are happy at their jobs dipped 2%.
Todd Katz, executive vice president at MetLife, told Fortune that Gen Z’s happiness bump is linked to upticks in things like job loyalty, satisfaction at work, level of engagement, and all elements of “holistic health”—how employees view the quality of their physical, mental, financial, and social health.
Despite that big leap, however, Gen Z is still the unhappiest generation in the workplace. Around 62% of Gen Z say they’re happy at work, compared to 65% of Gen X, 66% of millennials, and 67% of boomer employees, according to the report. And workers of all ages continue to live and work below pre-pandemic levels of happiness.
Katz says Gen Z’s general workplace unhappiness is fueled by elevated levels of stress and burnout, alongside feeling more overwhelmed than other generations. If employers want to bolster Gen Z’s happiness, they should focus on facilitating a quality work-life balance, according to the survey, and bossesshould focus on making sure that employees feel a sense of belonging and let them know they’re valued.
Katz also suggests that employers focus on the workplace qualities that young employees value most, including career development, wellness benefits, and a supportive office culture.
“It’s important for employers to know how feeling happy and cared for looks different to each generation,” he says.
Emma Burleigh
emma.burleigh@fortune.com
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Watercooler
Everything you need to know from Fortune.
Pet peeves. One in five U.K. employees are avoiding the office to stay clear of coworkers with annoying behaviors—like gossiping, oversharing, cussing, and flirting. —Orianna Rosa Royle
Going green. Companies are vying for workers with “green skills,” or experience in climate-related jobs, to become more environmentally informed. —Sunny Nagpaul
Not worth it. Nearly three quarters of Zoom meetings are ineffective, and a majority of workers say these mandatory calls make it difficult to get their work done on time. —Jane Thier
Unmasking. Long-cherished for its anonymity, job review site Glassdoor will now require users to sign up using their own names. But the company maintains people can still post incognito. —Paolo Confino
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