In the past year, there has been a dramatic drop in the number of young workers willing to confide their stress or difficulties at work with more senior staff members. In the meantime, younger workers are more likely to take time off due to illness than older employees.
Mental Health UK’s Burnout Report showed that younger generations (up until 44) were more likely to need time off due to poor mental health. This was caused by stress and pressure. Older generations (45+) reported a decrease of 9% in this category.
In the last year, the number of workers aged 18-24 that feel comfortable talking to their line managers or senior leaders about stress and pressure dropped dramatically from 75% down to 56%. Mental Health UK said that this was “a warning sign of a breakdown between employers and young workers”.
In addition, older workers are more comfortable talking to their managers about stress management. This has increased from 57% to 60%.
In the UK, 91% of adults reported that they had experienced extreme or high levels of stress or pressure in the last year.
In the study, it was found that nearly three out of 10 (18%) people aged between 18-24 were forced to take time off due to health problems.
Waiting for NHS treatment declines with age, to 9% among those 55+. The youngest generation is most likely to need time off (35%) while only 10% UK workers over 55 have said they needed time off.
The study found that presenteeism, or a lack of concern for stress, put people at greater risk of burnout. One in five adults admitted to having been negatively affected by stress or high pressure levels, yet they had not adjusted their work hours or taken any time off.
The biggest source of stress among younger workers (48%) was having to work regularly unpaid overtime. Burnout can also be caused by working extra hours in order to cover the cost of living (46%).
High Stress
Workers aged 25 to 34 reported a high level of stress due to a heavy workload or an increased workload (56%), and fear of job loss or redundancy (45%).
Only a third of 18-24-year-olds (33%) said they were able to switch off when needed, compared to 46% of 55+ year olds.
The charity’s chief Executive, Brian Dow, stated that the study revealed a limited level of happiness at the workplace in modern Britain, with just three out of ten workers reporting fulfillment and one in four feeling bored. The study revealed that nearly a fifth of workers, or 17%, felt lonely. Gartner has identified in the workplace as a major challenge for employers by 2025.
Dow stated that presenteeism played a major role in their findings. “The lack engagement and connection at work has wide-reaching implications, not to mention employee retention and productivity.” One in five employees admits that pressure or stress negatively impacts their performance. Yet, they continue to work without making any adjustments or seeking help. This unwillingness to act highlights the stigma that surrounds stress and burnout.
Generational divide
He said that the study revealed a generational divide. “Our survey clearly shows it’s young people who are most at risk for high stress levels in the workplace. But raises questions about whether they feel comfortable talking to their manager to explore reasonable adjustments to help prevent burnout.
As the generational gap widens, it’s important to build bridges and have open conversations about changing attitudes and expectations in regards to work.
We’re calling for employers to reconsider their approach to mental illness and to explore reasonable adjustments and workplace wellness initiatives with young employees.
They risk losing the next generation of workers, who will either look for work elsewhere or stop working.
YouGov surveyed 2,436 adults in November. The figures were weighted so that they are representative of the entire UK adult population.
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