Gen Z: Hugely Stressed But Believing In A Better Future

by Mark C. Perna | Mar 19, 2024,06:00pm EDT

Many young people are confident about the future—but they still need guidance at work. Here’s some advice on finding the right mentor and managing stress along the way.

Stress isn’t unique to one generation, but if it were, Generation Z might just have the edge. According to a recent Gallup poll, just 15% of Gen Zers said their current mental health/well-being is excellent.

This number is all the more surprising because in the same study, 76% of respondents expressed optimism about the future, and 82% are confident that they’ll achieve their goals someday. This optimism is especially strong for Black Gen Z Americans, 44% of whom agree they have a great future in store (compared to 30% of Hispanic and 31% of white Americans).

How can two such disparate emotional states exist at the same time? It’s the Gen Z conundrum, born of a healthy belief in their own abilities tempered by living in a fast-changing and uncertain world.

All of this has an impact on how Gen Z is approaching the world of work. “Gen Z is coming into the workforce at a time that is different from that of earlier generations,” says David Tarner, Candidate Marketing Director, ManpowerGroup North America. “Gen Z workers may work in 5-10 different careers in their lifetime—which can be great—but can also lead to the feeling of uncertainty. And that uncertainty can be stressful.”

I recently connected with Tarner via email for a conversation on where Gen Z’s head is at—and how mentorships may be the biggest factor in their achievement.

A different view of work

It probably comes as no surprise that Gen Z workers think about work very differently from the generations that preceded them. “They generally see work as a part of life, but not the meaning of their life,” says Tarner. “They often prefer work to fit in around the things they see as more important—things like quality of life, time with friends/family, interesting experiences like travel.

At the same time, many Gen Zers feel the deck is stacked against them when it comes to achieving the same milestones their parents did. “The economic environment is a large factor—it’s very difficult to meet the financial obligations in front of them,” says Tarner. “From student loan repayments to more expensive housing and groceries, the pressure to pay the bills is weighing heavily on many young people.”

All of this has contributed to Gen Z’s higher expectations of their employers. Tarner observes that 60% of Gen Z employees expect their employers to provide personalized career development paths with regular guidance, trained mentors and transparent progression plans tailored to personal goals. “For employers, it’s a reminder to provide this type of support where possible,” he says.

Mentoring matters

Unsurprisingly, Gallup also found that Gen Zers with mentors in their lives polled significantly higher on the optimism index. One-third (32%) of respondents said they had an adult actively supporting them in their lives. These individuals were more than twice as likely as their peers to feel confident about their future.

This clearly has application in the education system, but there’s a major case to be made for workplace mentorships as well. The challenge is that younger workers will need to be proactive about seeking a good mentor. “Young workers need to be resourceful—but you must take the initiative to use those resources,” says Tarner.

Self-awareness, says Tarner, should be a top priority for young workers beginning their careers. “Where do you hope to go? If you aren’t sure, start with a plan that just prioritizes ‘discovery,’” he says. “Once you have identified a path that sounds interesting to you, it will be easier to identify mentors and explain what you hope to gain from the relationship.

“It’s also important to consider what you have to offer as well—make the relationship beneficial for your mentor as well. What can you help them with in return?”

Of course, mentoring benefits the organization as well. “Globally, organizations face a growing imbalance between rapidly rising Gen Z workers entering the workforce and more experienced employees leaving,” warns Tarner. “By 2030, Gen Z will compose 58% of the labor pool. This widening demographic gap produces multifaceted talent challenges: generational knowledge loss from retiring baby boomers and Gen Z seeking updated skills blending technical and interpersonal, and mid-career workers needing to reskill for new roles.”

Managing stress

While it’s clear that many Gen Z workers feel a lot of stress, Tarner has a couple pieces of advice to help alleviate it, at least at work.

1. Start small. “It’s natural to feel hesitant about asking for help. But this can be less daunting if you start with a low-commitment engagement. Reach out and simply ask for one call. Set a clear agenda. If you click and it grows into something more, great. If not, that’s also good to know,” he says. “By starting smaller, it’s less intimidating for you as the requestor. And for the mentor, they are much more likely to agree to something less time-intensive.”

2. Find your specialty. “It’s overwhelming to try to get up to speed on every topic, so niche down. Become the expert on the team in one tool, one new technology and add ‘net new knowledge’ to the team in that area,” says Tarner. “Share what you learn with the team, and you’ll become known as the go-to person on that subject. By narrowing your focus, you’ll start to see some successes. You’ll get positive feedback, and your confidence will grow from there.”

3. Discover your strengths. “Don’t settle for the most obvious opportunity,” urges Tarner. “Really think about the type of work you enjoy most—do you want to be out meeting people? Or do you like to be alone in your house on the computer? Do you prefer to have clear direction, or would you rather have more freedom to be creative? Do you like working with numbers, or would you rather do something more artistic?”

4. Be resourceful and generous. “There are a nearly unlimited number of resources at your disposal online,” says Tarner. “But you must make yourself easy to work with. Know a bit about what you are trying to accomplish, find ways to help others along the way as well. And when you make it to the top, throw down a rope for those coming behind you.”

Though Gen Z workers just starting their careers may feel at a disadvantage, there’s still a bright future for those who are willing to chase it down. If that’s you, lean in: finding the right mentor can be the first step to a career journey that empowers everything else you want to achieve and enjoy in life.