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Gen Z is 8% happier at work than they were a year ago—But they’re still the most unhappy generation

Emma Burleigh
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Emma Burleigh
Emma Burleigh
Reporter, Success
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Emma Burleigh
By
Emma Burleigh
Emma Burleigh
Reporter, Success
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March 22, 2024, 7:54 AM ET
Gen Z employees working together at a desk.
Newbie workers are warming up the workplace, but stress and burnout are still weighing them down.Getty Images
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Things might finally be looking up for Gen Z. 

The generation has struggled with burnout and mental health more than others. Many members entered 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 bosses should 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

Around the Table

A round-up of the most important HR headlines.

Nearly half of workers say they would go back to the office in return for housing benefits. Business Insider

A majority of companies now disclose pay ranges in their job postings, and leaders say some of their employees are ditching their roles once they see that the same job gets higher pay elsewhere. CNBC

Canada’s unemployment rate is on the rise, and the number of citizens receiving jobless benefits rose by 18% compared to last year. Bloomberg

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

This is the web version of CHRO Daily, a newsletter focusing on helping HR executives navigate the needs of the workplace. Sign up to get it delivered free to your inbox.

About the Author
Emma Burleigh
By Emma BurleighReporter, Success

Emma Burleigh is a reporter at Fortune, covering success, careers, entrepreneurship, and personal finance. Before joining the Success desk, she co-authored Fortune’s CHRO Daily newsletter, extensively covering the workplace and the future of jobs. Emma has also written for publications including the Observer and The China Project, publishing long-form stories on culture, entertainment, and geopolitics. She has a joint-master’s degree from New York University in Global Journalism and East Asian Studies.

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