Why investing in employee wellbeing and following the needs of Gen-Z is actually beneficial for business...

Gen-Z aren’t shy when it comes to making cultural or societal changes.

In fact they’re quite proud to be changing the ways for not only themselves, but for future generations. From new terminology to attitudes and beliefs, Gen-Z are boldly standing up for their priorities which includes, but certainly not limited to, wellbeing and mental health support.

Gone are the times where mental health is kept quiet, overworking is great, and personal lives don’t take priority. There’s been a huge shift in attitudes, whereby wellbeing is something this generation actively seek out and where good work, life, balance is imperative.

Shifting workplace attitudes towards Mental Health and work-life balance

The tech-savvy and innovative generation have demonstrated that a good working culture and environment is actually an option and are keen to work for such employers. This means, workplaces will attract a lot more staff now, and in the future, if they invest in good wellbeing strategies and occupational health. Being able to proudly boast about great employee wellbeing, and strongly believing in support for mental health, will really drive recruitment.

Gen-Z’s demand for a healthy work environment and Mental Health support

Rather than spending most of their days focussing on their careers, they’re opting for good work, life, balance and to work for organisations that align with their values and needs. This generation are focussing on raising awareness for mental health, but they’re also actively seeking support more than ever. Studies show that 63% said mental health and wellbeing care is the “number-one workplace benefit they want”.

The importance of holistic wellness in the workplace

They are also on the hunt for employers that support “holistic wellness” as mental health is more openly talked about and seen as important in this generation; this is worlds apart from millennials and our grandparent’s generations.

Research found that 28% want benefits that help them cope with stress and with burnout levels on the rise and workplace sickness (most of which is due to poor mental health) costing the UK a staggering £100bn per year, is this really a bad thing?

Investing in employee wellbeing, both mental and physical, will attract more employees whilst also helping retention and overall reducing sickness levels and costs. It’s clear that Gen-Z’s vocalised priorities are actually beneficial for the workplace too.

The younger generations are key to a successful workforce and economy

Why? Because they're quite literally the future. It’s therefore imperative that employers look into and invest in the health and wellbeing of young employees because, according to latest reports, younger staff are more likely to be off work through sickness than employees in their 40s.

Mental health issues are increasing, and are becoming a large contributing factor to the increase in long-term sickness and unemployment amongst young people; around 20,000 people are off work in the UK every month due to poor mental health.

According to the latest World Happiness report, young people in particular are becoming less happy compared to older generations and they’re going through what many might say is a ‘mid-life crisis’, a lot earlier than they should be.

How to improve sickness levels

To prevent such high numbers, employers should focus on wellbeing and mental health initiatives for staff so that wellbeing can be monitored and improved before it turns into a rise in absences, or worse unemployment.

There are preventative strategies that can be put into place so that staff members, and young people in particular, feel comfortable and happy in the workforce. This ultimately leads to higher productivity within the business, lower sickness rates, and less presenteeism.

The importance of quick access to support

Aside from prevention, it’s equally important to make sure that help is available, whether it’s via Employee Assistance Programmes, mental health first aiders, psychological wellbeing support or counselling and general occupational health assistance.

With NHS waitlists at an all-time high, employees need the help quickly and through occupational health; this will help those return to work from sickness time-off more quickly, and more importantly, it helps the individuals.

Act now to improve recruitment

Mental health and wellbeing are big concerns for younger people, and it’s clear they should be on the agenda for organisations. As mentioned above, it helps with absences, but it also can improve recruitment of younger people. Knowing that there’s support at work for mental wellbeing will be more enticing for many as young people know that they can’t access it easily and taking care of their mental wellbeing is a priority.

There’s been a generational shift when it comes to mental health and work. Whilst older generations may prefer just ‘working through it’, younger generations now have adopted a health first, work second mentality. Having support available within the workplace, combines both and can make younger people feel more content and safer.

Developing the modern, working force of the future, should be a high priority for organisations as it benefits everyone. Business can go on thriving with a healthy workforce as there’s a lack of sickness absences, happier staff, and more productivity.

Why investing in Employee Wellbeing is beneficial for all:

By improving employee morale, staff will feel more likely to stay with their employer for a much longer time as they’ll feel happy in their role. This keeps an organisation's workforce strong and reduces the costs it takes to hire people- it’s a lot more cost effective to keep staff and upskill.

Additionally, it reduces the levels of absenteeism across the workplace as staff will be more engaged, productive, and present with positive mental wellbeing. Things like stress and burnout often leave staff feeling mentally ‘checked-out’ whilst at work. Moreover, the recruitment landscape is changing and wellbeing is at the forefront of priorities. Investing in wellbeing is becoming more and more important for recruitment success.