A new report has found that despite Gen Z’s reputation for shirking work, they are actually the happiest at work and also the hardest working.

The State of Work-Life Wellness Report surveyed employees across the globe, and in the UK found that:

• 75% of Generation Z employees are happy at work, compared to 60% of over 50s
• Generation Z are three times more likely to rank wellbeing at work as important compared to older workforce
• Youngest generation are 20% more likely to engage with their employee benefits package than older colleagues
• 89% of Gen Z employees would quit if their company didn’t focus on employee wellbeing

With countless stories citing Gen Z as a lazy demographic rejecting the idea of hard work, the new State of Work-Life Wellness Report from Gympass, the world’s largest corporate wellbeing platform, shows quite the opposite. Three quarters of Gen Z employees are happy at work and most importantly, more engaged with their work compared to older generations.

The data revealed that 75% of Gen Z workers are happy in their current jobs compared to just 60% of people over 50. Similarly, the vast majority (84%) of young workers are engaged at work compared to 75% of over 50s.

Wellbeing Wins
The data showed that this generation has an entirely unique perspective on careers and how to define success in life and in the workforce. With wellbeing as a top priority for many Gen Z employees, it is no surprise that they are 20% more likely to engage with their employee benefits package than their older colleagues. They are also three times more likely to rank wellbeing at work as critically important compared to colleagues 50+.

“The pandemic changed people’s approach to wellbeing but it appears this has been felt most with the youngest workers,” said Luke Bullen, Head of UK & Ireland at Gympass. “This generation is not lazy – they are reassessing their relationship with work in a way that older generations never did. They are prioritising their own wellbeing and taking stock of what they want out of their employment. Today, young people are simply not content with jobs they deem unsatisfying or potentially harmful to their health and they are not shy about sharing these expectations with their employers.”

Resignation or Reflection?
The State of Work-Life Wellness Report from Gympass also showed that 89% of Generation Z employees would consider leaving a company that didn’t focus on their wellbeing. This is important because recent news of “quiet quitting” and the “Great Resignation” may lead many employers to believe that young people are simply rejecting the idea of hard work. The data from Gympass reveals that the reality is a bit more nuanced. With more young people putting their health and wellbeing as their number one priority, it is no surprise that the report also showed Gen Z employees citing an improvement in their wellbeing in 2022 when compared to employees over 50 years of age.

“This data is key to understanding Gen Z in the workforce,” said Bullen. “Generation Z will soon surpass Millennials as the most populous generation on earth with more than one-third of the world’s population counting themselves as Gen Z’ers. Businesses need new employee engagement tactics in light of this changing demographic so it’s important to question the current narrative. They’re not simply rejecting hard work and indulging in leisure. They’re actually just prioritising their own wellbeing and speaking more publicly about the role of labour in their lives.”

*Research paper from Gympass