The Hidden Driver of Better Mental Health for Gen Z
Most companies offer perks, but miss what Gen Z actually needs to thrive.
The emerging workforce is struggling.
Gen Z (born between 1998 and 2012) is stressed, anxious, and suffering from poor mental health. It's impacting their personal and professional lives. And yet employers are ignoring the factor that Gen Z says is their top driver of good mental health.
This isn’t an attack on employers or leaders. They’re not being malicious. Many just haven’t put the pieces together—or they don’t know how to deliver the thing that could truly move the needle. And it’s not what you’d expect.
Understanding Gen Z Stress
Let’s start with the stats. According to a 2025 Deloitte survey, only 52 percent of Gen Z rate their mental well-being as good or very good. In a 2023 version of the survey, nearly half of Gen Z (46 percent) said they feel stressed or anxious at work all or most of the time. And their job "contributes significantly to their stress levels," says 35 percent of Gen Z.
What’s driving their stress at work? Long hours, lack of recognition, toxic environments, and a growing belief that their managers could be doing more to address the root causes.
Many employers recognize the issue and the benefit of supporting mental health. Here are the most used mental health resources that employers offer:
Vacation time/paid time off
Regular check-ins with a manager about well-being
Supportive senior leaders
Stress-reducing resources
Mental health apps or digital tools
Meeting-free days
Paid-for counseling or therapy
While these are valuable, they aren't being used. Less than one-third of Gen Z actually use these resources, the 2023 survey found. Why? Because employers are missing the thing Gen Z says matters most.
Getting mental health right at work will likely only grow in importance as more Gen Z enter the workforce, especially since 8 in 10 said that mental health support and policies are a top factor when choosing an employer.
What Gen Z Actually Needs to Improve Mental Health
The #1 driver of good mental health for Gen Z isn’t time off. It isn’t therapy apps. It’s connection.
In the 2023 survey, 73 percent of Gen Z said spending time with friends in person improves their mental health. Not “kind of helps.” Improves it.
That’s not just true outside of work. It matters at work, too. And it’s a wake-up call for leaders who still operate under the outdated belief that work and friendships don’t mix.
That thinking might have made sense when work stopped at 5:00 and life began in the driveway. But that’s not the world Gen Z entered. Work and life now blur. Add in hybrid schedules and the loneliness epidemic, and the workplace becomes a significant place where meaningful relationships can grow.
When Gen Z (or any generation) has just one close connection at work, the impact is remarkable. According to recent Gallup data, those with a close friend at work are significantly more likely to:
Report better mental health
Engage customers and internal partners
Get more done in less time
Improve safety and reduce accidents
Share ideas and innovate
Have fun while at work
Recommend their workplace
Stay longer with their employer
Feel satisfied with their job
The benefits are clear. So the question becomes: How do we help Gen Z connect?
4 Simple Ways Employers Can Help Gen Z Build Friendships at Work
Create space for personal conversation. Start meetings with light check-in questions or team-building prompts. It sets a tone that says “you matter” before “your tasks matter.”
Pair new hires with peer buddies. Joining a new organization can be a highly isolating time in anyone's career. Having someone to grab lunch with or ask questions to makes the workplace feel more human and connective.
Host low-pressure social gatherings. Not everyone wants to attend a happy hour. But coffee walks, lunch roulette, or collaborative volunteer days can help build bridges in less intimidating ways.
Recognize relationships, not just results. Celebrate teamwork publicly. Shout-out moments where employees supported one another. Show that collaboration is just as valued as contribution.
Gen Z is silently screaming for more connection at work. This is a chance for leaders to lean in, not just to improve performance, but to protect mental health.
A friend at work is a future at work.
As a Gen Z keynote speaker and generations expert, Ryan Jenkins helps companies strengthen multigenerational teams and cultures through human connection. If you’d like help building Connectable teams and cultures, click here.