The Hartford’s New Research Finds Next-Gen Workers Are Most in Need of Mental Health Support, Least Likely to Feel Their Employers Care

Gen Z workers are the most in need of mental health support compared to other generations— according to the latest results from The Hartford’s Future of Benefits Study. According to the results presented in the Study, 53% are highly stressed in a typical week and 44% feel depressed or anxious at least a few times per week—yet are less likely to believe their employers care greatly about their mental health (51%). Also, Gen Z workers are more likely than other generations to report stigma prevents them from seeking mental health care (41%).

“The stakes could not be higher,” said The Hartford’s Chairman and CEO Christopher Swift. “The future of work depends on meaningful action today to support next-gen workers’ emotional and mental well-being. Employers have the power to transform mental health through empathetic leadership, inclusive and collaborative workplaces that foster connection, and more resources tailored to the unique needs of employees and their families.”

Baby Boomers least likely to have mental health impacts in the workplace

While the youngest generations in the workplace are more likely to say their mental health affects their productivity (38% Gen Z and 32% Millennials), the oldest generation in the workplace are less likely to report mental health impacts (Baby Boomer 8%). The Hartford’s research could foretell an even greater effect on worker productivity and the bottom line of businesses, as an estimated 75 million Boomers are expected to retire by 2030—the year the U.S. workforce is projected to be two-thirds Millennial and Gen Z.1

Year over year, The Hartford’s Future of Benefits Study has shown a connection between employee mental well-being, mental health support, and the impact on a company’s bottom line. For example, nearly one-third (30%) of U.S. workers in 2023 reported feeling depressed or anxious at least a few times a week, compared to 34% in 2022. Also, a majority of Human Resources (HR) professionals (64%) feel the deteriorating mental health of their workforce has a negative financial impact on their company, which is down compared to 71% last year.

A majority of U.S. workers believe employers should provide more mental health training for managers (58%), additional mental health tools for employees (59%), and better resources for their dependents (58%). Also, a majority of HR professionals agree managers need additional training (71%) and mental health resources (65%), but half said a lack of funding prevents them from doing so.

Survey Methodology

Fielded Feb. 14–28, 2023, The Hartford’s 2023 Future of Benefits Study included 500 human resource (HR) benefit decision-makers and 1,100 U.S. workers. The margin of error is employer +/- 4% and worker +/-3% at a 95% confidence level. The ages for the generations in The Hartford’s 2023 Future of Benefits Study are: 1997 to 2004 (ages 19-26) for Gen Z; 1998 to 1981 (ages 27-42) for Millennials; 1967 to 1980 (ages 43-56) for Gen X; and 1955 to 1966 (ages 57-68) for Baby Boomers. The full report on The Hartford’s 2023 Future of Benefits Study will be available in May.

Source: The Hartford