It seems like only yesterday that millennials were making headlines as they entered the workforce, heralding changes to workplace environments and healthcare. And while millennials still make up a significant portion of the workforce, they are currently between the ages of 28-43, meaning they’re no longer the new kids on the block.
Enter Gen Z.
Ranges to identify Gen Z vary, but using a large umbrella it can be said that members of Gen Z were born between 1996-2012, currently making them between 12-28 years old. The older members of Gen Z are already in the workforce, with more to come in the next decade.
How Big is Gen Z?
- Gen Z currently makes up roughly 20-25% of the U.S. population
- By 2030, Gen Z will make up 30% of the workforce
Differentiator #1: Greater Mental Health Challenges
Like every generation, Gen Z grew up in a unique time with unique attitudes and beliefs, some of which impact their health, how they work, and how they navigate care. This creates various long-term considerations for workers’ comp as this population will make up a bigger portion of the workforce as they age – and as older workers retire.
In a short period, Gen Z has experienced or been directly affected by an unprecedented level of world-changing events during their formative years, which cumulatively have had negative effects on their overall mental health.
The 9/11 terrorist attacks, frequent school and public shootings, multiple economic recessions and financial crises, political unrest at home and abroad, the opioid and fentanyl epidemics, the pressures of a modern world that continues to grow more complex, the COVID-19 pandemic, and increasing anxiety around climate change – all of these factors compound the normal stressors of life and have led to greater levels of mental illness.
