How various stress factors show up in different generations
According to the 2024 State of the Global Workplace report by Gallup, people’s mental well-being has deteriorated in the past ten years. The number of people expressing stress, sadness, anxiety, anger, or worry has reached its highest level since the Gallup employee engagement surveys began. The CEO of Gallup, Jon Clifton, mused in the report, “if humanity’s mental health is rapidly declining during a golden era of progress and prosperity, it will present one of the greatest paradoxes of our time.”
I don’t find it paradoxical, though. I think people voicing their mental stress is part of the progress we’ve made as a society. Previous generations never vocalized their mental state as much as our generation. Our ancestors had children who never made it into adulthood. They endured wars and famine, lost homes and families, crossed oceans under horrendous conditions… They never took antidepressants. Does it mean they had more stamina and less depression? Are we more fragile than our ancestors because surveys show our anxiety?
My answer is “no”. Just a few decades ago, it was acceptable for a manager to yell at employees and for a parent to beat their children. Today, very few people would put up with that. We lowered our tolerance to cruelty. We say even “micro” aggression should be called out. Young people today are more conscious of their emotions, thanks to the internet hivemind, which has destigmatized mental health struggles and fostered solidarity. Our parents wouldn’t take sick leave for a common cold. Today, people might take sick leave for stress induced by a war breaking out on a different continent.
On the other hand, people who are not in touch with their emotions may not report their distress in surveys, but their bottled-up negativity could explode in a much more damaging way. Therefore, the paradox between material prosperity and the mental health crisis of our time represents the tension between the old management practices and new expectations of the workforce.
Cultural change in recent decades
Conway’s Law, which states the correlation between the communication structure of organizations and the system they design, was made popular by software companies in recent decades: “You ship your org chart like it or not.”
Software companies are the first to redesign their org chart to ensure the software they ship is modular and efficient, going from a more hierarchical management structure to a more flat, autonomous, and democratic structure. A recent talk by Nan Yu, Head of Product at Linear, described a variety of agile and modular team structures they observed in many new tech companies, and to go further, suggested that some organization structures could be as organic as an heirloom tomato, no symmetry, no perfect shape, which fully acknowledge every individual contributor in the team without many management layers.
The evolution of the corporate structure is reflected not only in how people communicate but in what is considered appropriate as office attire, as well.
According to the Department of Labor, as of August 2024, Gen Y–a.k.a Millennials–makes up 36% of the US labor force, and their share is slowly rising, replacing that of Gen X, which is at 31%. Gen Z currently makes up 18% of the labor force, and Boomers 15%. However, Boomers are replaced rapidly by Gen Z, and their share is projected to drop below 10% in 2025.
Gen X came of age during an era that valued self-reliance and a strong work ethic. They adapted to hierarchical corporate structures where job titles and corner offices signified success. Today, many could feel the strain of meeting high expectations at work in flatter organizations, where their authority may feel diluted compared to previous generations.
Gen Y’s view on work is significantly shaped by the 2008 economic crisis and its subsequent aftermath. Most of them went on to work in tech startups where open office and company-sponsored wellness programs were the norm. Compared to Gen X, they value merit more than the job title. Many millennials are vocal about work-life balance, and they are more likely to demand their job to be meaningful. They would push for transparency, inclusivity, and flexibility at the expense of clashing with legacy corporate structures.
Gen Z grew up in the digital age where every service they use is highly individualized and provided on demand; therefore, when they enter the workforce, they expect their work environment to reflect the same scale of flexibility they experience in everyday life. Many contemporary companies are structured to normalize flexible working hours and celebrate a rapid and fluid communication style to attract top young talent. For Gen Z, job titles and traditional hierarchies hold little weight compared to inclusivity and adaptability.
From stress factors to distress
In her book Atlas of the Heart, Brené Brown lists 87 emotions and vividly details how different situations evoke them. Stress is often associated with feelings of overwhelm. When demands outweigh support, the stress hormone cortisol is sure to rise, potentially leading to distress.
In addition, chronic boredom or pessimism at work could also induce distress. As the Gallup report says, work is where many people derive a sense of self-esteem and worthiness. Feeling stuck at a menial job, not problem-solving, or not learning new skills could increase anxiety around skill displacement and pessimism about one’s future.
Mental distress arises from many stress factors that feed into each other, creating a vicious feedback loop, amplifying their impact, and leading to burnout. For instance, rising living expenses might be manageable alone, but combined with menial work, skill anxiety, lack of a network, and a toxic workplace, they can create overwhelming distress.
The image above demonstrates how different stress factors, originating from situations we face in the world, are projected to the mind and, by feeding into one another, reinforce the distress.
Different age groups experience stress differently
While we may experience stress in all eight areas mentioned above, people in different age groups experience the severity of these areas differently.
In their mid-40s to late 50s, Gen X are reaching the peak of their careers. They may have concerns about retirement savings and personal health issues while managing caregiving responsibilities for aging parents and, in some cases, still supporting children.
In their late 20s to early 40s, Millennials are navigating a complex stage of life: juggling careers, raising young families, and confronting skyrocketing childcare and housing costs. Many of them experience stress factors rooted in the financial instability of this era, accompanied by rapid societal change and the pressure to “hustle.”
Gen Z grew up during climate crises and social upheaval. They are deeply pessimistic about societal and global futures. Many of them experience distress caused by constant distractions, interpersonal interactions at work, and heightened climate anxiety. They are also more likely to challenge outdated systems, prioritize mental health, and reject the status quo.
Conclusion
This article was inspired by the Gallup report. While I appreciate their extensive research surveying employees worldwide, their call to action is primarily directed at executives in multinational corporations. I, however, believe that meaningful change often begins organically at the grassroots level. As Rumi wisely said, “yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today, I am wise, so I am changing myself.”
Awareness is always the first step toward transformation. By exploring how the work environment is evolving and highlighting how stress factors impact people differently, I hope this article helps you reflect on how you respond to stress. Small, personal changes can ripple outward, and over time, even the systems we live in can transform.
Shanfan Huang
Shanfan Huang is a designer, illustrator, and writer passionate about storytelling in all its forms. From picture books and comics to information design, interaction design, and loop animations, she explores how meaning is derived through visual symbolism. She shares her thoughts and discoveries in her Substack newsletter, Picture, Text, and Numbers. When she’s not crafting visual narratives, you can find her sharing snippets of doodles and half-baked ideas on Instagram
