Wellness Journal

We still lived in a time where extra hours, not calling in sick, burnout, these were badges of honour. And even if I don’t work in an office anymore, when I do find myself having to interact with Gen Z to arrange a class or organise a workshop in a company, that feeling about their unshakable laid-back approach is still irritating. Because after all, if we uselessly suffered for a false promise of a fulfilling career, how dare you not do the same?

But now, as I pursue my solo career bringing the mental health activities that were so missing from corporate life, I can also see and recognise Gen Z as my best allies in this work. Always enthusiastic about a sound bath, not afraid to challenge a system, and certainly more inclusive. So this is what I learned from them.

They are not impressed by your “plus”

What we considered a bonus, flexibility, mental health support, not being expected to answer emails at 11pm, Gen Z simply calls a minimum requirement. According to Deloitte’s 2025 Global Survey of over 23,000 workers, 40% of Gen Z feel stressed or anxious all or most of the time, and 61% say they would leave their job for one with better mental health benefits. They’re just refusing to normalise what we millennials normalised.

They say it out loud

92% of recent graduates say they want to be able to talk about mental wellness at work openly (Monster, 2024). While millennials competed over who slept less and who hadn’t taken a day off since Christmas, Gen Z walks into a workshop and will tell you, without embarrassment, that they’re overwhelmed. For most companies this is scary, but it actually gives you the chance to do something about it. I bottled it up for months, secretly looked for another job, and suddenly dropped the news and left. Most millennials do that, and they are now in positions of seniority and responsibility, which leaves your company in a hot mess when they finally decide to quit.

They won’t trade purpose for a pay rise

Only 6% of Gen Z say their primary career goal is reaching a leadership position. 89% say having a sense of purpose at work is essential to their wellbeing (Deloitte, 2025). They’re not lazy, they watched millennials chase titles, come home exhausted and numb themselves with Friday drinks when all we needed was a hot bath. For a company to stay competitive and appealing to new generations, a serious wellbeing strategy is no longer optional.

They won’t trade purpose for a pay rise

The conditions Gen Z is pushing for, psychological safety, recognition, real flexibility, a culture that matches what’s written on the website, are the same conditions that make all of us perform better and feel more inspired and creative at work. McKinsey’s research found that employees who feel a strong sense of belonging are more productive, less likely to leave, and report significantly higher job satisfaction, and belonging starts with exactly the things Gen Z is demanding.

I loved my office job, but not the conditions I had to accept in terms of my own mental wellbeing. Now I help companies organise wellbeing activities. The reason my business will keep thriving is because Gen Z will soon be the majority in the office environment, and hopefully office culture will improve for good. So bringing them to the table to help shape your wellness strategy is probably the best decision you can make to stay competitive.

Explore how tailored office yoga, sound healing, or wellness workshops can support your wellness strategy: https://re-set-pause.com/office-yoga/