Burnout, a syndrome stemming from workplace stress, has, at one time or another, affected virtually the entire U.S. workforce. Lhasa OMS recently did a study of 2,010 young Americans, with the goal of learning more about their stress levels at work. The findings showed that 4 out of 5 Millennials were stressed several times per week, with 2 out of 5 experiencing stress every day.
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If you are not familiar with burnout, which received an official classification from the WHO recently, check out this article. Additionally, you can read the full results of the study here.
Why Study Millennial Stress
According to the Pew Research Center, Millennials make up at least 35% of the workforce. They are therefore the largest working generation in the United States. While engagement in the workforce has reached record levels—34%, according to Gallup—that still leaves the overwhelming majority of workers disengaged. You do not have to look far to see the extreme costs of disengagement in the workplace.
If most of the workforce is disengaged, and the largest portion of the workforce is Millennials, then Millennial disengagement hits organizations the hardest.
What’s Stressing Them Out?
Millennials have more stressful lives than previous generations, at least according to the Millennials—the study shows that 78% felt that way. When asked what made life more stressful for them in particular, they answered according to the following table:
| More debt | 78% |
| The job market is more competitive | 76% |
| More expensive health care | 70% |
| Future of the nation | 64% |
| Political climate | 63% |
| Future of the planet | 61% |
| Technology or media overload | 56% |
| Social pressure online | 55% |
| Dating is harder | 31% |
| Risk of identity theft | 29% |
| Online bullying | 26% |
Respondents were also asked what caused them the most stress (not just what they felt was unique about their stress compared with other generations). The top 5 reasons are as follows:
| Finances | 74% |
| Work/career pressure | 65% |
| Work/life balance | 56% |
| Mental health | 55% |
| Relationships with family or friends | 44% |
Significantly, at least 2 of the top 5 stressors were work-related (3 if you count finances). In fact, 91% of respondents said they would feel less stressed if they had a higher income.
The Effects of Stress
Many of the behavioral and physical side effects of stress reported by respondents are not unique to Millennials. However, the Millennials who took the survey ranked their behavioral and physical side effects, as can be seen in these charts.
Behavioral Side Effects
| Social withdrawal | 54% |
| Poor communication | 37% |
| Changes in diet | 36% |
| Drug or alcohol misuse | 21% |
| Missing commitments | 18% |
Physical Side Effects
| Fatigue | 64% |
| Insomnia | 53% |
| Physical burnout | 49% |
| Restlessness | 48% |
| Increased headaches | 40% |
More Resources
While employers can’t be expected to address stress outside of the workplace, there are many things that they can do to manage stress in the workplace. Here are a few articles that offer helpful suggestions:
- “5 Best Practices for Mitigating Workplace Stress”
- “Four Easy Steps for Dealing with Stress”
- “Feeling Stressed? Take It Outside”