Younger workers are more likely to be absent from work due to poor mental health than their older colleagues according to new data.
The Resolution Foundation found that last year one in 20 of those aged between 18 and 24 were economically inactive due to ill health, much of this as a result of poor mental health.
According to the Resolution Foundation young people now have the poorest mental health of any age group — a reversal from two decades ago when they had the lowest incidences of common mental disorders.
A previous report conducted by the same organisation found that a third (34%) of those in this age group had experience mental health disorders including depression, anxiety and bipolar. This was a significant increase on the 24% of those reporting these problems in 2000.
The study found the problems were particularly acute among those with lower education attainments, who had not attended university. Mental health was also poorer among women who are one-and-a-half times more likely to experience poor mental health as young men.
As a result of its research Resolution Foundation is calling for better mental health support in colleges and sixth forms.
Director of the Health Foundation, the charity that funds the Resolution Foundation campaign group Jo Bibby says: “Policymakers need to focus on the building blocks of health, such as good employment and education, to ensure young people get the support they need and have the tools to move through the world as adults.
“Without concerted cross-government action, we risk creating a ‘lost generation’ due to ill health.”
MHR chief HR officer Jeanette Wheeler says these figures were a wake up call for employers.
“It’s clear that a lack of focus on mental health and wellbeing has stark consequences for our workforce.
“When young people enter the workplace, they are often short-changed by a lack of emphasis on wellbeing and mental health support from HR teams. MHR research shows that 75 per cent of organisations fail to regularly check in on employee needs and attitudes, for example through satisfaction surveys.
“On top of this, the increased proliferation of hybrid workplaces means that without regular touchpoints, employees who are facing intolerable levels of stress can slip through the net unnoticed. This can be even more common for younger employees, who may not have an established network of colleagues to turn to when under pressure. As a result, young people are suffering unprecedented levels of burnout and disillusionment with the modern workplace, with 86 per cent of all employees saying that they would leave a job that doesn’t enable wellbeing.”
She adds: “Clearly, young people have many founded grievances about the lack of emphasis on wellbeing in the workplace, and the lack of effective strategies to manage and respond to feedback. Labelling Gen Z ‘work-shy’ or ‘generation sick-note’ simply isn’t good enough – companies need to act fast to implement measures that will boost wellbeing, and in turn, retention.
“Technology can be a useful tool – digital sentiment analysis, for example, can be used to generate insights from check-ins, whilst pulse surveys can be used to gain instant snapshots of employees’ views. A positive employee experience has never been more vital – adopting a strategy to enhance it can ensure that employees of all ages are happy, support, and motivated.”
