From the power of pausing to the ability to ignore, we’ve culled 26 simple, actionable measures for gaining a sense of control and living a meaningful life.
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Posted August 18, 2026 Reviewed by Margaret Foley
Co-authored by Kennedy Hack-Juman & Amy Vigliotti, Ph.D.
As the newest members of the workforce, Generation Z has become the generation most often associated with burnout. Some interpret this as evidence that Gen Z “can’t handle work,” but there may be another explanation. What happens when an entire generation comes of age during economic uncertainty, social instability, a full-blown pandemic, and an unprecedented transfer to the remote world? Gen Z’s burnout may tell us less about their character than about the environment they have inherited.
Every generation is shaped by significant historical events, and Gen Z is no exception. The COVID-19 pandemic transformed adolescence, early adulthood, and work expectations. In particular, Gen Z learned to collaborate through breakout rooms, interview over Google Meet, and begin careers online. Beyond the pandemic, they also came of age in a time of rising political polarization and climate change, reinforcing a broader environment in which uncertainty became the norm.
These experiences had an impact. According to Karl Mannheim’s theory of generations, the events people experience while coming of age shape the values and expectations they carry into adulthood (Harari et al., 2023). For Gen Z, these events also coincided with disruptions to education, work, and social development. Harari and colleagues (2023) found that although Gen Z reported lower resilience during the pandemic, they also showed more openness to change, one of the strongest predictors of resilience. That same openness to change was reflected in their preference for hybrid learning and workplace training, suggesting that the environments in which they came of age continue to shape their expectations from work today.
Gen Z is also more transparent about mental health and burnout, which changes how burnout is recognized. As the stigma surrounding mental health has decreased, people are more likely to label their exhaustion, stress, and anxiety as “burnout” rather than weakness. Compared to Gen X and millennials, Gen Z reports lower levels of mental health stigma, reflecting more accepting attitudes towards mental health challenges (Camarillo et al., 2025).
These shifting attitudes also shape how Gen Z approaches the workplace. In a review examining multiple generations and their differences in burnout, Gen Z placed greater value on psychological safety, work-life balance, structured mentorship, and transparent communication. Overall, they are less willing to accept chronic overwork as the price of professional success (Molwitz et al., 2026). Older workplace cultures have often treated long hours and personal sacrifice as signs of professional dedication, which can make Gen Z’s requests for flexibility appear unmotivated or even entitled.
However, the research suggests that Gen Z is not less motivated. Instead, they are challenging the assumption that chronic overwork is a measure of dedication. Using the Job Demands-Resources model, Chen and colleagues (2023) argue that burnout is more likely to develop when chronic job demands outweigh available resources. In other words, burnout is not simply an inability to tolerate stress; it can emerge when the demands of a workplace constantly exceed the support, flexibility, and resources available to employees. The researchers found that Gen Z employees’ burnout is caused by excessive workload, long work hours, and limited organizational support. One extreme example is “996” work culture, in which employees work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. This kind of chronic overwork increases burnout and contributes to greater psychological distress.
Individual coping strategies like mindfulness, healthy boundaries, and stress management matter, but they cannot replace healthy workplaces that combat burnout. Organizations can reduce burnout by addressing its causes rather than expecting employees to cope with it. Flexibility, healthy leadership, transparent communication, psychological safety, and manageable workloads benefit not only Gen Z, but employees across every generation.
Research can describe generational patterns but not always capture how those patterns feel to the people living them. We asked several Gen Z college students to describe their experiences. (We have used initials to protect their identities.)
What is one misconception people have about Gen Z at work?
JBW: People say that Gen Z doesn’t want to work. I don’t think that’s true. We want careers that are meaningful and sustainable, and we’re less willing to accept burnout as a normal part of success. That might come across as a lack of commitment, but really it’s just a different definition of what a healthy career looks like.
What do you wish older generations understood about burnout?
AP: I wish older generations took into account that we’re entering the workforce after 12 to 16+ years of being students. School teaches you to absorb information, and work expects you to produce results.
What do you do to prevent burnout at work?
JZ: I prioritize my workload by getting more important and time-consuming tasks out of the way first. I stick to a calendar to ensure not to overbook myself. I set my boundaries between work and personal life by communicating clearly about my availability and making sure to recharge outside of work so I can stay productive and focused.
JBW: I work for a start-up that has blurred work-life boundaries. Working hours feel like “suggestions,” and the expectation is for employees to dedicate as much time as possible to the mission. To combat this, I try to take advantage of the more flexible nature of a start-up. I frequently go on quick walks outside and make a point to get up from my desk. I also like to prioritize being social, even on weekdays.
These students’ experiences support what we see in the research on burnout. If we listen closely, Gen Z isn’t asking for less work. Gen Z wants sustainable careers. Experiencing unusual levels of disruption and uncertainty has shaped their expectations and their understanding of what is needed for long-term stability in the workplace. Rather than dismissing this perspective, employers have an opportunity to adapt and learn from it. If Gen Z is questioning workplace norms, maybe the question isn’t whether this generation needs to change. It is whether the workplace is finally ready to evolve alongside it.
References
Camarillo, J. M. R., Betonio, K. M. M., Ortega, P. G. F., & Culajara, C. L. B. (2025). A quantitative comparison of mental health stigma across generation Z, Millennials, and generation X in Davao Del Sur. Sinergi International Journal of Psychology, 3(3), 148-163.
Chen, X., Masukujjaman, M., Al Mamun, A., Gao, J., & Makhbul, Z. K. M. (2023). Modeling the significance of work culture on burnout, satisfaction, and psychological distress among the Gen-Z workforce in an emerging country. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), 828.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02371-w
Harari, T. T. E., Sela, Y., & Bareket-Bojmel, L. (2023). Gen Z during the COVID-19 crisis: A comparative analysis of the differences between Gen Z and Gen X in resilience, values and attitudes. Current Psychology, 42(28), 24223-24232. DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03501-4
Molwitz, I., Korchi, A. M., Gheonea, I. A., Curvo-Semedo, L., & D’Anna, G. (2026). Burnout and work-life balance: the generational points of view. Insights into Imaging, 17(1), 56. DOI: 10.1186/s13244-026-02232-5
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Amy Vigliotti, Ph.D., is a child and adult psychologist and the founder of the NYC group therapy practice, SelfWorks.
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From the power of pausing to the ability to ignore, we’ve culled 26 simple, actionable measures for gaining a sense of control and living a meaningful life.
Self Tests are all about you. Are you outgoing or introverted? Are you a narcissist? Does perfectionism hold you back? Find out the answers to these questions and more with Psychology Today.
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