Survey: Younger employees bear the brunt of work-related stress
By Dr. Tim Sandle
April 18, 2025
DIGITAL JOURNAL

Employees at a McDonald's restaurant in New York are seen on May 27, 2022; demands by some Manhattan fast-food workers for an hourly minimum wage of $20 would once have been unthinkable - Copyright AFP Ishara S. KODIKARA
Mental health is an important consideration for the modern workplace; employers expect greater productivity gains and while this may drive business efficiency it can have an adverse impact upon the mental health of the workforce. A study reveals significant generational disparities in workplace stress and burnout. This is based on a review of 1,284 employees in the UK. The data analysis found that 42 percent of employees aged 18 to 34 reported experiencing burnout in the past 12 months.
Hence, younger employees are disproportionately experiencing stress and burnout at work. This comes from research conducted by the company Avilio and reported via Startup News.
Of the 1,284 UK workers assessed, 739 worked in management positions. Overall it was found that two-in-five employees aged 18 to 34 have experienced burnout in the past 12 months, compared to 33 percent of those aged 35 to 54 and just 20 percent of those aged 55 and over.
Moreover, a third (34 percent) of those aged 18 to 34 have taken time off from work due to stress, significantly more than the fifth (21 percent) of those 35 to 54 or the 10 percent of those 55 and over who have done the same.
Signs of stress are also more prominent in management positions. Here, 62 percent of managers aged 18 to 34 say they regularly work beyond their contracted hours, in contrast to 56 percent of those aged 35 to 54 and less than half (49 percent) of those 55 and over.
Philippe Masson, CEO of Avilio, says in a statement: “For many people, the ages 18 to 34 are peppered with drastic change and major milestones in both their professional and personal lives. From transitioning into management roles, starting families and generally navigating greater responsibilities across the board, it is no wonder that they are especially vulnerable to stress and burnout.”
Hence, an intergenerational difference exists. This may also explains why the number of younger workers aged 18-24 who feel uncomfortable opening up to a line manager or senior leader about pressure and stress remains high.
What can businesses do in such situations? Masson advises: “Naturally, adjustment to these pressures isn’t easy, so employers must step up and strengthen their support systems. Indeed, a healthy and thriving workforce can’t be built on good intentions alone. To protect wellbeing and productivity, businesses must go beyond surface-level initiatives and implement practical, evidence-based solutions.”
To make sure this comes top down, there needs to be directives and policies designed to promote mental well-being. Masson suggests: “Ensuring any policies in place actually promote work-life balance, provide mental health support, and address the unique challenges of younger workers is essential.”
Highlighting the importance of addressing these issues, Masson points out: “Businesses shouldn’t shy away from this, as it will dramatically improve their staff’s wellbeing and, ultimately, their productivity.”
High proportion of workers have quit a job to save their mental health
ByDr. Tim Sandle
April 16, 2025
FIGITAL JOURNAL

Re-enactment of a treatment session for depression using psilocybin in an image from the company COMPASS Pathways, which is developing such a treatment - Copyright COMPASS Pathways/AFP -
When it comes to mental health and the workplace, there are always many questions unanswered. A high proportion of workers – 80 percent – say their job negatively impacts their mental health and 39 percent of employees indicate they have left a job for the sake of their mental health.
The firm Kickresume has recently considered how workers feel about mental health at work. This included seeking to understand if workers:
• Would leave their job to save their mental health?
• How much does work affect their mental health?
• How important are mental health benefits compared to wages?
These questions were posed in a survey to 1,000 workers around the world to learn about their opinions on mental health benefits and their thoughts and experiences about mental health at work.
In relation to work having a form of negative effect upon mental health, the most common effect mentioned by the survey’s participants was stress, with 34 percent saying work stressed them out. In addition, 23 percent said their mood after work was affected, and a further 23 percent said they had reached a state of burnout.
However, 8 percent said their job did not affect their mental health and 11 percent said it in fact made them feel better. These were minority viewpoints.
In terms of workplace grading, mid (35 percent) and senior level (35 percent) employees were more likely than entry level workers (30 percent) to say they felt stressed out. They were also less likely to say work helped their mental health, with 16 percent of entry level employees providing this answer compared to 11 percent of mid and 10 percent of senior level workers.
The survey asked the respondents if they had ever made the decision to quit a job in order to protect their mental health. Nearly four in ten did, at 39 percent – and a further 33 percent said that while they had never done this, they had seriously considered it before. The remaining 28 percent said they had never considered taking this step.
Women were nearly 10 percent more likely than men to have left a job for this reason, with 46 percent of women compared to 37 percent of men. Yet men are more likely to have considered it without making the leap, at 34 percent compared to 31 percent of women.
The survey asked workers to share whether they had ever accessed mental health benefits at their job. Nearly two thirds at 62 percent said they had never taken advantage of these benefits at a current or previous job.
There was a gender difference in the data, with 64 percent of men never using mental health benefits compared to 59 percent of women. Women were also more likely to have accessed these benefits multiple times, at 14 percent compared to only 8 percent of men.
The survey asked respondents to choose one benefit that would improve their wellbeing at work. By far the most popular was flexible working arrangements, at 33 percent. Moreover, 21 percent chose more paid time off, slightly higher than the 19 percent who chose mental health benefits.

Re-enactment of a treatment session for depression using psilocybin in an image from the company COMPASS Pathways, which is developing such a treatment - Copyright COMPASS Pathways/AFP -
When it comes to mental health and the workplace, there are always many questions unanswered. A high proportion of workers – 80 percent – say their job negatively impacts their mental health and 39 percent of employees indicate they have left a job for the sake of their mental health.
The firm Kickresume has recently considered how workers feel about mental health at work. This included seeking to understand if workers:
• Would leave their job to save their mental health?
• How much does work affect their mental health?
• How important are mental health benefits compared to wages?
These questions were posed in a survey to 1,000 workers around the world to learn about their opinions on mental health benefits and their thoughts and experiences about mental health at work.
In relation to work having a form of negative effect upon mental health, the most common effect mentioned by the survey’s participants was stress, with 34 percent saying work stressed them out. In addition, 23 percent said their mood after work was affected, and a further 23 percent said they had reached a state of burnout.
However, 8 percent said their job did not affect their mental health and 11 percent said it in fact made them feel better. These were minority viewpoints.
In terms of workplace grading, mid (35 percent) and senior level (35 percent) employees were more likely than entry level workers (30 percent) to say they felt stressed out. They were also less likely to say work helped their mental health, with 16 percent of entry level employees providing this answer compared to 11 percent of mid and 10 percent of senior level workers.
The survey asked the respondents if they had ever made the decision to quit a job in order to protect their mental health. Nearly four in ten did, at 39 percent – and a further 33 percent said that while they had never done this, they had seriously considered it before. The remaining 28 percent said they had never considered taking this step.
Women were nearly 10 percent more likely than men to have left a job for this reason, with 46 percent of women compared to 37 percent of men. Yet men are more likely to have considered it without making the leap, at 34 percent compared to 31 percent of women.
The survey asked workers to share whether they had ever accessed mental health benefits at their job. Nearly two thirds at 62 percent said they had never taken advantage of these benefits at a current or previous job.
There was a gender difference in the data, with 64 percent of men never using mental health benefits compared to 59 percent of women. Women were also more likely to have accessed these benefits multiple times, at 14 percent compared to only 8 percent of men.
The survey asked respondents to choose one benefit that would improve their wellbeing at work. By far the most popular was flexible working arrangements, at 33 percent. Moreover, 21 percent chose more paid time off, slightly higher than the 19 percent who chose mental health benefits.
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