The global crisis in youth mental health is well-documented, with reports indicating that one in three 18-to-24-year-olds now report symptoms of a common mental health issue such as depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder.
But what about millennials? According to data from BrightHR, a leading global provider of HR and health & safety software, it’s this generation—born between 1981 and 1996 and aged 28-43—that is most likely to take sick leave due to mental health complaints, particularly burnout and work-related stress.
An analysis of sickness absences reported on BrightHR, which monitors approximately 750,000 employees at over 65,000 companies in the UK, found that in the past two years the number of sick days taken by millennials due to poor mental health (including anxiety, depression, and stress) was over 20% higher than that of gen Z employees.
Strikingly, millennials were more than seven times more likely than their gen Z counterparts to cite ‘burnout’ as their reason for missing work.
Overall, the proportion of sickness absences attributed to ‘burnout’ and poor mental health surged by 212% from October 2023 to October 2024 compared to the same period between 2021 and 2022. This trend underscores a growing crisis, with more employees taking sick leave due to feeling overwhelmed and burnt out at work.
Alan Price, CEO at BrightHR, says:
“The theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day is ‘workplace mental health’, a reminder to us all of the importance of supporting staff with mental health issues and taking steps to make our workplaces as safe and supportive as possible.
“While the epidemic of poor mental health among Gen Zs is often highlighted, employers must not overlook the significant issue of burnout among millennials.
“According to the Deloitte Global 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, work remains a key driver of stress and anxiety for both gen Zs and millennials, with over half reporting a lack of recognition from managers, long work hours, and anxiety caused by decisions not being made in a fair or equitable way.
“Interestingly, though, the same survey shows that gen Z employees are more likely than millennials to discuss how their work is impacting their mental wellbeing with their line managers, pursue company-sponsored counselling or therapy, or access support via mental health apps.
“Perhaps because of the role social media has played in destigmatising discussions about mental health, gen Zs appear to be more vocal than millennials in asking for support from their employers to address workplace stress.
“And yet, our data shows that feelings of stress and overwhelm are particularly acute among millennials—a trend that could result in more staff among this generation taking long-term sick leave unless more action is taken to support them.
“Millennials are often at a stage in their careers where they face high expectations and additional responsibilities, both professionally and personally, which can lead to increased stress and a higher likelihood of burnout. Employers need to recognise these unique pressures and acknowledge that millennial staff could be ‘suffering in silence’.
“Employers can specifically support their millennial staff by identifying their main causes of workplace stress through anonymous surveys, determining ways to reduce those stressors on a case-by-case basis, and making them aware of support available such as counselling and Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).
“Additionally, employers should actively work to reduce the stigma around mental health by emphasising its importance and leading by example. This can help to create psychologically safe teams where employees feel comfortable disclosing their concerns without fear.”