A study shows that age groups deal with sick leave differently. The topic of mental health plays a big role here. However, this only partially confirms prejudices against Generation Z.
No longer resilient and constantly ill, these are the allegations made against young people under 30. But is that true? At first glance you might think so, says business psychologist Patrizia Thamm.
“The generation of 18 to 29 year olds is growing up in volatile times, in constant crisis mode, so to speak,” says Thamm, who is also a consultant at the Pronova BKK health insurance company. “Above all, the corona pandemic has taught all of us, but also this young generation, that living conditions can change suddenly and that there is no guarantee of long-term security and stability.”
The Pronova BKK has a representative survey on this created to find out how generations deal with stress and illness.
Consciously in the here and now
“Because they don’t feel their future is worry-free, the young generation lives much more consciously in the here and now,” says business psychologist Patrizia Thamm. The young generation demands more space for their health than older generations, pays more attention to their mental balance and has expectations such as a good work-life balance right from the start of their professional careers.
“In the past, older people tended to accept more than younger people are willing to do today. It was more common to endure unhealthy working conditions and to question decisions and processes less,” says the business psychologist. The BKK survey also shows that six out of ten respondents report sick despite being able to work.
Reporting sick despite Ability to work
The employees surveyed particularly often suspect Generation Z: three quarters suspect that 18 to 29 year olds call in sick even though they are fit. Of the baby boomer generation aged 59 and over, 28 percent of those surveyed said they never do this. The younger they are, the more likely they are to sometimes submit sick leave even if they are healthy.
Figures from the Techniker Krankenkasse could also confirm this impression at first glance. According to this, young people would have called in sick for a few days on average three times in 2022, while older employees aged 50 and over would have called in sick only 1.57 times.
But if you don’t look at the number of sick reports but rather at the days that people miss work, an exciting picture emerges: According to the Techniker Krankenkasse, people under 25 miss an average of 16 days a year. People older than 50 called in sick for an average of 23 days a year.
Mental health is important
Alexander Spermann is a labor market researcher and economist. “It is a trend that we are seeing that a young generation is increasingly concerned about health,” says Alexander Spermann. “The issue of mental health plays a major role among people under 30.”
Even if we live in a time after Corona, the consequences on the labor market are very present. “You can see this among students but also among the generation that entered the job market during the Corona period. They worked from home for two years and that is not without consequences.” The baby boomer generation is further advanced in their careers and simply deals with illness and psychological stress differently.
No missing ones Willingness to perform
“But that has nothing to do with a lack of motivation. These are objective consequences for young people,” says the labor market researcher. If the young generation demands and works to achieve a better balance between work and freedom, everyone would benefit.
Spermamann has dealt extensively with the four-day week. “Even when we look at the four-day week, we have significantly fewer sick days. In the end, there are fewer costs for employers,” says Spermann. “This leads to a healthier and more motivated workforce.”
Put more focus on mental health
When it comes to presenteeism, i.e. working despite illness, a rethink is apparently taking place in all age groups: According to the Pronova BKK survey, significantly fewer employees with mild infections go to work today than before Corona. While 50 percent did this in 2018, in 2023 it was only 34 percent.
A good trend, says Patrizia Thamm. “It is clear that the younger generation is characterized by a more sensitive early warning system for their own needs,” says the psychologist. “So she gives her self-care and her own health a high priority and doesn’t push through the workload at all costs when she’s in poor health.”
Generation Z reacts more carefully and reflectively to working conditions that are not compatible with maintaining their health. This is also correct so that the risk of psychological problems is minimized. It calls on companies and managers in Germany to focus more on corporate health management and mental health. No matter whether for young or older employees.