Most American workers, especially millennials and Gen Z are burnt out: Here is what's driving them away from work

Time of India

5 days ago

Burnout remains a widespread problem within the workforce, and at least two generations are experiencing higher levels of burnout than others.
This isn't just a workplace trend; it's a generational warning flare.
According to a comprehensive 2025 survey by talent-services firm Seramount, 67% of American workers report having experienced at least one symptom of burnout, such as exhaustion, cynicism, or a lack of motivation.
But among these, Millennials (77%) and Gen Z (72%) are clearly shouldering the heaviest emotional and mental burden.
As the youngest segments of the workforce, these generations are not only powering the future of labour, they are also being overwhelmed by it.
The invisible load of youthful labour
Gen Z, freshly entering the labor force, faces a paradoxical blend of digital hyper-connectivity and workplace isolation. They're fluent in tech, but often lost in hierarchies. The report found fewer than half of Gen Z respondents (45%) and Millennials (47%) rate their personal well-being above average, a stark contrast to 84% of Baby Boomers and 56% of Gen Xers.
In other words, the younger you are, the more likely you are to feel like you're sinking.
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Management without a map
The Seramount report draws a troubling line between career level and emotional toll. 80% of managers and 72% of senior managers report burnout, compared to just 18% of executives. The discrepancy reveals a striking blind spot: those responsible for implementing workplace culture are themselves the most exhausted, while those setting the tone often remain insulated.
This burnout isn't just about workload. It's about expectations without agency.
These mid-career professionals are tasked with fostering productivity, maintaining morale, and executing executive vision, often with little say in structural decisions or access to adequate resources.
Mental health: A broken promise
Despite increased awareness, real support remains elusive. Only 40% of surveyed employees believe their companies provide adequate mental-health resources. Just 27% feel comfortable discussing mental health with their direct manager, and 41% don't feel comfortable talking about it with anyone at work.
This silence is costing more than morale; it's costing time and money. Mental-health-related absenteeism is a significant driver of the $225.8 billion employers lose annually due to illness and injury, according to the Seramount study.
Younger generations are not just burning out, they're opting out. The emotional ROI of a job no longer justifies the cost for many. Without meaningful mental health infrastructure, workplaces are watching their most energetic and innovative employees quietly disengage.
The remote advantage and the volunteering edge
One bright spot? Remote workers fare better. 49% of fully remote employees said they feel well supported in balancing mental health and work, compared to 38% of hybrid or in-office workers. Flexibility, it seems, remains a potent antidote to burnout.
Another unexpected buffer? Volunteering. Among those who volunteer monthly or more, 59% rated their personal well-being as above average, compared to 49% who volunteer once a year or less.
Purpose-driven engagement outside the workplace appears to counteract the internal pressures within it.
An evolving definition of work
Today's younger workers are not just seeking a paycheck; they're seeking a life. For them, mental health support isn't a corporate benefit; it's a baseline necessity. And when companies fall short, burnout becomes more than an individual issue; it becomes a systemic failure.
This isn't the "Great Resignation" of 2021 revisited.
It's the Great Disengagement, a subtle, steady erosion of faith in institutions that promise fulfillment but deliver fatigue.
Unless organizations respond with structural changes, expanded therapy coverage, mental health days, clear communication, and leadership training, Millennials and Gen Z may continue to lead the workforce in one tragic metric: opting out.
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