90 per cent of Gen Z Australians report burnout, mental health claims soar
Nine in ten Gen Z workers in Australia are seemingly experiencing burnout, with mental health the leading cause of insurance claims.
Why it matters
If Gen Z is burning out far sooner than older workers, Australia faces potential workforce shortages and rising mental health costs that will shape the economy for decades.
In Australia. Australian employers and government services need to prepare for widespread mental health impacts among young workers, while insurance and wellbeing industries face growing demand.
Key facts
- 90%
- Gen Z burnout rate
- 6 per week
- Godjali work days
- 37
- Sciortino breakdown age
- 3 years
- Sciortino recovery time
- An alarming 90 per cent of Generation Z in Australia report feeling burnout.
- Young professionals describe intense pressure to achieve.
- Erika Godjali is 23 and works six days a week as a social media coordinator, admitting she feels sad about missing early adulthood.
- Stephen Smith is also 23, juggling full-time retail work and education.
- He cites financial pressure and lack of a safety net as major strains on his mental health.
- A university student named Willow Loevendie balances two jobs and psychology studies.
- She describes it as 'a lot of pressure'.
- Insurance firm TAL reports mental health has become the leading cause of claims.
- Bronwen Sciortino, now 51, experienced a severe breakdown at 37 after years of executive pressure in finance.
- It took around three years to recover.
- Sciortino points to social media and smartphones as creating stress unknown to previous generations.
