Millennial Burn Out

Stress remains at the root of burnout for everyone. Research from the American Psychological Association shows that millennials have officially become the most stressed generation in the U.S. That same generation will make up 75% of America’s workforce by the year 2025. As a result, we could be looking at an entire workforce of overly stressed, burnt out employees.

The term “Millennial burn out” gets thrown around a lot in the workplace, but is this a real phenomenon or just a generational flaw employees need to get over?

Stretched Too Thin

Millennials possess different pressures and motivations from the generations before them. Many find themselves embarking on entrepreneurship, parenthood, civic involvement and full-time employment all at once. The you-can-have-it-all affirmation has turned into a must-do-it-all burden. “They’re simply stretched too thin,” James Goodnow, attorney at Fennemore Craig, P.C., tells CIO, “and when you combine that with the growing financial pressure on this generation, a full-time job only exacerbates this and can contribute to burnout.”

Want to find out if your younger workforce is falling victim to this kind of stress? Look out for the following:

1.  Lack of engagement: decreased motivation, lack of focus, and short attention span
2.  Increased cynicism: lack of excitement and new ideas, avoiding small talk and connecting personally with colleagues, seems to be “going through the motions”
3.  No breaks: eating lunch at your desk, never taking vacation, sending emails on weeknights and weekends

Re-Engaging Your Millennial Employees

Sound like some of your workers? Luckily, re-engaging your workers just takes a few simple adjustments. Remember, what sets millennials apart most from other generations is their motivation for working. They collectively feel that there are far more important things than pay or title that add to job satisfaction. Millennials view work/life balance, happiness, being valued, and making an impact as being top priorities in their careers. This means company perks like flexible schedules go a long way.

Other things that play to this motivation and help to reduce Millennial burn out are:

• Defining a clear company purpose through core values
• Communicating an overall company vision & goal
• Emphasizing culture over salary

Another simple habit, which can be encouraged and implemented within company walls is the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness takes many forms, the most common being through practices like meditation, yoga and even coloring. Practicing mindfulness for even a few minutes a day can have a profound effect on stress levels and the effect spans across all generations. Consider hosting on-site yoga classes or creating dedicated quiet rooms that encourage mindfulness throughout your office.

It might seem like millennials demand things above and beyond what satisfied other generations, but this new generation isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Catering to the needs of millennials, within reason, is good for your bottom line, good for company morale, and good for your young workers.

Increase employee satisfaction and reduce Millennial burn out with KnowledgeCity. We have over 10,000 online video tutorials in Business, Computer Software, and Safety Compliance. Learn how to create a burnout-free workplace with even more online video tutorials on the subjects of Employee Engagement and Leadership Communication.