The generational gap in how we talk about burnout

I recently conducted a workshop on occupational burnout for employees in one of the private companies when a middle-aged employee raised their hand and said, “Burnout is something invented by young people who are too lazy to do their jobs.”
For a few seconds, the room went very quiet before a younger person shared his point of view. The generational gap in understanding burnout at work is an interesting topic that sparks several debates. While some people believe that Gen Z “can’t handle work”, others see it because of several socio-economic factors. When you work with Gen Z, you will notice that they are more likely to collaborate through breakout rooms, conduct meetings over virtual platforms, and begin careers online. They are more likely to experience less job security because of the uncertainty in the job market. Social theory of generations suggests that the events we experience in our early childhood shape the values and expectations that we carry into adulthood. For Gen Z, these events included disruptions to education, work, and social development, like what during the Covid-19 pandemic.
A recent study shows that, although Gen Z reported lower resilience during the pandemic, they also showed more openness to change, which is one of the strongest predictors of resilience. That same openness to change was reflected in their preference for hybrid learning and workplace training, suggesting that the environment in which they came of age continues to shape their expectations from work today. Another important factor is that Gen Z are more open to talking about mental health and burnout, which changes how burnout is recognised. So people are more likely to label their exhaustion, stress, and anxiety as “burnout” rather than personal weakness. Compared to other generations, Gen Z reports lower levels of mental health stigma, which suggests more accepting attitudes towards mental health problems. Gen Z is also more likely to value psychological safety, work-life balance, structured mentorship, and transparent communication. Overall, they are less willing to accept chronic overwork as the price of professional success.
A colleague was recently sharing his disappointment when a new graduate who joined his team refused to work extra hours, saying that it is not “part of her contract”. My colleague recalled the time when working long hours was considered a sign of professional dedication, which can make Gen Z’s requests for flexibility appear unmotivated or even entitled. Most research studies on occupational burnout use the Job Demands-Resources model, which suggests that burnout is more likely to develop when chronic job demands outweigh available resources. This means burnout is not simply an inability to tolerate stress can emerge when the demands of a workplace constantly exceed the support, flexibility, and resources available to employees. The researchers found that Gen Z employees’ burnout is caused by excessive workload, long work hours, and limited organisational support. Individual coping strategies like mindfulness, healthy boundaries, and stress management matter, but they cannot replace healthy workplaces that combat burnout.
Organisations can reduce burnout by addressing its root causes rather than expecting employees to cope with it. Flexibility, healthy leadership, transparent communication, psychological safety, and manageable workloads benefit not only Gen Z but also employees across every generation. In my opinion, organisations need to be mindful of generational gaps in experiencing and expressing burnout and develop well-being programmes that address everyone’s needs with interventions that are based on scientific evidence.

Dr Hamed al Sinawi The writer is a senior consultant psychiatrist at SQU Hospital