by Dr Perpetua Neo (UCL, Cambridge)
GenZ talks loudly about mental health at work. Millennials often pay for it out of pocket to perform better. But GenX? Their relationship with mental health is more complex — and misunderstood.
Before we accuse anyone of being outdated or fragile, maybe we need to stop pointing fingers and start talking like strategists.
Mental health isn’t just HR optics. It’s cultural architecture.
Why GenX Leaders Can Be Cautious
For many GenX leaders, “mental health” sounds like another tick-box exercise. Another thing on the bloated to-do list– just like that Away Day last year. Sometimes the effects stick. Most often, they don’t.
Why?
Because we flame out.
Because it’s a bad fit.
Because our brains and cultures aren’t there yet.
So if it all feels like more noise, more bloat, more obligation… it’s understandable that some GenX leaders hesitate.
Real Mental Health Starts With Real Conversations
If we want senior leaders to take mental health seriously, we need to approach them differently. We need to speak in a language they can trust.
No More Shame
Let’s stop labelling previous generations as “backwards” or younger ones as “snowflakes.” That only deepens the gap.
Many GenX leaders survived brutal workplace cultures — long hours, no exit strategy, and no permission to feel. Admitting something is wrong now may mean acknowledging decades of silent suffering. That’s not easy. It can feel threatening.
Until a personal crisis forces reflection, most people protect what’s familiar. That’s human nature. So let’s lead with empathy in both directions.
Mental Health Isn’t a Liability — But It’s Often Framed That Way
Some people misuse mental health as a political weapon. Others experience initiative fatigue: another hour-long workshop that tells you to “breathe, meditate, talk.”
But there’s little nuance. No understanding of goals, personality, or performance context.
Even worse? The media sometimes rewards the worst takes:
- “You’ll suffer forever”
- “It only gets worse”
- “You’re broken and always will be”
Who wants to sign up for that?
And then there’s performative pain:
- “I’m just an empath, so I get to act like a jerk.”
- “I’m sensitive, so it’s your job to manage me.”
That’s not mental health. That’s branding dysfunction.
Yes, Let’s Talk About the Bottom Line
When I was training in London, the IAPT program launched with a compelling argument: mental health improves the economy. Critics said it was too cold, too numbers-driven. But it worked.
And let’s be honest — organisations run on ROI.
Absenteeism costs money.
Presenteeism — people showing up but not performing — costs 10x more.
In Singapore alone, the annual cost is $12.1B SGD (Duke-NUS).
Globally? The Lancet projects a $16 trillion loss by 2030.
But the Deloitte report is even louder: For every £1 spent on mental health, you get £5 back.
Prevention beats reaction. Every time.
The Reframe — Mental Health as a Strategic Asset
Let’s ditch the crisis-only model.
Think of mental health as a spectrum — from elite mental fitness to “I’m okay” to dysfunction.
Just like physical fitness prevents illness and speeds recovery, so does mental fitness. We don’t wait for the heart attack to start jogging. Why wait for burnout to build brain health?
Imagine a culture where:
- People proactively check their mental temperature
- Leaders encourage emotional hygiene the way they support physical safety
- Teams recover faster because mental energy is seen as a fuel source, not a weakness
That’s mental wealth.
Culture Is a System. Mental Health Is Its Wiring.
When you command Alexa to turn on the lights, it feels like magic. But it’s wires, code, and systems behind the scenes.
Same with an organisation.
We want profit. We want results. But what drives that? People.
And what drives people? Mental architecture.
This is especially true in high-stakes roles like sales, negotiation, or strategy — where mindset determines margin.
Let’s rewire culture the way we upgrade software:
- Less stress-looping, more future visioning
- More psychological capital: resilience, hope, optimism, self-efficacy
- Teams that energise instead of deplete
Because when the culture is healthy, results follow. That’s not idealism — it’s infrastructure.
Let’s Change the Conversation
Mental health isn’t about being soft. It’s about being strong enough to evolve.
It’s not about fragility. It’s about architecture.
It’s not about crisis. It’s about command.
So no, GenX doesn’t “not care.” They just need a better invitation.
Let’s give it to them.
About Dr Perpetua Neo
Dr Perpetua Neo (UCL, Cambridge) helps brilliant professionals and organisations command mental energy and architect sustainable high performance– without burnout, shame, or soul-tradeoffs. Her frameworks decode the invisible architecture of trust, energy, and results, building cultures where people thrive and legacies endure.