The latest “Well‑Being at Work” report is a wake-up call.
American employee well‑being has fallen to a five-year low — the lowest point since Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and Great Place To Work began tracking it in 2019. The data is based on feedback from more than 1.3 million employees.
The most troubling finding is this: workers 25 and under are struggling the most. Their well‑being has steadily declined since Covid and now ranks worst across all age groups.
Young workers have faced a perfect storm of stressors: multiple recessions, the pandemic, rising violence, inflation, hiring freezes, and stagnant wages.
Their early careers have also been shaped by isolation, fewer learning and development opportunities, and growing anxiety about AI and job security. Unlike older generations, they’ve had fewer chances to build relationships and support systems that come from working in person.
What can we do to support young workers?
This breakdown in connection affects more than young employees — it affects the culture around them. More than half of young people say they’re not interested in becoming managers, raising concerns about future leaders.
1. Create space for connection.
With more remote or heads‑down work, connection can’t be left to chance. Offer ways for young people to meet beyond their immediate teams: coffee chats, group lunches, or cross-functional conversations.
Ask yourself:
➜ Are you encouraging people to connect with others outside your team?
➜ Are you promoting employee resource groups (ERGs)?
2. Make mentorship accessible.
Young and early‑career workers have had different work experiences than previous generations. They need mentorship grounded in real stories and lived experience. It doesn’t have to be formal; it has to be human.
3. Listen more. Listen differently.
Listening seems simple, but it’s often overlooked. You can’t know what young workers want without asking them. And if you don’t plan to act on their feedback, don’t ask. That will damage trust even further.
Actively seek out what they’re telling you. Follow‑through with intention.
4. Make resilience a daily practice.
Support well-being through small, consistent habits, not one-off initiatives. Acknowledge the real and changing challenges young people face.
5. Share well-being resources clearly.
Make sure young employees know what support exists and how to access it. Overwork and burnout shouldn’t be badges of honor.
As Thrive Global CEO Arianna Huffington said on the “CNBC Changemakers and Power Players’ podcast,” overwork “isn’t necessary for success.”
It’s actually the opposite – a shift that can be hard to embrace.
Today, Silicon Valley CEOs compete over how much sleep they get and compare Oura ring data, Huffington says.
“That would have been impossible to imagine in 2007, but despite that, especially for younger people starting in their career, there is still the fear that if they take time to recharge and take care of themselves, they’re going to be left behind,” she says.
“There is still the fear that if they take time to recharge and take care of themselves, they’re going to be left behind.” – Arianna Huffington.
6. Encourage authenticity.
Leaders who show their humanity and vulnerability build trust. When they speak openly, workplaces feel safer and more supportive — especially for employees just starting out.
7. Highlight purpose.
Help young workers understand how what they do contributes to your organization’s goals and mission. Purpose drives retention and revenue.
8. Spotlight training and development opportunities.
With less natural learning and development happening in remote and hybrid environments, and fears about job losses due to AI, young workers need clear, accessible paths to growth.
It’s one reason Synchrony redesigned its early‑career development program after learning that participants wanted more in‑person time with leaders. The company brought them together in Stamford, Connecticut, its cultural center, giving them the chance to meet leaders, gain visibility, and practice navigating hybrid work.
Synchrony listened not just to what young workers said, but to what they didn’t.
“It took listening to what they weren’t saying,” says Michael Storiale, senior vice president of innovation, payments and AI. “I would ask, ‘Isn’t it amazing you have flexibility in where you work? And there would be this long pause, and they’d say, ‘Where should I work?’ You had to listen for what they weren’t sure how to ask, because the end of that question is, ‘Where should I work so that my career thrives?’”
The results show the impact. Positive training and development experiences rose from 83% for the class of 2019 to 91% for the class of 2023, and reached 100% for the class of 2024.
Young workers aren’t just sounding the alarm — they’re telling us what they need. The question is whether we’ll listen, respond, and build workplaces where they can thrive.