Remodeling the workplace values of Generation Z： From the ＂class taste＂ mentality to the pursuit of personal growth

In the fast-paced modern workplace, people in the Z generation are facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities.

Recently, the social platform Soul APP and Shanghai Mental Health Center (commonly known as "No.600 Wanping South Road") released the Report on Workplace Mental Health of Generation Z in 2024 (hereinafter referred to as the Report), and found that today’s young people are redefining success and achievement with their unique values and behavior patterns.

Through a questionnaire survey of 3956 professionals of different generations, the report reveals the mental health problems that cannot be ignored in the workplace, deeply analyzes the psychological state of different generations in the contemporary workplace, and discusses the differences between different generations and their coping strategies.

Psychological situation of different generations in the workplace: diversified challenges and countermeasures

Generation Z refers to post-90s, post-90s and post-00s. They show different psychological states and coping strategies in the workplace. According to the Report on Workplace Mental Health of Generation Z in 2024, about 70% of the respondents had mental health problems due to workplace problems, especially women, post-00 generation and professionals in the north, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Among them, the salary has not increased, the work return/sense of accomplishment is not as good as expected and the promotion difficulty has become the three main factors that trigger the "workplace crisis". This phenomenon reflects that in the process of pursuing career development, it is difficult for Z generation professionals to get rid of mental health problems.

The Report on Workplace Mental Health of Generation Z in 2024 shows some psychological states of young people.

Professionals of different ages have different views on the value of work. Older senior professionals value a sense of accomplishment and self-identity, while post-00 generation and newcomers in the workplace pay more attention to social interaction brought by work. In addition, different industries also present different workplace culture and mental health needs.

For example, the internet and financial industries have attracted much attention because of long working hours, while the service industry is more troubled by the complexity of interpersonal relationships. Affected by market competition, people in the automobile industry generally agree that this year, "I’m so tired, so tired, so tired and really tired".

The 2024 Z Generation Workplace Mental Health Report reveals the working hours in different industries.

In terms of career choice, generation Z presents a diversified trend. The report shows that entrepreneurship and self-employment have become the most desirable occupations, reflecting the important position of freedom and entrepreneurship in the contemporary workplace. The development of the Internet has also provided more diversified career choices for young people, such as bloggers, UP owners, digital vagrants and other new working methods, which have gradually emerged and become an "ideal working form" for people in the traditional industry.

At the same time, the expectations of Generation Z for the working environment are also changing. They tend to choose enterprises that can provide flexible working system, good working atmosphere and rich corporate culture. In the first-tier cities such as Beishangguangshen and Shenzhen, due to the fast pace of work and fierce competition, many young people began to reflect on the ineffective overtime work in the workplace and the gradually formed "class-like" mentality. They are eager to find real meaning and value in their work, not just to survive.

It is worth mentioning that Generation Z has shown a strong demand for personal growth in the workplace. They not only pursue material rewards, but also pay more attention to the realization of self-worth and personal growth. According to the report, many young people say that they hope to improve their self-ability, broaden their horizons and establish deep social relationships with like-minded colleagues through work. This emphasis on personal growth makes Generation Z pay more attention to the balance between personal development and teamwork in the workplace.

This generation of young people have their own spiritual healing methods.

According to the survey of the report, Generation Z is facing unprecedented challenges and pressures. In order to cope with the pressure and challenges in the workplace, they actively seek new solutions.

On the one hand, they enhance their competitiveness in the workplace by learning new skills and improving their self-ability. On the other hand, they also pay more attention to the balance between work and life, and release stress and adjust their mentality through travel, sports and social interaction.

The report shows that socializing, brushing short videos, sports and games have become the most common ways for young people to relieve their emotions. Because of its relaxed and pleasant way of resolving, it not only helps to relieve stress, but also enhances the communication, friendship and trust between groups.

According to the report, socializing, brushing short videos and exercising are the three most common ways to decompress.

The report found that female users in Soul tend to reorganize their mood by posting news and participating in group chat parties, while men like to relieve stress by talking to others and browsing the interaction in the square. After 00, they prefer to use text group chat, socializing with strangers, and participating in social games such as werewolf killing in Soul to solve the emotions brought by the workplace.

In addition, more than 70% of the respondents expect social platforms such as Soul to create a psychological care type of public welfare sector, which is particularly prominent among women and post-00 groups. Especially for young people who have joined the workplace, there is a higher demand for this kind of plate, and they hope to express their emotions through interaction with close friends.

Insight into users’ emotions and needs, recently Soul and No.600 Wanping South Road jointly launched an emotional care project, aiming at paying attention to young people’s emotional healing. During the project, the two parties jointly launched seven online chat parties for 7 consecutive days, and invited many psychologists at No.600 Wanping South Road to give lectures and share the methods of coping with workplace stress and emotional management.

Soul and No.600 Wanping South Road jointly launched seven group chat parties for emotional relief.

At the same time, Soul also found that more and more users express their emotions through poetry, so he launched the "Psychotherapy Poetry Healing Poetry Exhibition" offline with the poems created by platform users, and comforted the hearts of young people with the power of words.

"Psychotherapy Poetry Healing Poetry Exhibition"

Interestingly, the report also found that this generation of young people began to adopt emerging technologies to solve their workplace emotions, and they expected AI to become a good partner for their mental health. According to the report, professionals in the post-00 generation and in the north, Guangzhou and Shenzhen have begun to use AIGC technology to talk with AI chat assistants, and regard it as a preliminary screening of virtual psychological counselors.

In the survey group, male users expect to get professional psychological counseling help through AI, while female users prefer to vent negative emotions and have a dialogue on psychological problems through AI. This shows that AI has great potential in providing mental health support.

Through the Report on Workplace Mental Health of Generation Z in 2024, we can see that this generation of young people is reshaping the face of the workplace with its unique perspective and way. They dare to pursue their dreams and face challenges, and are good at using scientific and technological means to improve themselves. Instead of blindly pursuing high salaries and job promotion, they pay more attention to the development of their personal interests and specialties. This change in values makes them pay more attention to cooperation and communication with colleagues in the workplace and jointly create valuable work results.

In this changing era, with the increasing influence of Generation Z in the workplace, it is very important to understand the needs, challenges and expectations of young people for building a healthier and more dynamic workplace environment.

Disclaimer: The market is risky, so you should be careful when choosing! This article is for reference only, not as a basis for trading.