The mental health challenges this generation faces in the workplace are very real and can significantly impact productivity, engagement, and retention if left unaddressed.
You've seen the red flags: excessive time spent scrolling social media instead of working, missed deadlines, and decreased output.
Or perhaps an employee who can't seem to unplug, responding to emails at odd hours without being asked.
The anxious ones who overthink every minor decision and constantly second-guess themselves.
The rising star who suddenly becomes withdrawn, skipping team meetings, and social events.
These are just some of the warning signs you may notice that indicate a Gen Z employee could be struggling with their mental health.
Today, we will go into detail explaining these red flags and outline what you can do to address the situation.
1 - Excessive Social Media Use During Work Hours
Scrolling, swiping, double-tapping…
If you notice an employee constantly distracted by their phone and social media feeds, it could be a major red flag signaling deeper mental health issues.
It is probably not for enjoyment only.
Excessive social media use during the workday is one of the most common problems employers face with their Gen Z staff.
For this ultra-connected generation, social media plays an outsize role in their daily lives and sense of self-worth.
The unrelenting exposure to peers' carefully curated online personas can plant seeds of inadequacy, anxiety, and depression. They may be telling themselves:
- "Why don't I have a body/job/life like that?"
- "No one else seems to be struggling like I am."
- "Everyone else is living their best life while I'm stuck here."
- " I am a failure. I can never measure up to these standards."
Undoubtedly, the constant comparing and fear of missing out is emotionally draining.
Beyond just leading to lost productivity, compulsively checking Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat can be a GenZer's escape from dealing with negative emotions or stresses in their actual reality.
They seek endless dopamine hits of validation through likes and shares, filling a void. For some, social media is an unhealthy coping mechanism and addiction to numb anxiety, loneliness, or dissatisfaction with their real lives.
What to Do
- Pull them aside promptly and have an open discussion about what might be impacting their focus and if they need any support.
- Refer them for counseling if the behavior appears addictive after requesting them to stop.
- Implement website blockers if necessary.
- Burnout
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Reduced sense of worth
- A form of addiction
These mental health issues could be impacting their ability to complete tasks and perform at their normal level.
Don't immediately jump to conclusions that it's just laziness or lack of motivation.
Gen Zers have a strong work ethic, but the overwhelming pressure they feel to succeed, combined with rising rates of mental health challenges, can severely impair their output and focus.
Anxiety-induced overthinking can cause obsessive perfectionism that leads to missed due dates. In addition, depression saps energy and drives disengagement from work.
As their manager, look for changes in their baseline productivity over time rather than fixating on one missed deadline. For example:
- Is high-quality work frequently turned in late?
- Are assignments being rushed through at the last minute in a subpar way?
- Do they seem easily distracted or visibly struggling to concentrate?
What to Do
- Have an open conversation to understand what obstacles they're facing without making assumptions.
- Discuss the possibility of extending deadlines temporarily if the workload is overwhelming them.
- Refer them to counseling resources or get professional support.
- Avoid judgment and punitive measures—shame and guilt can worsen their mental state further.
3 - Excessive Worrying and Inability to Make Decisions
Does your Gen Z employee seem paralyzed by minor decisions that previous generations would have faced with ease?
Do they incessantly second-guess themselves after choices are made? If so, excessive worrying and anxiety could be impacting their ability to be productive and move projects forward.
For this generation entering the workforce, heightened anxiety and overthinking is extremely common. A 2023 study by the American Psychological Association found that Gen Z adults reported the highest levels of stress compared to older generations.
From an early age, Gen Zers have been told they must be perfect—the best students, the best employees, and must build an immaculate social media brand.
This relentless pressure and expectations laid on them has cultivated a perpetual mode of worry.
You may notice an employee who excessively ruminates and obsesses over minute details of tasks or decisions.
They have an inability to simply trust their judgment and move on. This overthinking and rumination are hallmark symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder.
Rather than making decisions, your Gen Z worker may attempt to avoid them altogether out of fear of making the "wrong" choice.
They become paralyzed and seek endless reassurance about which path to take. Their tendency to catastrophize inhibits their decision-making abilities.
What to Do
- Don't enable reassurance-seeking behaviors, but set firm deadlines for decisions.
- Provide constructive feedback when overthinking becomes unproductive.
- Remind them that perfection is impossible and making mistakes is part of growth.
- Encourage the use of mental health counseling resources to develop better coping skills.
4 - Frequently Working Late Nights and Weekends
It may seem like a dedicated employee going above and beyond when you notice them frequently working late nights or logging on over weekends.But for many Gen Zers, this inability to unplug from work can signal worrying burnout, anxiety, and an unhealthy obsession with their job.
Members of this generation were raised in an era of the ever-present technology and work following them everywhere via smartphones and laptops.
Setting boundaries between their personal and professional lives is extremely challenging. The 9-to-5 workday concept is alien to them. Studies show Gen Z workers struggle to separate themselves from their jobs more than any other generation.
A recent EY study found that 53% of Gen Zers work outside of standard hours on a daily basis. This leads to higher risks of burnout, depression, and anxiety disorders.
As an employer, you should be concerned if you notice an employee routinely working excessive hours without being asked or taking proper time off.
It may start off as being hardworking, but it can quickly transition into an obsessive, unhealthy behavior. They feel guilty for "unproductivity" and are unable to psychologically detach from their job responsibilities.
What to Do
- Have an open discussion acknowledging their hard work ethic, but expressing concern for their well-being.
- Enforce cut-off times for emails and communication.
- Regulate the expectation that they don't need to be "on" 24/7.
- Provide mental health resources to develop better work-life balance.
- Model this behavior yourself as a leader.
This kind of withdrawal and isolation could signal they're struggling with mental health issues like depression, anxiety, or burnout.
For the socially inclined Gen Z, who thrives on collaboration and community, suddenly disconnecting from the team dynamic is out of character.
As their manager, you need to take note when their desk becomes an island, and they start dodging inclusive activities they once welcomed.
There could be a few different forces driving this withdrawal. The following table outlines some examples of these mental health issues.
| Mental Health Issue | Description from an Employee's Perspective |
| Anxiety | Withdraw from social interactions and inclusive activities due to overwhelming feelings of worry or fear. |
| Depression | Isolate themselves because they lack energy, motivation, and interest in participating in team events or collaborative projects. |
| Burnout | Retreat from social interactions as they struggle to cope with chronic stress and exhaustion. |
| Trauma | Isolate themselves as a coping mechanism to avoid triggers or reminders of past traumatic events. |
| Social Anxiety | Avoid inclusive activities and interactions with coworkers due to intense fear of judgment or embarrassment. |
What to Do
- Express your observations and concern over this behavior change in a sensitive but direct manner.
- Don't force them to attend every event, but let them know their voice is missed.
- Assure them their team is a supportive space, and you want to understand what they need.
- Offer flexibility on deadlines if the workload is too burdensome.
- Provide information on available counseling resources.
6 - Expressions of Self-Doubt and Inadequacy
"I'm not sure I'm qualified for this role."
"You should probably have someone else take this project."
"I don't think I can handle that responsibility."
If you're frequently hearing comments like these from an otherwise capable Gen Z employee, it could signal they're experiencing deep insecurity, imposter syndrome, and low self-worth that needs to be addressed.
For a generation raised with constant praise and participation trophies, many Gen Zers lack confidence in their skills and abilities.
As mentioned earlier, Gen Zers' tendency to chronically compare themselves to others’ seemingly "perfect" lives also leaves them feeling deeply inadequate.
The inevitable gaps between their own reality and these idealized social media personalities leads to progressive self-doubt.
Left unaddressed, this psychological thinking pattern can severely hinder Gen Zer's professional growth and leadership potential. It can spiral into anxiety, burnout, and even depression if they constantly feel insufficient.
What to Do
- Offer positive reinforcement by publicly recognizing their achievements, high-quality work, and unique strengths.
- Reality-test their negative self-perceptions in one-on-one conversations.
- Remind them that self-doubt is normal, but dwelling on it is unproductive.
- Share your own experiences overcoming insecurities.
- Recommend professional support to help them rebuild their self-worth and quiet that harsh inner critic.
Mental Health Wellness Kenya is here to Partner with You
The mental health struggles of the Gen Z workforce cannot be ignored by employers who want to cultivate engaged, high-performing teams.When you recognize red flags like excessive social media use, missed deadlines, obsessive worrying, burnout behaviors, social withdrawal, and low self-worth, you can intervene early before issues escalate.
Mental Health Wellness Kenya offers comprehensive employee training programs around Gen Z well-being.
Our expert-led workshops cover effective stress management, work-life balance, anxiety-reduction techniques, and more.
Mental Health Wellness Kenya also facilitates supportive group therapy sessions tailored specifically for Gen Z workers to process shared experiences in a safe environment.
Give us a call, and let us work together to improve your overall productivity.
