Gen X can help Millennials avoid burnout
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Gen Xers might be getting "old" but could be key to helping younger colleagues achieve work-rest balance.
I love good office banter. One colleague was in rare form yesterday, teasing the heck out me for “getting old”.
On my drive home I was thinking about the 11 year age gap between us. That’s quite a generational gap. As a card carrying member of Gen-X, my A-Team and Seinfeld references are increasingly met with blank stares in meetings.
I worry about how many younger people struggle with burnout and work-rest balance in this always-connected, always-on modern world.
Recent studies show half of Millennials and 75% of Gen Zers have left jobs due for mental health reasons. Companies are launching programs to support people’s emotional health response.
From my experience the two most helpful “programs” they should be focusing on are:
- Developing great leaders
- Managing work in progress
A great leader has empathy for his team and will build a culture that combats modern pressures. One example is leave. A great leader will organize their team such that people FEEL like they can take leave.
Managing work in progress is a virtuous circle. It leads to getting things done which leads to a sense of accomplishment. It also helps people to not feel overwhelmed.
No program can repair the damage done by poor leadership and out of control workload.