Are Companies Becoming The New Helicopter Parents For Gen Z?
Well-being programs are a huge focus for many organizations, but can they potentially cause more harm than good by coddling their employees and removing accountability?
I’m working on a new employee experience book that will come out in 2025. As a part of the book research I’m speaking with over 100 CHROs at some of the world’s top companies to learn more about what they are doing and thinking about.
It’s clear that things like well-being programs are a huge focus area and they are becoming broader and broader in terms of scale and definition. Well-being for many organizations is now including everything from gyms, food, therapy, counseling, financial planning, etc. Basically anything and everything that can be considered to improve the quality of life for an employee.
This sounds noble and commendable but there’s a part of me that is skeptical.
Over the past few years there has been a lot of research coming out on how Gen Z is struggling. 42% of Gen Z are diagnosed with a mental health condition and 45% of Gen Z say they are burned out at work (Gallup). Another study came out which highlighted that 26% of Gen Z prospects are brining their parents to job interviews.
This article from SHRM sums things up nicely and it’s titled, Generation Z: 'The Loneliest, Least Resilient Demographic Alive.'
Who is to blame for this? Many people say the parents who have coddled their kids. Helicopter parents who catered to their every need, solved all of their problems for them, constantly asked them how they were doing and feeling, told them they were special and superstars, that they can do no wrong, and that all of their ideas were brilliant.
This is the generation that is going to be taking over the workforce and my fear is that as they leave their parent’s homes, the organizations they work for will assume the new role of helicopter parent.
Let’s go a bit deeper behind the velvet rope of the paywall.
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