Gen Z & Millennials (people in their twenties – forties) are arguably the most health-conscious demographics on record. According to England’s National Health Service (NHS) data, smoking and drug use among young people in the U.K. is in decline, and the number of younger individuals who have never smoked is at the lowest levels since records began. Additionally, research from global marketing data and analytics firm Kantar shows that a quarter of Gen Z would limit their alcohol intake to reduce the risk of disease.
Understandably, living through a global pandemic is bound to make people a little more anxious about their health. Plus, their health worries are being fed by the reality that a growing number of younger individuals are being diagnosed with cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
It’s not just about avoiding diseases and viruses either. As a demographic that suffers disproportionately with their mental health because of stress, burnout, and loneliness. This is reflected in research conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), a professional body for HR management, revealed a near 35% increase in sick days taken last year compared with pre-pandemic levels – with U.K. workers now taking an average of 7.8 sick days per year due to mental and physical health issues.
Gen Z and Millennials are focusing on work-life balance and maintaining a sustainable workload, something older generations have often viewed as being lazy or entitled. In reality, it’s a case of self-preservation, self-care and setting healthy boundaries. With long working hours being a driver of chronic stress, which can weaken the immune system and is a major contributing factor to the unprecedented levels of physical and mental health disorders such as obesity, anxiety, depression, and serious illnesses such as breast cancer, colon cancer, stroke and heart disease.
Why should employers develop a culture focused on their employee’s health ?
Three reasons:
- Smart organisations understand that there’s a direct link between healthy employees and a healthy bottom line.
- By 2025, 85% of the global workforce will be a combination of Gen Z and Millenials (ref. Boston College). In terms of employee retention and attracting key people to your business, an overt culture of providing a healthy workplace (no matter where the work happens) will be business critical.
- Employees are more engaged with their job and the company’s mission. This is a result of the “healthy goodwill” that’s created being reciprocated back to the employer.
Developing a culture that promotes employee’s health is a true game changer for organisations chasing the ultimate high-performance workplace. It brings together all the elusive elements that are necessary in addressing the complex issues in today’s zeitgeist for both Gen Z & Millennials, from human connection to individual and corporate purpose to sustainability, mental & physical health to gender equality, from diversity, equity, and inclusion to the creation of a safe place of belonging that is free from discrimination.
Making health a focus benefits everyone, and this is where GoChallenge comes in.
GoChallenge is a joined up, customisable and scalable wellness solution that helps people adopt and maintain healthy behaviours. Our mission is to re-energise and reconnect the workplace, by making self care and movement part of everyone’s job description and working day.
Why? because on days when people use GoChallenge and get up and move their experience of work fundamentally changes for the better. Since our launch one year ago we’ve rolled our solution out with a number of companies, and the results have been incredible:
- 80% on average participation rates
- 86% of people felt more connected with their colleagues
- 87% of people felt they had more energy after doing the GoChallenge
- 88% of people felt more engaged with their company’s mission
- 82% of people felt happier
At GoChallenge we use the power of movement, community and technology to transform workplace wellbeing and productivity. We bring a bold new vision for how organisations and their people can connect and thrive in this new era of work. Our platform has been designed to deliver the cultural and human elements that people crave most from work.
Below is a feedback from one of the team members at our customer Three:
“I really enjoyed the challenge and hope to take part again. I feel fitter, healthier and happier and I’ve met people in my company I did not have the opportunity to meet before.“
If you want to create a health focused culture in your workplace. Contact GoChallenge today and join our movement movement.
