Zarah Choudhary24% of Gen Z women are concerned about stress and anxiety related to work, compared to just 7% of female Baby Boomers, according to new research by GRiD.
As International Women’s Day approaches on 8th March, GRiD is urging employers to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to employee benefits, as women’s health concerns differ at various life stages.
The research found that 21% of female Baby Boomers cited serious ill health, such as cancer or heart disease, as their biggest concern, compared to 17% of Gen X women, 16% of Millennials, and just 5% of Gen Z women.
Similarly, 17% of Baby Boomers were concerned about living with long-term chronic illness, falling to 10% among Gen Z women.
The research showed that workplace stress and anxiety were cited as concerns by 24% of Gen Z women, 14% of Millennials, 8% of Gen X, and 7% of Baby Boomers.
Other forms of stress and anxiety, particularly those related to finances and home life, were found to be highest for Millennial and Gen X women but less of a concern for Gen Z and Baby Boomers.
Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for GRiD, said that women are typically provided with lower-value benefits due to the gender pay gap, and employers can take steps to address this by ensuring women receive full support and are encouraged to make use of available benefits.
Moxham concluded: “As we are all working longer, the differing needs of female staff at the start and end of their career is only going to continue.
“However, employers who do not provide appropriate employee benefits are jeopardising their productivity: women who are not supported in their health and wellbeing may choose find a more supportive employer or to leave the workforce entirely – something that individual employers and the UK economy can ill-afford.”
