While it may be difficult to quantify happiness, Gen Z is aware of at least one factor that contributes to it.
73% of respondents between the ages of 12 and 26 say they are very happy or somewhat happy, according to a recent Gallup and Walton Family Foundation survey.
Over 2,000 Gen Z Americans participated in the online survey over four days in November 2023, with the goal of gathering data for broader research that focused on this age group.
Even still, only about two-thirds of Gen Z identify as happy, and as soon as they are 18 or 26 years old, that percentage starts to decline. The survey indicates that this dip frequently corresponds with a decline in the factors that Gen Z considers most important to their satisfaction.
According to a study, a generation’s sense of purpose in their profession or education is the most important factor influencing happiness.
“What is important to Gen Z is whether they feel like their life matters and they’re making a difference, more so than, ‘Am I going to work, making a ton of money, getting a big promotion,’ things like that,'” This week, one of the study’s authors, Zach Hrynowski, told CNN.
Nonetheless, the survey found that between 43% and 49% of Gen Z felt their daily work was uninteresting, unimportant, or unmotivating.
The Gen Z generation is not a fan of the traditional 9-to-5 corporate lifestyle, and they tend to express their opinions freely in the office. Business Insider has previously covered this generation’s fresh outlook on the workplace.
The study concluded that for Gen Zers to be happy, they must believe that their lives matter. Perhaps as a result, Hrynowski told CNN, people in this age group are less likely to feel good about their lives than people in previous generations were when they were in similar circumstances.
Hrynowski told the publication that while the Gallup study isn’t a direct comparison, it did use earlier surveys to determine how differently satisfied Gen Z is compared to other generations.
The second most important element influencing Gen Z’s happiness was getting enough sleep and relaxing. The study discovered that those who perceive themselves as joyful are twice as likely to obtain enough sleep each night.
Those in the generation most likely to experience love and support from their loved ones are also happy. Conversely, studies show that individuals who constantly judge themselves against others are more prone to experience anxiety.
“Gen Z is perceived as being very connected, but are those connections of a high caliber? Are they providing you with the affection and encouragement you truly require?” For CNBC, Hrynowski said.
The survey also revealed that Gen Zers who identify as LGBTQ+ are 16 percentage points less likely to say they are happy. This is significant information considering that up to 1 in 5 of this age group’s members identified as queer according to earlier Gallup studies.
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