Study shows that this generation takes the most sick leaves at work compared to others

Gen Zs are often called entitled and lazy by the older generation due to their style of work. However, there is one thing they seem to be doing right, which is taking time off from work when needed. A report has shown that compared to the other generations, GenZs are the ones who are most likely to take time from work to rest or recover from an illness, according to a study published by HR platform Gusto. 

It uses data from 300,000 small and midsize businesses. They found that 30% of all employees working in the professional services industries with a PTO policy have taken sick leave, which was a 42% jump from 2019. They shared that the average amount of time taken by professional service workers who took sick leave has increased by 15% since 2019. Though all age groups have been taking this leave, specifically workers in the age group of 25-34 years have seen the most increase. According to the report, 32% of workers between 25 and 34 have taken sick leave in 2023, compared to 28% of workers aged 35 to 54.

Another report by a human resource platform called Dayforce also showed that sick leave in the US has increased by 55% in 2023 compared to 2019. It reportedly includes data from 1500 of their clients. Moreover, the ones below 36 years have been making the most of it. There was a 29% leap in the number of sick leaves they took from 2024 compared to 2019, reports Fortune. Gen Zs are not afraid to take leave for physical as well as mental health reasons. A UK-based think tank found that the number of young people who were out of work due to illness including mental health issues, has doubled since 2013, according to YourTango.

Lindsey Pollak, a workplace expert and author, told Fortune that Gen Z tend to take more sick leave because of their developmental stage and the unique social and technological environment in which they grew up. "They have grown up entirely in a world where every single piece of information and guidance and rulebook was available to them in their pocket on the internet," she added. So, the expert shared that Gen Z can be literalists. They see that the company is granting a sick day and are inclined to take it regardless of an unspoken norm that says otherwise.

In another story, a video created by the Fishbowl app on Instagram showed how different generations meet a new employee joining their office. It starts with the joiner meeting a boomer. She asks the new joiner, "Who is this? A fresh new face in the office? Excited for your first day, ha. Very cute." She says, "I don't give a s***t about this job. I'm about to retire from this job, but I'm not gonna lose this pension, so if you need anything, you see those people there who are the ones you are going to ask for help. Not me." Next, she meets a GenX and asks if the person is not an emotional type because she doesn't do well with them. "I tend to criticize a lot and I'm well known for my gaslighting, which does make people a little nervous," she says. 

The new joiner then meets the millennial, who seems happy to meet a new person in the office. "Oh my gosh, hi. You must be the new hire. How are you? I'm the millennial," she says. However, she then talks about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the conversation. "Did you know financial PTSD is a real thing? I have lived through 15 different recessions. I'm fine. I'm doing fine," she tells herself. In the end, she meets a Gen Z and mentions to the new joiner that she is rich and single and then clarifies, "You mean by my work title? Who cares about that stuff? Keep this on the down-low, but I don't actually come here to work. I come here to vibe. Honestly, though, the vibes here have been kind of dead lately, so I may or may not quit. You wanna join?"