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Welcome back to The Gen Z Guide for Employers! In this series, we will challenge some of the prevailing Gen Z workforce myths. Our ultimate goal is to debunk these myths and create a level of understanding between Gen Z and the generations that came before us to make workplaces:
More efficient
More inclusive
Better places to work
Each newsletter will be written from the perspective of an employer or a member of the Gen Z workforce. In this edition, Tameika Moore, who leads our Employability & Partnerships work, returns to continue unpicking the myth of low attention spans and explores how neurodiversity and mental health issues can impact our focus at work.
Exploring the Intersection of Neurodiversity and Mental Health in the Workplace
I am back to continue exploring the idea that Gen Z has lower attention spans. The last post focused on social media and technology. Today, I will explore how mental health issues & neurodivergence impact our ability to focus in the workplace, and how employers can best support members of their workforce. I also feature insights from Aderonke Oke, a previous guest on the Pollen Pod (Pollen’s podcast that offers authentic insights into the working world), where she spoke about her experience with ADHD.
I want to start by recognising that neurodevelopmental conditions are not mental health conditions. Neurodivergent people, like anyone, can suffer from poor mental health. In this article, I will be discussing both in tandem, not as an attempt to conflate the two but to give a broader perspective on the “myth” that Gen Z has low attention spans.
Mental health and neurodivergent conditions like ADHD, autism, anxiety, and depression can cause challenges with focus and attention which is often misinterpreted as simply having a low attention span. This post aims to facilitate a greater understanding of these underlying issues to provide the most effective support.
Prevalence of mental illness amongst Gen Z’ers
As social media has emerged, so has an awareness of mental illnesses. 1 in 3 Gen Z individuals report experiencing more mental health issues related to stress, anxiety, and depression than any other cohort in the last 12 months (Byrne-Hunt, 2023). These findings highlight a very real issue occurring amongst Gen Z’ers that cannot be dismissed as us simply having ‘low attention spans’.
We all have relatives who are chronically late or a cousin who would ‘forget their heads if they weren’t screwed on’. Although this isn’t always rooted in undiagnosed ADHD or anxiety, it does point toward the diversity in the human condition that isn’t specific to Gen Z. However, social media has provided the perfect forum for Gen Z to discuss issues openly, leading to a greater understanding and de-stigmatisation of mental health and neurodiversity. This awareness has allowed young people to feel comfortable seeking support where previous generations perhaps didn’t. Gen Z’ers, for the large part, no longer attach a sense of stigma or shame to dealing with mental health issues or neurodiversity (T. Lockhart, 2023). Contrary to the stereotype of low attention spans, Gen Z's approach to mental health showcases a proactive generation committed to addressing and managing their well-being. We are no longer interested in wanting to simply deal with it, nor do we default to sweeping statements or stereotypes. Instead, we are steadfast in creating a world– and workplaces– that are accessible and inclusive for all.
Neurodiversity in our society
The misconception that Gen Z has low attention spans often overlooks the complex reality of neurodiversity and mental health issues prevalent in this generation. It is thought that as many as 15-20% of the general population have neurodivergent traits including autism, OCD, ADHD (Lazarus, 2024). Gen Z’ers are now understanding that traits associated with low attention span, such as struggling with sustained focus, distractibility, impulsivity, time management, procrastination, memory, and difficulty in managing long-term projects (Staglin, 2023), are often linked to mental health issues or neurodiversity such as anxiety, depression, ADHD or autism. In a previous Pollen Pod episode named ‘Neurospicy Women in Product Design’, guest speaker Aderonke Oke delved into her experiences with ADHD and how she has navigated that in the workplace.
Aderonke referenced her struggles with Rejection Sensitivity Disorder (RSD), the mental and emotional pain some experience when faced with real or perceived rejection. ‘It’s exhausting, I hate it.’, said Aderonke. ‘whatever is being said is to help me but that little part of my brain is like, “You're a loser, you should stay in bed”’. RSD symptoms include feelings of shame, embarrassment, and low self-esteem, and as Aderonke described, an inability to receive constructive criticism. Dr William W. Dodson, who introduced the term RSD, estimates that 99% of those with ADHD encounter RSD at some point (Neff, 2024).
Understanding the complexities of these issues provides more clarity on symptoms initially perceived as lacking attention. These symptoms are often a manifestation of underlying mental health and neurodiversity issues. This shift in understanding is integral for creating workplaces that accommodate and support neurodivergent individuals, rather than mislabelling their behaviours as simple inattentiveness.
It’s not just Gen Z
Insight into The Missing Generation allows us to understand just how much awareness and de-stigmatisation play a large role in mental health advocacy.
The “Missing Generation” - those who were children before the late 20th century - grew up with significantly less awareness and understanding of neurodivergent conditions and mental health issues. These conditions were often misdiagnosed as behavioural issues or personality traits, leading to inappropriate treatment or no treatment at all. This means that generations of people have been navigating their lives with symptoms that have been misunderstood or overlooked, both professionally and personally (O, Reilly, Michelle et al, 2019). I state this to emphasise and rebut against a common misconception that Gen Z has a higher diagnosis of mental health issues and or neurodivergence because it's a trend or that we are ‘less resilient’ (Kings College London, 2019).
Insight into The Missing Generation allows us to understand just how much awareness and de-stigmatisation play a large role in mental health advocacy. And if your rebuttal is still that ‘in my day, we just got on with things’ then my response to that is, ‘yes, but you shouldn't have to’.
Neurodiversity is good for business
Research finds that companies that champion neurodiversity and disability inclusion benefit from 28% higher revenue and 30% better performance on profit margins, proving that your business should be accessible to neurodiverse employees (Accenture, 2018). A neurodiverse workforce can bring many strengths: heightened creativity and innovation, problem-solving skills, social skills, and increased productivity when stimulated or hyper-focused. These changes would positively affect the entire workplace which in turn would create more useful and happier employees - which has a direct link to higher quality of work!
What can employers do?
Remember - the best place to start is to ask. Don’t make assumptions.
Legally, employers must provide and fund reasonable adjustments for employees with disabilities, including mental illnesses and neurodiverse conditions. However, relying solely on official diagnoses can be problematic - over 80% of people with mental illnesses have not received proper treatment, or struggle to get a diagnosis due to fear of cost, discrimination, or stigma.
Aderonke waited eight years for an ADHD diagnosis through the NHS and faced difficulties even with private healthcare due to high costs and complicated processes (Henderson, Claire et al 2014). She recalled her frustration at the time. "Why is this so hard? I just want to book a session to speak to someone!". For Aderonke, the inability to receive a formal diagnosis led her to seek alternative resources to manage her symptoms.
Aderonke’s experience highlights how imperative it is for employers to focus on the needs and experiences of each employee, rather than relying solely on formal diagnoses. This could be done through curated mental health action plans to allow employees to identify how they experience stress and distress at work, and how managers can support them. This promotes transparent communication and allows for set management plans to prevent and mitigate challenges is key to creating more inclusive and accessible workplaces.
These mental health action plans may look different for each employee depending on their individual needs:
Individuals with sensory issues may benefit from flexible working environments or hours to combat noisy, distracting environments.
To avoid potentially triggering someone's Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), you could ensure that you balance constructive criticism with positive reinforcement which can do wonders to ensure that your employees feel valued.
Including a brief purpose for an impromptu meeting can do loads to abate the anxieties of an employee who may see the meeting in their schedule and automatically assume the worst.
Remember - the best place to start is to ask. Don’t make assumptions.
A great way to begin is by educating yourself!
This can be through:
Books such as Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace: A Practical Guide for Employers and Employees by Gill Hasson and Donna Butler,
Enrolling in neurodiversity training for staff such as the one run by The Brain Charity
Articles such as Unlocking The Power Of Neurodiversity by Forbes or The Future of Mental Health at Work Is Safety, Community, and a Healthy Organizational Culture by Harvard
Implementing these changes not only creates an inclusive workplace for individuals with neurodiversity or mental health issues, but they also benefit neurotypical employees. Who doesn't like receiving praise, or having flexible working environments?
Awareness and education have allowed people to make sense of why certain things are harder for them than others. If you are reading this and would like to access mental health/neurodiverse-based resources, please see our Resource Hub.
To listen to the Pollen Pod episode where these issues are discussed further, click here.
Thank you for reading and please let me know your thoughts on this topic!
If you enjoyed this article, please share with your networks.
Tameika
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References:
Byrne-Hunte, Koren . “1 in 3 Gen Z Employees Say They’ve Experienced a Mental Health Problem, New Research Finds | Legal & General.” Group.legalandgeneral.com, 6 Nov.
“Companies Leading in Disability Inclusion Have Outperformed Peers, Accenture Research Finds.” Newsroom.accenture.com, 29 Nov. 2018, newsroom.accenture.com/news/2018/companies-leading-in-disability-inclusion-have-outperformed-peers-accenture-research-finds.
Henderson, Claire, et al. “Mental Illness Stigma, Help Seeking, and Public Health Programs.” American Journal of Public Health, vol. 103, no. 5, 2014, pp. 777–780, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3698814/.
Lazarus, Arthur. “Unmasking the “Lost” Mental Health Generation.” Medpagetoday.com, MedpageToday, 7 May 2024, www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/110016. Accessed 10 July 2024.
London, King’s College. “Youth Mental Health in Decline: Generations Differ on Causes of Apparent Crisis, Survey Finds.” King’s College London, 29 Feb. 2024, www.kcl.ac.uk/news/youth-mental-health-in-decline-generations-differ-on-causes-of-apparent-crisis-survey-finds#:~:text=There%20are%20key%20generational%20differences. Accessed 10 July 2024.
Nash, Jo . “Neurodiversity in the Workplace: A Strengths-Based Approach.” PositivePsychology.com, 4 Mar. 2024, positivepsychology.com/neurodiversity-in-the-workplace/.
Neff, Megan Anna. “Uncovering the Roots and Evolution of Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria.” Insights of a Neurodivergent Clinician, 2024, neurodivergentinsights.com/blog/history-of-rejection-sensitive-dysphoria.
O’Reilly, Michelle, et al. “Autism in the Twentieth Century: An Evolution of a Controversial Condition.” Healthy Minds in the Twentieth Century, 17 Sept. 2019, pp. 137–165, link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-27275-3_7, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27275-3_7.
Pollen. “Spotify.” Open.spotify.com, 8 Mar. 2024, open.spotify.com/episode/3h6iPBVs6tJtqnMbGFvvi4?si=c2328621c2ea4a1f. Accessed 10 July 2024.
Staglin, Garen. “Unlocking the Power of Neurodiversity: Embracing ADHD Awareness Month.” Forbes, 6 Nov. 2023, www.forbes.com/sites/onemind/2023/11/06/unlocking-the-power-of-neurodiversity-embracing-adhd-awareness-month/. Accessed 10 July 2024.
T. Lockhart, Ann-Louise . “Why Gen Z Is More Open to Talking about Their Mental Health.” Verywell Mind, 30 Dec. 2023, www.verywellmind.com/why-gen-z-is-more-open-to-talking-about-their-mental-health-5104730.
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