Members of the younger generation wish by vast majority to help others through their work, and these jobs focused on care can contribute to their general mental well-being, as a new poll revealed.
Nearly 80% of Gen Z members in the United States said they are interested in jobs aimed at helping other people, according to a survey published Wednesday by Gallup, which worked with the Walton Family Foundation and the program «Making Caring Common» Harvard University.
«At a time when loneliness and mental health problems are an issue for Generation Z, these evidence shows that they want to help people and struggle to find that meaning and purpose in life», said Katherine Senseman, Gallup's research advisor.
The study «Gallup Voices of Gen Z» points out a correlation between two aspects of life; according to CNN.
Of those who agreed to have a positive effect on others' lives, 89% fully agreed or agreed that they felt their lives had meaning.
«Helping others is good for our mental health, and many from Generation They are deprived of meaning and purpose, which is really not good for mental health», said Richard Weissbourd, director of the program «Making Caring Common» and senior lecturer at Harvard School of Postgraduate Studies.
«They find meaning and purpose in helping others.»
These data helped researchers better understand how the purpose is manifested in people's lives and how it can be associated with the intention to do things for others, said Anthony Burrow, an associate professor of psychology at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, who did not participate in the research.
However, Gen Z members also mentioned reasons why they do not find such meaning.
Obstacles to a meaningful life
As «digital natives», Generation Z members are conscious of their dependence on screens, with more than half mentioning the unproductive use of technology as a major obstacle to the development of a substance life.
Nearly half admitted to having mental health problems, while 34% felt that lack of personal relationships was a factor contributing to a sense of lack of purpose.
Gen Z members are more reluctant to take risks and experts say this destroys their lives in the field of relations
Although work focused on care could lead to some of these obstacles being overcome, work itself presents some problems.
Nearly half of Generation Z members reported concerns about their finances and personal well-being as factors that prevent them from seeking jobs that focus on helping others.
Young people did not consider that such jobs provide sufficient remuneration and felt that these roles were often more exhausting emotionally than others.
Half of the respondents reported as their main professional goal a job that yields sufficient income, without being too stressful, so low-paid and high-stressed work focusing on care came into conflict with their priorities.
Moreover, the pressure to simply find meaning in life can become overwhelming. More than half of Generation Z adults agreed that the pressure they felt to succeed in their lives caused them anxiety, with a particularly high percentage of agreement among younger adults aged 19 to 21.
«Partly due to the size of the pressure for success, but it also depends on why you achieve something»Weissbourd said.
«If you have a purpose, you're more likely to have better mental health.».
How to give a boost to Gen Z's desire to help others
When asked whether they would prefer a job with a higher salary instead of a more substantial one, nearly half of Generation Z responded positively.
However, if the money was not a problem and they were already living on a comfortable salary, most young people said they would keep their original job.
More than half of Gen Z stated that their personal satisfaction work is among their top three priorities, while 25% ranked assistance and care for others also at the top of their priorities.
«This is a story of opportunity», Burrow said.
«When they are presented with the opportunity to do something that has purpose or meaning, in general, this generation says: ‘I want to do it’».
Recruitees, teachers and older generations should use this information as a way to adjust their views on the younger generation.
This could also mean that recruitment managers will add information to job ads about some of the social supply actions carried out by a company, or that school administrators will create programmes that explore aspects of careers that offer students a sense of purpose.
«These obstacles then turn into opportunities for organizations or companies — or even for schools — do preparatory work, explain how experiences, tasks and work flows could really support and maintain something like the purpose in life», Burrow said.
