Millennials are facing the most challenges in coping with workplace disruptions during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is according to a multi-part study by the School of Business at Maynooth University in Ireland and Kingston University in London which involved surveys of 422 employees in 41 different countries.
The report shows that Millennials, aged 24 to 40 years, are having most difficulties balancing work and family or supervisory roles.
Millennials are experiencing significantly lower levels of vitality than other generations and significantly lower levels of wellbeing than their Baby Boomer colleagues, who are over 56 years.
The greatest differences in coping during the COVID-19 pandemic were between the Millennial and Baby Boomers generations. Millennials are experiencing high levels of burnout, significantly higher than Baby Boomers, despite usually receiving far higher levels of supervisor support than either Generation X, aged 41 to 55 years, or ‘Boomers’.
The Millennial generation born from 1981 to 1994 is the largest generation in modern history to enter the workforce, and this generation is now moving into and up the ranks of middle management.
The initial findings indicate that Millennials may need more attention from supervisors, and more support and encouragement. However, the nature of remote working patterns during this period often means supervision is less available to them.
Commenting on the research, Prof Audra Mockaitis of the School of Business at Maynooth University said, "What surprised us was that Millennials who are characterised as technologically savvy are actually having the hardest time coping with the pandemic. All of our respondents reported similar degrees of disruption to their lives as a result of COVID, but members of other generations, particularly ‘Boomers’, appear to be getting on with their lives better than Millennials, despite having relatively more responsibility."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
