New Survey Finds Many Young Workers Feel Lonely and Undervalued

Nearly one-third of young workers in the U.S are feeling stressed, lonely and undervalued, according to the American Psychological Association.

Their new poll of more than 2,000 adults found 48% of workers, 18-25, believe older colleagues do not value their ideas. And while 92% of participants agree having colleagues of all ages is an advantage, the majority of 18-to-43-year-olds say they feel more comfortable working with people their own age.

The authors say younger workers may be having a hard time connecting with their coworkers on a personal level.

Nearly half of them say they are lonely at work…which is significantly more than other age groups. Younger workers are also more likely to say they feel tense or stressed during the workday.

Arthur C. Evans Jr, CEO of the American Psychological Association says, “With more workers retiring later in life, the demographics of the workplace are changing, and younger workers seem to be having the hardest time adjusting.”

He says remote work and new technologies like AI are also impacting workers – young and old  – and recommends employers invest in strategies to help them navigate these new norms.

Sources: The American Psychological Association , The Harris Poll