Boundaries & Frameworks? The Future of Work impact on Mental Fitness

E96: Mental Fitness III - Is mental fitness different with this generation of emerging adults? Friends & Family IRL 8, TX, Marking a 90th birthday

“Boldly chase outlier ideas”
— Paul Graham, How to Do Great Work

Yes, I am pulling at the tip of a quote from “the” essay everyone is talking about this week. Because I’m going to explore my thoughts on why mental wellness is a different issue today than 30-50 years ago. And some of my ideas are at the edges.

At the end of this essay, I hope that those exploring their own mental wellness will be able to distinguish what part the Future of Work is playing into their sense of instability. “It’s not just in my head. It’s all of society responding to the Future of Work.”

This is the third in the series of threads on this topic. :

• More young adults are experiencing mental health issues. According to Boston Consulting Group, 40% of Gen Z employees (born 1995-2010) report they are at a mental health breaking point. [E93: What’s in Your Mental Health Tool Box]

• Why should business care? Mental health has a direct effect on retention and productivity. It hits the bottom line - economically. Every dollar invested in mental healthcare is money well spent. [E94: Retention & Recruiting: Mental Health is a WE problem.]

• The Future of Work effect? As we move out of the industrial era, we are explorers in new territory. We are changing our mental guideposts and frameworks, adding to the confusion and stress. [E96: Boundaries & Frameworks]

What can each of us do to support ourselves and those in the sphere of our care?

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I am headed out to Texas to raise a toast at my uncle’s 90th birthday. He left his home at 15 to study and start work. Gathering facts from his life story, and tracking the various obstacles he overcame to establish himself, while helping educate and support his family of nine siblings, I naturally asked some of the questions that are probably coming to your mind as we discuss mental wellness in the world of today’s emerging adults. I find these two writing tasks braiding together.

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What is different for young adults?

I’ll use my family history as a backdrop, recognizing that it is just one family among billions on earth.

Billions: Let’s start there and discuss world population. 2023: 8 billion+. World population crossed 2 billion around 1930. The doubling from one to two billion had taken almost 120 years. These are my scribbles, relating the milestone markers in world population growth with the approximate time each new generation entered the workforce:

• Gen X - 1987 five billion

• Millennials - 1999 six billion

• Gen Z - 2022 eight billion

Technology: Advancements in technology have never stood still. GenX dealt with the digitization and the move away from paper and pen tracking. They embraced technology on their desktops. Millennials entered the workforce as the internet came online.

So nothing new with GenZ. Chat GPT, AI and robotics are now part of their technology landscape.

But … AI and Robotics are aimed at repeatable, entry level. More people. Chasing fewer entry level openings. You can’t get to middle management if you can’t get on the first rung.

Contract work instead of full time employment. Gig work. Side hustles. This is the “Future of Work” vocabulary. What these words lack is the implication of stability.

Adulting: Is part of this uptick in mental crisis the natural process of adulting — that process of moving away from the structured support of your parents, to living independently, supporting yourself and self-directing?

WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT THIS TIME AROUND?

“Is mental health really a growing problem? Or are we willing to talk about it more openly?”

There have always been challenges and threats to humanity. What is it about these times that makes it different?

1. Self-advocacy: We have raised a generation empowered to advocate for themselves. It started with show and tell in kindergarten. And the schooling worked. Most students graduated into articulate young adults. And they are able to ask for the resources they need with more confidence than prior generations.

2. Boundaries: When I started work, I wore business attire to work. When I got home each day I hung my professional self up with my suit and got into personal mode. There was a supposed end to the work day. Just as personal life was not supposed to interrupt your work day, there were not smartphones, slack pings and messaging interrupting your personal life. As I grew more confident with my work colleagues, I allowed them to intersect with my personal life. Rarely did they see my bedroom.
   Not so for GenZ starting work in the middle of lockdown during the pandemic. Their colleagues and managers know the colour of their bedsheets. The lines on personal and business have blurred significantly. They are struggling with boundaries, including requesting downtime in a 24/7 world. This is particularly important for high functioning team members who are anxious to please.

3. Turning Off: For sure, the world was also unsafe 50 years ago. World Wars. Nuclear proliferation. Famines. The news has always been terrible. But we used to be able to turn it off. There was NOTHING to watch after 11pm! The 24/7 news, global and work cycle means that we no longer have natural quiet moments in our day. We now need to actively create those. Sometimes a breath can be as good as a break.

4. Anchors & Frameworks: Most of our generation grew up with the expectation that if we put in the hours at school and work, we could have a full-time job, with a pension plan. No longer guaranteed. Most of this generation invest in side hustles as an insurance policy against the economy. Career ladders have made way for career roller coasters. The virtual world is bleeding into our physical one. Many of our anchors and frameworks are disappearing. That is disconcerting.

5. Stigma: There is a generational difference in the way we are willing to access help for mental wellness. As Stephanie Jones asked at [46:57] What could the lives of our parents have been like if they were able to address their mental health when they were 22?

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SOLUTIONS

A.L.E.C. - a way for each one to support one

“I love the acronym ALEC: ALEC (Ask, Listen, Encourage Action and Check-in)”
— Denis Trottier

You are probably asking … “OK, Karena. I’m not a manager. What can ‘I’ do?”

In this giant community of mankind, we can support each other. Friends. Neighbours. Virtual classmates.

[39:00] in the Empire Club of Canada conversation Denis Trottier made the point that typically 71% of the population respond with “I’m fine” … even during COVID! As such, it is important that we reach out to those within our sphere of care. He uses ALEC to guide him as he reaches out:

Ask: “How are you … really.”
Listen: And when they respond, listen … without judgment (particularly valuable for those of us who are parents!)
Engage and Encourage Action: Direct them to available resources, and make connections to free resources such as jack.org or Movember for family or friends without access to paid benefits. My son and his university buddies have been running Movember challenges for six years now. I am proud to watch them understand the importance of supporting each other, and happily throw money their way (even though some of them still struggle to grow chin hairs)
Check-in: Make it easy for the dialogue to happen. “I haven’t seen you on the chats recently. All good? I’d love to have a catchup. How about tomorrow?” It is easy for people to hide in a hybrid work model. If you sense someone is having a tough time, reach out first.

I mention free Canadian resources. Please research what is available in your geography and keep the numbers/urls handy.

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To recap the top messages I’m taking away:

• Investing in mental wellness in the workplace is financially sound and increases productivity.

• GenZ could use an assist to make sure they create and honour personal boundaries.

• Now, more than ever, people across all generations are learning to ask for help. But it doesn’t hurt to reach out a hand first. ALEC

This is the view from where I sit. A very narrow perspective on a huge topic. As a member of Tribe Tilt I hope this will spark many conversations from your own observations.

Make. Take. Talk.

What has been the most encouraging part of this series on mental wellness? What do you now know that you didn’t know before? Is it worth sharing with someone who needs to hear this message, today?

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Pairings:

• The Empire Club of Canada panel on ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH IN YOUNG ADULTS: Implications for Workplace Leaders
  

• Danny HealthHats - 15-episode series on Emerging Adults with mental illness. Here is one to explore https://health-hats.com/pod199/. If you would rather read or watch your podcasts, Danny has you covered. As a board member of PCORI Danny has a unique perspective as a patient advocate on navigating all avenues of medical care.

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Thanks, Tribe Tilt, for sticking with me through a challenging and maybe uncomfortable series. My horizon has certainly shifted on this topic, and I’m back to saying this could be the diabetes of 2050.

Here in Tribe Tilt, we are not afraid to respectfully engage each other in intellectually challenging discussions. Please add your voice and/your actions. Reach out to panelists Dr. Deepy Sur, Denis Trottier, or Stephanie Jones as you expand your research. Invite them to speak and access their deep database of reports and stats.

Thanks to the many members of Tribe Tilt who allowed me to test drive the ideas behind this edition in conversation. Tribe Tilt, we believe we can make a difference to the people and places that are precious to us. In this space, within this Tribe, you have permission to explore. DM me if you are not ready to add to the public conversation. Every idea sparks a new thought tree.

Are you visiting us? Is this your first edition of our newsletter? Come join our Tribe and our regular discussion:

See you next week. Stay healthy. From there all else becomes possible.
Karena

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Absolutely shameless plug. My son just launched his first music video, a cover of Mac Miller’s Dunno. Subscribe and comment if you agree that it is pretty darn good! (I’m biased.) And don’t forget to share it with your friends. He is @TEDDE on Instagram and Spotify, and @TEDDEwithanE on YouTube.

[When your mother pitches to run your marketing]