Stress is rising, costs are climbing and Gen Z isn’t buying the “tough it out” myth, according to Wellhub’s new work-life wellness report
Wellness has become Gen Z’s form of quiet rebellion, a way to survive workplaces that still glorify burnout. Staying well isn’t easy nor guaranteed, but having access makes all the difference.
So finds the latest State of Work-Life Wellness Report from corporate wellness platform Wellhub, which finds that 55% of Gen Z employees report rising stress levels even as they’ve become fluent in the language of mental health. Millennials aren’t faring much better, with 56% also reporting higher stress. Both groups experience frequent burnout symptoms several times a week.
The report doesn’t sugarcoat it or gloss over the strain many workers are under. Things feel bleak, burnout is widespread and stress is rising, but the data still points to a clear takeaway: access to wellness support moves the needle.
What stands out is how deeply Gen Z is leaning into that idea. According to Wellhub, 72% of Gen Z employees use wellness apps weekly and 68% say therapy is critical to their overall well-being, compared with 59% of Millennials, 45% of Gen X and just 33% of Baby Boomers.
Separately, new global research suggests the wellness shift runs much deeper than office perks. An EY study surveying young adults in ten countries found that 51% of Gen Z and younger Millennials now define success through their mental and physical health, ahead of money, career or status. In the U.S., nearly half of respondents said well-being is their top measure of success.
While older generations often equated resilience with “toughing it out,” younger workers are rejecting the grind entirely. As Wellhub notes, Gen Z is helping create a new model in which mental health support, flexible roles and integrated well-being tools are non-negotiable parts of the workplace experience, redefining what productivity looks like and pushing employers to keep pace.
The Case for Investing in Workplace Wellness
Wellhub’s 2026 State of Work-Life Wellness Report, based on responses from more than 5,000 full-time employees across 10 countries, demonstrates why this shift matters. The research shows that 89% of workers perform better when they prioritize their health, and companies with structured wellness programs report stronger engagement, retention and morale. Even so, 90% of employees say they’ve experienced burnout in the past year and nearly 40% face it weekly. Despite that, the data shows wellness programs make a difference.
Wellhub’s findings show that companies investing in employee well-being see positive returns across several metrics. Sixty-one percent of employees with wellness programs say their overall well-being is good or thriving, compared with 40% without. The trend holds across physical health (60% vs. 43%), work-life balance (79% vs. 55%) and trust in HR (77% vs. 38%). Additionally, access to wellness programs shapes how employees view compensation, with 90% feeling adequately paid versus 57% without such programs.
The report also shows how the geography of wellness is changing. “Third places” are emerging as the new social hubs of working life. Ninety-one percent of respondents said gyms, yoga studios and wellness spaces now play the role bars and coffee shops once did, helping them manage stress and stay connected. Nearly three-quarters visit these spaces weekly and one in five go daily.
Still, barriers remain. Half of employees cite lack of time, while others point to motivation (27%) and cost (23%), which, as Wellhub notes, is raising expectations for employers to play a bigger role in supporting well-being beyond the office.
“We’re seeing a fundamental shift from wellness as an employee benefit to wellness as a productivity booster,” Wellhub co-founder and CEO Cesar Carvalho said. “The most successful organizations are embedding wellness into their talent strategy because healthy employees don’t just feel better—they perform better, stay longer and drive business results.”
Corporate Wellness Standouts
Some employers are starting to think outside the box and beyond the office gym.
Earlier this year, Deloitte expanded its well-being subsidy program to cover Legos and puzzles, adding them to the list of reimbursable items employees can use for stress relief, Business Insider reported. The firm already gives U.S. staff up to $1,000 a year to spend on wellness-related subscriptions, equipment or experiences, an allowance it doubled in 2021.
Meanwhile, convenience store operator Sheetz has opened three on-site Shwellness Centers, providing its staff with access to medical professionals, fitness trainers and group instructors, dietitians and physical therapists. For staff who are not based near one of the centers, Sheetz offers virtual fitness classes, telehealth services and more.
