Sick days have taken on a whole new meaning.
As Gen Z employees join the workforce, paid sick leave allotted by the majority of companies is being used more than ever before.
According to Gusto, a human resources platform used by more than 300,000 U.S. companies, about 30% of employees took sick leave in the first 10 months of 2023, up 42% from 2019.
The average amount of sick leave taken has also increased by 15% since 2019, reaching an average of 15.5 hours per year.
Dayforce, another HR platform, reported a 55% increase in sick leave over the same period, based on user activity.
At Dayforce, sick leave has increased by 42% since 2019 among white-collar workers.
According to Gust data, workers between the ages of 25 and 34 are most likely to take advantage of these benefits.
“Younger generations are the most likely to take time off work to recover from an illness, signaling a generational shift in how employees think about taking time off to look after their health,” Gast reported last year.
Jake Cannul, regional director for the Top Employers Institute in New York, responded to the data in a response to Fox News Digital.
A new survey from Top Employers found that regardless of age, “employers are encouraging sick leave to prevent and recover from illness,” Cannul said.
Experts noted that many companies with highly engaged employees are taking steps to raise awareness of mental and emotional wellbeing.
These companies were 14% more likely to discourage employees from working overtime and 9% more likely to encourage employees to take stress-relief breaks during the workday, Cannul added.
He said Gen Z employees are less likely to work in independent, autonomous workplaces because they value human contact and collaboration.
Younger American workers also prioritize their own well-being and are “very community-focused,” he said.
“They [avoid] “By staying home, you are infecting your coworkers,” Cannul told Fox News Digital.
“Generally, companies tend to prioritize a safer and healthier work environment over opportunities for growth and development.”
Dr. Mark Siegel, a Fox News senior medical analyst and professor of clinical medicine at NYU Langone, told Fox News Digital that it's “a good thing” to think the additional use of sick days is due to people being more aware of the spread of infection since the pandemic began.
“But I don't think that's the case,” he said. “Rather, corona fatigue is leading to a decline in preventative measures, including against the now widely spreading corona again.”
Doctors speculated that the increase in sick days may be linked to burnout at work, low pay and lack of enthusiasm for work, especially among younger people.
“Anxiety and depression are on the rise in our society, so people are more likely to abuse the system or require mental health leave,” Siegel theorized.
“Some people want more of a balance between work and play.”
California-based career coach Kyle Elliott, PhD, agreed that Gen Z employees prioritize work-life balance.
“Finding meaning and purpose beyond your job or career can make it easier to take sick time,” Elliott told Fox News Digital.
Gen Z workers also realize that sick days aren't just for physical ailments, experts say.
“It can also be used to deal with stress and burnout. — “You don't have to give your employer detailed reasons for using sick leave,” Elliott said.
“Gen Z workers are proving that there's no harm in taking a day or two off when they're feeling mentally drained or fatigued. — The faster you can recover, the more it will pay off in the long run.”
Elliott suggested that America's youngest workers are learning that “there is a lot more to life than work” and that “there is little benefit to working when you're sick.”
Exclusive new data from the Top Employers Gen Z survey reveals that 81% of younger workers believe employers have a responsibility to support the physical wellbeing of their employees.
Meanwhile, 83% agree that employers have a responsibility to support their employees’ mental health.
The survey also found that 62% of Gen Z respondents would be willing to accept a lower salary in exchange for better work-life balance.
Gen Z workers say the workplace should build community, social connection and a sense of belonging (78%), and 75% say it's important to enjoy their work, encouraging the creation of a supportive work environment.
