The Study revealed that younger workers and women experience more stress and that employers offering support systems can help improve workplace performance.
A new national study from Humankind, conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, shows that life stress is having a growing impact on the workplace, especially among younger employees.
Based on a nationally representative survey of 1,121 adults, the 2025 Humankind Quality of Life Trend Report finds that stress has a significant impact on focus, motivation, decision-making, and job performance.
Three out of four employees report that personal stress makes it harder to concentrate, collaborate, make decisions, or stay motivated at work.
Gen Z experiences these pressures most acutely. Seventy-nine percent of workers aged 18 to 29 say stress affects or distracts them at work. Sixty-six percent report trouble focusing, 69% cite lower motivation, and 61% say their decision-making and problem-solving are impacted.
Younger workers also identify daily health habits such as exercise, nutrition, and sleep as significant concerns. Financial stress is also prevalent, with 43% indicating that they would utilize employer-provided financial wellness support if available.
Humankind’s findings point to an inverse correlation between age and stress across financial, emotional, and health domains. As age rises, reported stress declines; yet the workforce itself is getting younger, magnifying the operational impact for employers.
That impact is compounded by weakening social safety nets. Nearly half (47%) of adults aged 18–59 have only two or fewer people to turn to in a crisis, and nearly one in ten workers aged 18–44 have no one. This erosion of personal support makes employees more vulnerable when life events collide with work responsibilities.
In the report, women and employees with less formal education reported higher emotional stress and lower satisfaction. In contrast, workers aged 60 and above are more satisfied with employer support, suggesting traditional programs are more effective for established employees.
“What we’re seeing is a workforce in transition, with traditional support systems that aren’t keeping pace,” said Jaclyn Wainwright, Co-founder and CEO of Humankind. “Behind these statistics are real people struggling to focus at work because they’re worried about paying rent, or they’re making critical decisions while emotionally overwhelmed, or they simply have no one to call when life gets hard. The quality of people’s lives directly impacts their ability to perform, and employers have both an opportunity and a responsibility to intervene proactively before stress erodes engagement, productivity, and retention.”
Humankind Study Recommendations
The Humankind study emphasizes the effectiveness of proactive, personalized approaches that support employees at the moment of need, connecting them to resources that include ongoing human-led assistance.
Its model combines behavioral analytics with licensed clinicians and a multidisciplinary team to intervene early, before stress leads to absenteeism, disengagement, or turnover.
The study identifies several priorities:
- Close the benefits gap for younger workers. Expand access to financial wellness, mental health services, and support for healthy habits such as sleep, nutrition, and exercise—resources that younger employees say they would use.
- Shift from relying only on digital portals to including more personal support. Add human outreach, such as care navigators, clinicians, or peer supporters, who can assess employees’ needs and help them access care more quickly.
- Address gaps in social support. Many employees lack strong personal networks, so employers should foster community through affinity groups, mentoring, and manager training to help identify early warning signs.
- Measure what matters. Track early indicators such as focus, motivation, and decision-making as part of performance health, not just results like turnover or claims costs.
Overall
The report emphasizes the connection between work performance and quality of life. When employees are preoccupied with bills, caregiving, health routines, or loneliness, the impact is immediate and measurable in the workplace.
Employers who provide timely, personalized support are seen to improve engagement, productivity, retention, and health outcomes. On the other hand, retaining legacy, opt-in programs risk widening the gap between employee needs and employer response.
As organizations adapt to a multi-generational workforce, Humankind’s message is clear: meet people where they are, when it matters most. In an era of elevated stress and shrinking support networks, this approach is becoming both a competitive advantage and a workplace imperative.
