Gen Z stressed by email overload at work – Babbel survey
BERLIN, GERMANY — For many Gen Z workers, unread emails are piling up – causing stress, anxiety, and even regret over how they communicate at work.
A recent survey of 2,000 U.S. office workers by language learning platform Babbel found that 36% of Gen Zers aged 18-24 have over 1,000 unread emails, compared to just 18% of office workers overall.
“Gen Z’s communication preferences are heavily influenced by the prevalence of instant messaging platforms and social media,” Esteban Touma, a linguistics and culture expert at Babbel, explained.
“The structured and formal nature of email communication may feel unfamiliar and more complicated to many [Gen Zers].”
Misaligned communication fuels burnout
The disconnect between Gen Z’s communication style and traditional workplace norms like email is contributing to burnout for some young professionals. Keely Antonio, 25, experienced this first-hand.
“I didn’t feel like there was a streamlined method of communicating in that organization,” Antonio told CNBC Make It about her first corporate job.
Despite impressive responsibilities, Antonio felt ill-equipped to manage the stress, ultimately declining a full-time offer. She now co-founded FeelSwell Experiences, consulting companies on engaging Gen Z talent.
U.S. study finds email fuels workplace misunderstandings
A study by the foreign language learning platform Preply highlighted email as a predominant cause of workplace misunderstanding.
The study revealed that 87% of 1,030 U.S. employees associate workplace miscommunications primarily with email interactions. This rate surpasses other modes like voice messages (67%), phone calls (71%), direct messaging (79%), and text messages (80%).
Despite its inherent issues, email remains the most favored communication tool in the professional realm. This preference holds strong in the evolving landscape of hybrid–remote work models.
Setting boundaries and managing email effectively
“An expectation to respond quickly “can blur the boundaries between work and personal life,” warns Touma. “This constant connectivity can contribute to heightened stress levels and feelings of being constantly tethered to work obligations.”
Touma advises employers to clearly set expectations around email response times, especially for Gen Z newcomers who may struggle with boundaries.
For those looking to manage their inbox more effectively, Touma recommends setting up filters to sort emails by urgency and topic, designating specific times for checking and responding to emails, and unsubscribing from irrelevant lists and newsletters.
