The workplace is changing, and so are the mental health challenges facing the people entering it.
Recent UK research highlights growing pressure among younger workers. The Mental Health Foundation’s September 2026 Employment and Mental Health Inequality report found that young people aged 16 to 24 are significantly more likely to experience poor mental health than the workforce average, with their wellbeing declining more sharply than that of older colleagues since 2018. It also points to job insecurity, financial pressure and difficulty transitioning into work as contributing factors.
The issue extends beyond mental health alone. The Government’s Young People and Work review, published in August 2026, found that almost one million 16 to 24-year-olds are not in education, employment or training, highlighting the wider challenges young people face when trying to enter and progress in the workplace.
For employers, this creates an important question: are traditional approaches to workplace wellbeing enough for a generation facing a very different working environment?
Younger employees may benefit from support that is accessible, confidential and available before problems become overwhelming.
That is where a more connected approach to wellbeing can make a difference.
Shoorah gives employees access to 24/7 counselling and advice, in-the-moment support, structured counselling, self-help resources and financial support, while its digital wellbeing tools provide additional ways to build healthier habits and resilience. Shoorah-EAP Shoorah-EAP
For younger employees in particular, having support available in a familiar digital environment can make reaching out feel more accessible, while still providing a pathway to professional help when it is needed.
Supporting the next generation of workers should not mean assuming they need a completely different workplace. It means recognising that their experiences, pressures and expectations around wellbeing may be different.
The earlier we make meaningful support accessible, the better chance we have of helping young people build healthier working lives.
