Gen Z is not Fragile: The System is

"Gen Z does not reject hard work. It rejects environments that treat mental strain as normal "- Bhoomi Bhanver

You review your notes for the day ahead, pack your tiffin, and head to class; another day that seems no different from the rest.

Twenty minutes into your first lecture, something changes. A faintness creeps in quietly, like a shadow lengthening across the room. Your collar suddenly feels tighter against your neck and you tug at it, hoping for a little air. Beads of sweat gather on your forehead. You glance around the classroom. Everyone else appears absorbed in their notes, their laptops, their thoughts. Their faces are calm, focused, ordinary.

Nothing seems wrong. Except inside you.

The room begins to feel smaller. The walls inch closer in a perfectly ventilated classroom where, somehow, only you seem to struggle for breath. The tightness in your chest grows heavier as you start counting the minutes until the break: those few precious moments when you can step outside and breathe again.

Chest tightness. Difficulty breathing. Feeling faint.

Symptoms medical journals often associate with a heart attack.

And yet here you are, experiencing something eerily similar at the age of twenty-two, when life is supposed to be opening outward, not closing in.

Doctors frequently see patients rushing to emergency rooms convinced they are having heart attacks, only for tests to reveal something else: anxiety.

The numbers behind this experience are sobering. A study published in the National Library of Medicine found that between 1990 and 2021, the global incidence of anxiety disorders among individuals aged 10-24 increased by 52 percent. For many in Generation Z, anxiety is not an occasional visitor. It is an undercurrent.

A striking example of this tension between success and strain is four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka.

Osaka, a former world number one, rose rapidly to the top of tennis in her early twenties, becoming one of the most respected athletes of her generation. Yet in 2021, she sent shockwaves through the sporting world when she decided to skip post-match press conferences at the French Open, even at the cost of a heavy fine. Within five days, she withdrew from the tournament altogether.

Later, she spoke openly about her struggles with anxiety, particularly before media appearances, and about experiencing periods of depression since her 2018 victory against Serena Williams.

For some, her decision was deeply relatable. For others, it triggered criticism. She was even dismissed by some as a “spoilt brat.”

But the incident revealed something deeper than a sporting controversy. It reflected a generational shift in how success, pressure, and mental well-being are understood.

What is often labelled as low resilience may, in fact, be something else entirely: a reaction to systems that were never designed with human sustainability in mind.

Gen Z does not reject hard work. It rejects environments that treat mental strain as normal.

Across industries, many young professionals are quietly making a choice: to walk away rather than “rough it out” in workplaces defined by toxic cultures: whether through discriminatory practices, unreasonable hours, or expectations that blur the boundaries between ambition and exhaustion.

For organizations, this shift carries an important message.

If companies wish to unlock the full potential of the emerging workforce, they must begin to recognize the nuances of this generation’s relationship with work. Psychological safety, humane expectations, and sustainable practices are no longer optional ideals. They are structural necessities.

Generation Z is not redefining work because it fears effort. If anything, it is asking a more difficult question: one that previous generations often learned to silence.

What is the cost of success if the mind must quietly rupture to achieve it?

As Gen Z continues to reshape the conversation around work, organizations that listen may discover something powerful: a workforce capable of extraordinary dedication when treated with dignity and understanding.

Those who fail to listen may discover something else.

That while they were debating whether the change was necessary, the tide had already turned: and the ship had already sailed.

About the Author

Bhoomi Bhanver 

Student

Anil Surendra Modi School Of Commerce (ASMSOC)

Bhoomi Bhanver holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from the Anil Surendra Modi School of Commerce and is an aspiring lawyer, set to pursue an LLB degree. She has developed a strong academic foundation in subjects at the intersection of commerce, accounting, and corporate law, reflecting her keen interest in the legal dimensions of business and finance. She specialises in business and case competitions and secured a 6th rank among 1,000+ participants in the EY CAFTA Case Championship 2022 , focused on global financial markets. In addition, she has demonstrated leadership by heading multiple student committees and has represented her college at several national-level competitions. Alongside academics, Bhoomi has pursued a formal music education and holds Theory of Music certifications from Trinity College London and is trained in playing the keyboard. Beyond academics, Bhoomi is deeply passionate about animal welfare. She has actively volunteered with NGOs to facilitate timely treatment and care for injured animals. She aspires to play a more impactful role in advancing this cause by gaining deeper expertise in the legal framework governing animal rights and their implementation in India.