Email Anxiety Hits Gen Z as They Struggle to Navigate Thousands of Workplace Mails

In today's fast-paced digital world, communication has evolved significantly, with email remaining a priority for professional interaction. However, dealing with emails can be stressful for Gen Z and Millennials. Unlike older generations who got used to email over time, Gen Z grew up with social media and messaging apps, so they communicate differently. Older generations are not affected by the 'you got mail' notification. Still, on the other hand, Gen Z stresses a lot by just seeing the notification which has led to email anxiety. It is a phenomenon where people feel overwhelmed with sending or receiving emails—and Gen Z is the most affected one. Esteban Touma, a linguistics and culture expert at Babbel discussed with CNBC, "Gen Z appears to struggle the most with email stress. They stack up a huge quantity of unread emails due to a combination of factors".

As per a survey conducted by Babbel, it was revealed that workers between 18 and 24 age are more prone to letting their emails pile up in their inboxes therefore leading to stress. Furthermore, the results indicated that around 36% of Gen Z workers have over 1,000 unread emails in their inbox. It is known to everyone that Gen Z who uses quick and informal communication on platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, emails might feel too formal. Hence, the piling of emails creates a lot of pressure for them to read and respond to all those messages. Additionally, they often indulge themselves in overthinking and later regretting their replies. 

Many Gen Z and Millennials have dropped TikTok videos on how badly they are struggling with email anxiety. One TikToker @ouiouinicoled posted with an overlay text saying, “[On my way] to my office job to answer emails with the anxiety levels of someone being hunted for sport. Another viral video posted by a separate staffer mentioned, "Email anxiety is so real. The hardest part of my job is writing emails. It will take me 30 minutes to draft and send a three-sentence email. I can’t live like this". Overseeing the situation and its after-effects, Touma is concerned about the kids and says, "Unlike older generations who may have developed strategies for compartmentalizing work and personal communication, Gen Z may struggle to establish boundaries". 

Experts further worry seeing this concerning trend that this email stress can lead to burnout for young workers. Hence, they are extending their expert advice and tips to reduce this feeling of restlessness. Touma mentions, "An expectation to respond quickly to emails and other messages can blur the boundaries between work and personal life. This constant connectivity can contribute to heightened stress levels and feelings of being constantly tethered to work obligations". He recommends to young professionals, "Try responding to urgent messages within an hour or two. For messages that aren’t time-sensitive, answering within 24 hours is considered courteous and professional". He also adds, "Set up filters to automatically sort emails by urgency and topic, as well as designating specific times to check and respond to emails throughout the day".