The recent Milburn report highlights the plight of almost 1 million young people not in education, employment or training. These findings raise important questions about what happens to these young people once they do enter the workforce. Are workplaces really set up to support them? What stops young people from reverting to their NEET status?

Younger workers are seeking extra support 

TELUS’s Mental Health Index confirms that employee mental health across the UK has plateaued at a persistently low level. Beyond confirming significant strain in employee mental health, it also shows us who is struggling the most. There is an undeniable divide emerging between younger and older workers, with younger workers facing a sharper combination of pressures, expectations and barriers to support.  

Against the backdrop of renewed attention on youth disengagement, employers must realise that mental health scores of their team members have fallen across every region since the Mental Health Index was first launched. This points to a sustained pressure across the existing workforce, which cannot be resolved with superficial changes. Young people are also experiencing this decline more prominently.  

They are more likely to report needing support, and significantly more likely to say that employers are not meeting those needs. Workers under the age of 40 are more than twice as likely as those over the age of 50, to want better mental and physical health support from their employers. This reflects a fundamental shift in expectations surrounding what the workplace should provide. If employers cannot bridge this gap in expectation, they will find themselves in a losing battle about productivity and employee retention. 

Tackling misconceptions 

Another essential pointer for employers is to avoid falling into stereotypes and instead, to actively seek to understand their employees’ priorities. Too often, this increased demand for better mental health support among younger people feeds the misconception that they are too sensitive or unwilling to work, when the opposite is true.  

According to the Index, younger workers are far less likely to disengage from work when unwell. Workers over 50 are 90 per cent more likely than workers under 40 to report never working while unwell. In contrast to their older colleagues, younger employees are more prone to pushing through illness.  

Over time, this culture of presenteeism will naturally begin to erode both wellbeing and performance. For younger workers, especially those at the start of their careers, this can shape their expectations, long-term engagement and confidence at work.  

The access and culture issue 

The main challenge to better mental wellbeing support for young employees is the perception of access. Cost continues to be the most commonly cited barrier in spite of the fact that most employers offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), and EAP does not charge employees and their families. The challenge here is awareness of EAP and what it offers. Additionally, many employees simply do not know what kind of help they need or where to find it, while others are reluctant to come forward altogether. 

This reluctance, among younger workers, goes back to preconceived, outdated notions surrounding mental health. Younger employees often worry about what their employer will say or think, instead of seeking help, which highlights that fear of stigma persists despite greater awareness of mental health issues and less stigma in their own attitudes toward peers.  

Workplace culture also plays a defining role in how these pressures are experienced. Where employees feel supported, mental health outcomes are markedly stronger. But when that support is absent, scores fall sharply.  For younger workers, a psychologically unsafe workplace can be especially harmful, as it creates undue anxiety and sets the tone for an unhealthy workplace as a norm. 

Taken together, the findings point to a workforce that is not experiencing mental health challenges evenly. Younger workers are navigating a more complex set of expectations – striving to perform, reluctance to step back, and often uncertain about where to turn for support.  

The impact on the future workforce 

This has implications for individual wellbeing and for the future of the workforce more broadly. As the Milburn report highlights, young people entering the workforce are already under strain. Further challenges to access support run the risk of anxiety fuelled disengagement as the foundation for their career.  

Employers are increasingly realizing that a one-size-fits-all approach to wellbeing is no longer sufficient. Different groups within the workforce have different needs. Younger employees require support that is tailored to their expectations and the pressures they face.  

This means, going beyond traditional programmes, creating environments of visible support and offering pathways to care that are free from stigma. It also means recognising that early intervention is critical, and that all employees need a base level of mental health support.  

What the Mental Health Index, and the Milburn report both point to, is that the conversation around young people needs to be changed. It’s not just about how we get more young people into employment, but also what happens next? 

Without proper support, employers will not benefit from the education, motivation and long term potential of employees, and in particular younger employees, with consequences for individuals, organisations and the wider economy.  

Paula Allen is global leader, research and client insights at TELUS Health. For more information, visit www.telushealth.com