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By Suzanne Blake
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The "Sunday scaries" have been known to affect employees across the board, but Gen Z appears to have a special sensitivity to the anxiety that can hit right before a new work week.
In a new report from Resume.io, roughly one in five Gen Z workers said they actually quit their job over the "Sunday scaries."
"This generation is the first to prioritize mental health over wealth," Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, told Newsweek in part.
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Why It Matters
The younger generation, which includes workers up to the age of 28, has quickly earned a bad reputation among employers.
A recent report from Intelligent.com revealed that one in six businesses said they were hesitant to hire recent college graduates over concerns about how prepared they are for the work, as well as their communication skills and professionalism.
And a whopping six in 10 employers had already fired college graduates who were hired in 2024 in September of last year.
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What To Know
The "Sunday scaries" are having damaging effects on the newest crop of employees.
Today, the "Sunday scaries" generally refer to the anxiety and dread that can occur right before the work week begins, usually on Sunday evening. The term first originated on Urban Dictionary in 2009 and has now been a common reference for many workers dealing with high levels of stress and burnout.
In the Resume.io survey of 1,000 Americans, 20.2 percent of Gen Z workers said they had quit a job over the Sunday scaries. And 45.9 percent have considered doing so.
Across the larger worker population, one in seven employees said they experienced Sunday anxiety every week, and 11.7 percent have quit a job over it.
"This generation is the first to prioritize mental health over wealth," Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, told Newsweek. "They've watched their parents sacrifice for 'job security,' only to face layoffs, recession, and stress-related illness. Gen Z isn't job hopping because they're flaky. They're hunting for alignment. Purpose. Boundaries. If they can't find it? They leave."
Gen Z was also more likely to report that their job negatively impacts their mental health, with 71.6 percent indicating their job has at least a somewhat negative effect on their well-being. Meanwhile, only 44.6 percent of millennials, 37.8 percent of Gen X, and just 27.3 percent of Boomers said the same.
The top contributors to the Sunday scaries included workload and deadlines (33.1 percent), burnout and exhaustion (23.6 percent) and unrealistic expectations (15.7 percent).
Generally, entry-level jobs were the most vulnerable to Sunday anxiety, with 19.6 percent of those workers saying that they feel it every Sunday.
"The pressure and workload that is placed upon many in professional positions is increasing and it feels like many young people are being asked to do the work of two or three employees," Matthew Solit, the executive clinical director at LifeStance Health, told Newsweek.
"The workplace culture in America does not always favor rest and time away from work, instead favor checking emails while out of office and working long hours. Simply put, the burnout factor is higher, and the youngest generations are seeing it and struggling more to cope."
What People Are Saying
Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, told Newsweek: "For Gen Z, 'Sunday Scaries' has become a flashing red siren. Warning of burnout, toxic work cultures, and lives out of balance. They're not lazy. They're just not willing to sell their soul for a paycheck that can't cover rent and therapy."
Matthew Solit, the executive clinical director at LifeStance Health, told Newsweek: "The 'Sunday Scaries' is a very real phenomenon and at times can be debilitating for anyone in any generation. Gen Z is particularly impacted by it given how fresh this group is in the workforce and the fact that the oldest of this generation is currently 28. For Gen Z and even many millennials, the idea of what life and success in the workforce would look like did not live up to the vision that was projected on them by other generations. Many in this age group find themselves in high-stress and low-return positions that they did not envision."
Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: "The anxiety and profound lack of connection with their current employer brings on the Sunday scaries. Many are feeling overworked and possibly overlooked as the cost of everything increases. I bet there is a significant correlation between job satisfaction and compensation, which many GenZ may feel left behind."
What Happens Next
Gen Z's reaction to Sunday scaries likely reflects a larger shift in the workforce, where employees are gaining more power, Ryan said.
"Older generations asked, 'How can I fit into this job?' Gen Z flips the script by asking 'How does this job fit into my life?' And yes, that makes some employers uncomfortable," Ryan said.
"Employers clinging to outdated 9 to 5s and performative wellness perks will hemorrhage true talent. But companies who adapt aka flexible hours, culture, mental health benefits, loyalty will be paid back to them. To me, this is just the pendulum of power swinging back to the workers, not the employers."
HR consultant Bryan Driscoll echoed this sentiment.
"Quitting over the Sunday scaries isn't retreat - it's acknowledgement," Driscoll told Newsweek. "And it's a red flag for employers. It reflects a workforce that's no longer willing to tolerate toxic cultures, vague expectations, or the erosion of work-life balance. Gen Z is demanding better and if companies don't adapt, they'll keep losing talent."
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