GenZ Demands the Trifecta—Here’s How to Keep Them Happy
More Money, More Meaning, More Wellbeing
Millennials and GenZ are making one thing clear: work can’t just be about the paycheck anymore.
This new generation of professionals is rethinking everything we thought we knew about performance, purpose, and productivity. Raised in an era that emphasized balance, wellbeing, and identity alignment, they’re not interested in working to live. They want their work to matter—to their finances, to their lives, and to the world.
They are not wrong. They are demanding the components of work that protect wellbeing, and their expectations are creating pressure on executive teams and organizations that were designed to put profits before people.
It’s time we evolve.
The companies that adapt to the new standard—will be the ones that win the war for talent, innovation, and long-term performance.
What is The Trifecta?
The trifecta is what GenZ and Millennials are searching for in a workplace. It’s moving from an employee wishlist, to a requirement. So, what makes up the Trifecta, let’s dive in.
1. Financial Security
Half of GenZ and Millennials say they don’t feel financially secure.
According to Deloitte’s 2025 GenZ and Millennial survey, their financial insecurity is directly related to their mental wellbeing and their sense of purpose at work.
Without financial stability, cognitive bandwidth is consumed by worry. Anxiety rises and engagement drops.
2. Purposeful Work
Here’s a number that should make every executive team stop and reflect: 90%.
That’s how many Gen Z and Millennial professionals say purpose is essential for job satisfaction and wellbeing.
What does purpose mean to the individuals that are soon to make up most of our workforce?:
Positive impact on society
Work/life balance
Opportunities to grow and learn new skills
If you want to retain them, promote them, or benefit from their potential—you need to help them connect their job to something bigger than a KPI.
3. Wellbeing That’s Integrated, Not Optional
Wellbeing is no longer a perk. It’s a prerequisite for performance.
The same young professionals who report high mental wellbeing also report feeling like their job lets them meaningfully contribute to society. In other words, purpose, performance, and wellbeing are connected—not independent categories.
44% of Gen Z and 46% of Millennials report poor mental well-being.
Ignore this information, and your workforce will disengage. Embrace it, and you’ll unlock more than productivity—you’ll build a culture of thriving.
What Can Organizations Do Right Now?
The time is now to reconsider organizational priorities. Performance can not be taught or maintained independently of focusing on employee wellbeing, and it’s ok to ask for help.
It is well understood that all crops produce better results when they develop in ideal conditions, and the science says, people are no different.
Not sure how to prepare your company for the future, here’s where to start:
1. Have the Real Conversations
Talk to your team. Not about deadlines—but about their financial wellbeing, mental health, and sense of purpose. Ask real questions. Create safe spaces. And listen like your growth depends on it—because it does.
2. Partner With Experts
Creating performance cultures that prioritize wellbeing isn’t easy. You have to find and partner with the right type of experts. That’s why companies are turning to professionals—Optimal Performance has become a trusted partner for many forward thinking leaders and organizations that want to be ahead of the curve.
3. Apply What You Learn
Information without action is a sign of an unhealthy work culture. If your team gives you feedback, and you don’t act on it—you lose credibility. Credible belief that a company’s leaders care about their employees is your culture’s most valuable currency.
Start small, implement real changes, and measure what matters: how people feel at work, not just what they produce.
Why the Trifecta Matters for Performance
Let me put it plainly:
You can’t expect elite performance from employees who are burned out, anxious, or questioning their purpose.
In sports, an injured athlete doesn’t play.
In business, a mentally unwell employee doesn’t perform well.
According to the World Health Organization, over 12 billion working days are lost each year due to mental health challenges. That costs the global economy $1 trillion in lost productivity annually.
Still think building a better work environment is too expensive?
Here’s a better question for leaders to ask:
What does it cost when your best people are staying home, quitting, or mentally checked out—because work became the source of their suffering, not their success?
Final Thought: Build the Future, or Get Left Behind
GenZ and Millennials aren’t asking for too much.
They’re just asking for what we should’ve prioritized all along:
Financial stability
Purpose-driven work
Real support for mental and emotional wellbeing
At Optimal Performance, we coach organizations, executives, and high performers to operate at their best. Teaching high performers how to implement a dual mandate in their organizations. Making maximizing performance + maximizing wellbeing a non-negotiable priority.
The best results don’t come from squeezing more out of people until they burnout—they come from building environments where people feel like they belong, they matter, and they’re supported.
References:
