Is the end of the world getting in the way of your job? A poll of the labor force in seven countries late last year had a remarkable result: 46% of Gen Z and 38% of millennials agreed with the statement "I am regularly so distraught over what is happening in the news that I am unable to function at work.”
Those anxiety levels must be higher now. Edelman, the communications consultancy, conducted the survey in September 2023, well into the war in Ukraine but just before the Middle East erupted in massacre, bombings, death and destruction, raising fears of military escalation, including, as in Europe, the specter of nuclear war.
The percentage of distraught older workers was lower but, as a late boomer, I can attest we aren’t immune. When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, I immediately ordered potassium iodide pills, even though at my age, the tablets — which can shield the thyroid gland from radioactive fallout — are probably less protective for a sexagenarian than they are for the young. I usually keep the bottle close to me, in a drawer in the office or in my valise. Happy to share.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.