Surprise! Working adults are more optimistic today than in 2022

Perhaps the biggest surprise in the 2023 “Vitality in America” report — released last week by The Cigna Group — is that Americans are feeling more optimistic now than they did in 2022. Nearly half (47%) of all adults look forward to each day, compared to 43% last year.

That said, Gen Z adults, the youngest in today’s workforce, continue to report the lowest levels of vitality, driven by poor mental health and stress about finances. Additionally, 83% report experiencing negative impacts of social media.

“The disruption of the past few years has had a profound impact on our collective health and wellbeing, and we now have an unprecedented opportunity to change the way health and vitality is addressed in this country,” David M. Cordani, chairman and CEO of The Cigna Group, said in a statement.

The Cigna Group defines “vitality” as eight interdependent, dynamic dimensions of health and wellbeing: emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual. A person’s perceived ability to make choices and engage willingly, develop skills and capacities, and connect to others across these life domains impacts their vitality. This is the second year the company has conducted the study, which is based on responses from 10,000 adults and utilizes the Evernorth Vitality Index to understand the capacity of U.S. adults to pursue life with health, strength and energy.

“Despite encouraging increases in optimism, financial concerns, and lingering mental health challenges are prevalent, and they continue to affect people’s overall wellbeing,” added David Brailer, chief health officer for The Cigna Group. “People with higher vitality are more present in their jobs, more productive, and perform their roles to a higher standard, indicating that employers both have an important role to play and see the benefits of investing in their employees’ health and vitality.

Key findings of the “Vitality in America” report:

• U.S. adults across generations feel stressed, but optimism is increasing. 

Adults are most stressed about their finances (40%), followed by their housing conditions (25%), work (25%), family or social relationships (25%), and health (24%).

• Healthy habits and health engagement are linked to higher vitality. 

The 18% of adults with high vitality are more likely to report excellent or very good overall physical health than those with low vitality. A significant majority (92%) report getting at least five hours of sleep per day, and 77% report feeling well-rested always or often. Additionally, more than half (55%) of high-vitality people with health insurance use their medical benefits often or sometimes, compared to 36% for low-vitality people.

• Support systems can help adults managing chronic conditions be more resilient. 

Adults diagnosed with cancer who report high levels of vitality are more likely to visit their doctor for an annual physical (89% for high-vitality adults with cancer vs. 69% for low vitality adults with cancer).

• Mental health is foundational to vitality. 

Adults with strong mental health are 10 times more likely to have high vitality than those with fair or poor mental health.

• Helping workers improve their vitality yields results. 

Workers who report being satisfied with their jobs have higher vitality scores (73.9 out of 100) than those who are dissatisfied with their jobs (55.7).

• Gen Z adults continue to report the lowest levels of vitality.

More than one-third (35%) of Gen Z adults – and women, in particular — rate their mental health as poor, and 53% cite mental health as the most important health problem facing their generation.

Related: Happiest workers: Alaska ranks first, Georgia last

• Historically low-vitality groups like Black adults and LGBTQ+ adults are not experiencing a decline in vitality. 

Instead, they report feeling more alive and vital. Black respondents had a higher vitality score than any other race/ethnicity, and their high vitality rate is seven points higher than that of their white counterparts (24% vs. 17%).