60% of Gen Z Use Email to Avoid Conflict and Anxiety at Work, New Survey Finds

Email is Gen Z’s favorite work communication channel, but the reason points to something deeper. 

Sixty percent of Gen Zers use email to avoid awkward conversations and workplace anxiety, a new survey by ZeroBounce finds — and women (65%) are even more likely to rely on email this way. Some explained that email “allows a degree of separation” and helps them set personal boundaries at work.

It may help explain why Gen Z prefers email on the job: 42% said email is their favorite channel, twice as many as those who picked Slack or WhatsApp. ZeroBounce’s survey also shows that Gen Z would rather get on a phone call (7%) than a video call (2%), reinforcing their preference for low-pressure communication channels.

“Email gives Gen Z a sense of distance to ease anxiety, which could be a form of avoidance coping,” says Dr. Catherine Wikholm, a clinical psychologist. “But the more they avoid direct conversations, the harder those skills become to build. Simple techniques like grounding and controlled breathing can reduce anxiety and help them communicate more confidently.”

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Email affects productivity for 92% of Gen Zers

Gen Z leans on email to manage workplace stress, but the emotional toll is real: 53% say email stresses them out, while 92% report that email overload hurts their productivity. Beyond stress, ZeroBounce’s study highlights Gen Z’s top email etiquette challenges:

• 57% are unsure how formal their work emails should be
• 51% aren’t sure when to follow up if they don’t get a reply
• 26% are confused about when to CC vs. BCC someone

“We didn’t expect a generation known for casual texts and DMs to stress so much over emails, but it’s a reality,” says Liviu Tanase, founder and CEO of ZeroBounce. “These insights give business leaders a chance to better connect with Gen Z. Setting clear email expectations and fostering an open, supportive culture can make collaboration more natural and productive across generations.”

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Gen Z men are more motivated by salary

ZeroBounce’s Gen Z at Work Report also looks at how career values differ by gender. While work-life balance remains the top career motivator across genders (32%), earning a good salary matters more to men, while Gen Z women place more value on company culture and being recognized for their contributions.