SALARIES, benefits and job stability are workplace issues that rank high among Filipino workers in general. However, it appears that health and well-being are becoming the most important issue among younger generations.

This conclusion comes from surveys commissioned by Philcare (HMO) and conducted by Dr. Fernando de la Cruz Paragas in 2023 among Gen Zers and in 2024 among Gen Xers and Gen Yers. On separate occasions, Dr. Paragas presented the results of the two surveys at the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Inc. (AmCham).

Dr. Paragas is the dean of the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UP CMC) and a professor at its Department of Communication Research. He presented the results of his survey on the concerns and preferences for health and well-being among Generations X, Y and Z.

The respondents

In the 2024 survey, 800 Gen Xers (ages 43 to 58) and Gen Yers or Millennials (ages 27 to 42) participated, while 400 Gen Zers (ages 16 to 26) joined the 2023 survey. I noted that there is comparability between the 2023 and 2024 survey data, as the items, sections and rating system are consistent in both surveys.

There are also some glaring differences between the cohorts in the survey. In the 2023 survey where respondents are Gen Zers, there were 77.5 percent heterosexuals and 22.5 percent members of the LGBTQA+ community. Among the Gen Xers and Gen Yers were 84.4 percent heterosexuals and 15.6 percent of the LGBTQA+. The ratio between males and females remains the same at almost 37 percent to 63 percent in favor of females.

Roughly 75 percent of Gen Zers are single, 10 percent are married, 15 percent are living in, 36 percent have children, and 64 percent are still childless. Among the Gen Xers and Gen Yers, only 60 percent are single, 25 percent are married, 15 percent are living in, 52 percent have children, and 48 percent are still childless.

Among the Gen Zers, more respondents have a college education, and the employed Gen Zers are 5 percentage points higher than their older cohorts. The distribution among low, medium and high-income groups among the Gen Zers is 20-60-20 percent, respectively. In comparison, Gen Xers and Gen Yers in higher income brackets are 5 percentage points more than those of the younger cohort. Despite this slight difference, the preferences for health solutions are the same for all the respondent cohorts.

Some 58 percent of Gen Zers "feel the double burden of earning for myself, my family and my parents" more than the non-Gen Zers feel. Both cohorts "believe I am preparing well enough to retire comfortably," but the older cohorts believe that they are "able to set funds for leisure (e.g., rest and recreation, travel, and vacation" more than the Gen Zers.

Significant findings

The following are the most significant findings:

– Personal over social. Protecting oneself was high on the list across all respondents. The young generations tend to assume individual responsibility more and depend less on the government for health care and protection. They want to ensure their own "privacy, mental health, longevity and spirituality ..." There seems to be a need to foster greater community engagement among these generations.

– Changing notions of family. The traditional notions of family did not seem to apply to the sample respondents. Gen Xers and Gen Yers are more likely to have children, are more likely to be married and usually find more satisfying relationships. There were more single and cohabiting respondents with children among the Gen Zers. Family-based social protections need some calibration, given this changing notion. It also appears that the feeling of a double burden for being in charge for multiple generations makes "taking care of parents financially" quite low in the ranking of personal values.

– Protecting one's health. This is a high priority, particularly among Gen Xers, who are most likely to protect their family through health insurance or HMO or to add to their PhilHealth premium. Jobseekers tend to look at the primacy of health benefits at work, perhaps ahead of salary and job satisfaction.

– Working according to one's terms. A significant number of respondents are self-employed, professionals or businesspersons. This highlights the need for younger generations to have more flexible work arrangements, even as the majority of respondents want to work in the Philippines. Many respondents do not expect to work until retirement, except perhaps the Gen Xers.

– Preparing for a more equal future. The surveys showed that respondents' decisions revolve around their lifestyle. Education, occupation and income tend to affect their mindsets, financial capabilities, work preferences and priorities. Among the young generation, there is a clear divide according to the demographic attributes. Preparing younger generations to have better education and training, as well as providing opportunities for lifelong learning, can help correct the inequalities.

More implications

Surveys like these are great eye-openers, particularly on the personal characteristics and demographic attributes in relation to the respondents' priorities and preferences for health care.

While much has been said and written about the multigenerational workforce today and the continuing demographic shift, we cannot afford to second guess what the different cohorts think, believe in or want to do. Employers should actively listen to their employees' feelings, needs, wants, dreams and aspirations.

There are a few generalizations that we could get from the surveys. Higher educational attainment translates into higher-paying jobs, more disposable income or purchasing power, and, therefore, a stronger preference for better health care programs.

I am hoping that there was no bias on the part of the respondents or the survey designers. But somehow, the surveys apparently highlight that among Generations X, Y and Z, which account for more than 95 percent of workplace inhabitants today, health benefits trump salaries, ease of commute, job satisfaction, career growth and a sense of purpose.

The respondents ranked their top values as 1) protection for their own privacy, 2) responsibility for the environment, 3) getting to live long, 4) being mentally healthy, 5) supporting gender equality, and 6) taking care of their parents financially. Is this surprising?

We cannot continue stereotyping people of different generations because people will always have similarities and differences, whether or not they belong to the same generation or gender, religious, or political orientation. Everyone is unique.

Surveys like the ones conducted by Dr. Paragas and commissioned by Philcare are of great help to policymakers, businessmen, teachers, talent developers and handlers. We should have more of this type of survey and this kind of conversation.

Cardinal Joseph Louis Bernardin was an American Archbishop of Cincinnati from 1972 to 1982 and of Chicago from 1982 up to his death in 1996. He said, "Health care is an essential safeguard of human life and dignity, and there is an obligation for society to ensure that every person is able to realize this right."

Ernie Cecilia is the chairman of the Human Capital Committee and the Publication Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham); chairman of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines' (ECOP's) TWG on Labor and Social Policy Issues; and past president of the People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP). He can be reached at erniececilia@gmail.com.