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When it comes to deciding on a job, Gen Z isn\u2019t just thinking about paid time off, return-to-office mandates or salary negotiations. They\u2019re checking whether a company will cover GLP-1 weight-loss drugs\u2014and they\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
It\u2019s a benefit that could actually push young employees from one job offer to another. A new ZipHealth survey of over 1,000 workers found that nearly half (47%) of Gen Z<\/a> said GLP-1 coverage would affect their choices between two similar jobs\u2014that\u2019s compared to 35% of millennials and 36% of Gen X. <\/p>\n In more extreme cases, another 7% of workers said they would be open to taking a pay cut if it meant working somewhere that offers GLP-1 coverage. That number rose to 9% among Gen Z. Overall, the majority (54%) of workers said they would give up at least one workplace perk for employer-covered GLP-1 treatment. One in eight would give up a full week of PTO.<\/p>\n GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic have completely changed the game when it comes to weight-loss or diabetes management, moving from celebrity circles to the mainstream. Originally developed for diabetes, the prescription medications have evolved in popularity in recent years.\u00a0 Some pharmaceutical companies\u2014like Indianapolis-based drugmaker Eli Lilly\u2014have recently introduced platforms that let companies offer their employees more affordable access to weight-loss drugs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Last November, a KFF poll found that one in eight adults<\/a> said they were taking a GLP-1 drug for weight loss, diabetes or other conditions. In December, the Food and Drug Administration approved Wegovy in pill-form\u2014making the drug more accessible.\u00a0<\/p>\n Now, the weight-loss drug is even permeating the workplace: The majority of workers surveyed by ZipHealth said GLP-1 medication coverage should be a standard benefit. According to a 2025 survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, 55% of employers provided coverage<\/a> of GLP-1 drugs, but only for the treatment of diabetes.<\/p>\n In the past, Gen Z has approached weight-loss drugs with more skepticism compared to millennials or Gen X. A Levity survey from last September found that Gen Z favored more regulation<\/a> around GLP-1 than millennials, and the majority (58%) of them didn\u2019t think the drug would be in their treatment plan in the coming year. For a chronically-online generation dealing with burnout and a turbulent job market, fitness and wellness have become full-on lifestyles that social media has pushed young adults to embrace. For employers, that might mean free snacks or healthy catered lunches might not cut it anymore.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Even as workers prioritize access to GLP-1\u2019s in the workplace, it\u2019s not something they\u2019re quite ready to talk about with HR\u2014especially for Gen Z. Among the demographic, the majority (58%) said they wouldn\u2019t feel comfortable sharing their weight management goals with HR, while 53% were uncomfortable disclosing GLP-1 use, according to the ZipHealth data.\u00a0<\/p>\n As GLP-1 usage becomes less stigmatized and influences career decisions, there\u2019s still a missing facet of workplace cultures that encourages discussing health and wellness benefits\u2014which a a growing number of young employees really want.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n