Why Gen Z Counselors Burn Out Faster, and What We Can Do About It

SUMMARY BOX: Gen Z counselors aren't burning out because they're weak or disengaged. They're arriving at camp already partially depleted, and most camp systems weren't built with that in mind. The fix isn't a complete overhaul, it's a few intentional shifts in how you structure support, set expectations, and pay attention. Start with one change this summer.

If we were sitting across from each other right now, coffee in hand, I’d probably start with something simple. Camp hasn’t gotten easier, but it hasn’t suddenly gotten harder either. What’s changed is who’s showing up to do the work—and what they’re carrying with them before they ever arrive.

I’ve spent years working with camps all over North Carolina. Big camps, small camps, church camps, specialty camps tucked away in places you don’t stumble onto by accident. Different settings, different leaders, different missions. But lately, I keep hearing the same quiet concern from directors.

“They’re good… but they’re burning out faster.”

Not dramatic. Not said with frustration. Just an observation that keeps repeating itself.

And I’ve seen it up close at home too. All three of my kids are Gen Z, and all three have worked at camp. My oldest daughter served as a program director. My son worked alongside her as a counselor. My youngest has stepped into it gradually as a CIT and assistant counselor. Different roles, different perspectives, but the same conclusion.

Good counselors. Capable. Caring. Invested.
And yet, somewhere around week two or three, something shifts.

The energy dips. The margin disappears. The job starts to feel heavier than it should that early in the summer.

They’re not starting where we started

One night in the middle of the summer, my daughter said something that stuck with me. She told me her staff was strong, the kind you’d want to bring back without hesitation, but they were tired in a different way. Not just physically tired, but mentally and emotionally stretched in a way that showed up earlier than expected.

That phrase matters…a different way.

This generation walks into camp carrying more than most of us did at their age. More anxiety. More pressure. More constant noise from a world that doesn’t really turn off. Even before they step into a leadership role, many of them are already managing stress at a level that used to come later in life.

I’ve seen that play out in conversations with directors across the state. One in western North Carolina told me he felt like he was managing exhaustion by week three instead of building momentum. Another near the coast said his best counselors were still doing their jobs well, but they were running on fumes much earlier than expected.

So when Gen Z steps into a role that demands constant presence, emotional investment, and leadership, they’re not starting at full capacity. They’re stepping in already partially depleted, and camp asks for everything they have.

That gap shows up quickly.

The model hasn’t changed, but the counselors have

Camp is still camp. Long days. Late nights. Constant responsibility. You wake up with your campers, stay engaged all day, and wind things down long after you’re ready for sleep. Even when you’re technically off, you’re still present, still aware, still connected.

My son described it one night in a way that made me laugh because it was so accurate. He said he had never been that tired and that responsible at the same time. That combination is what makes camp meaningful, but it’s also what makes it demanding.

The difference now is that this generation has grown up with a different understanding of work and life. They talk openly about mental health, boundaries, and recovery. They’re not wrong about those things, but they’re stepping into a system that hasn’t always adapted to support them.

So they live in tension. They know they need rest, but they don’t see how to take it without letting someone down. Over time, that tension turns into fatigue, and that fatigue turns into burnout.

We underestimate the emotional load

When people talk about burnout at camp, they usually focus on the physical side. The heat, the schedule, the lack of sleep. Those are real, but they’re not the full picture.

I was at a camp in eastern North Carolina one summer and watched a counselor navigate a morning that would have drained just about anyone. She helped a homesick camper, managed a conflict between two others, and then immediately stepped into leading an activity with energy and focus. She did it well. Most people wouldn’t have noticed anything was off.

But if you were paying attention, you could see the cost.

Counselors are constantly managing emotions. Their own and everyone else’s. They’re building relationships, correcting behavior, encouraging growth, and trying to stay positive through it all. That kind of work doesn’t leave visible marks, but it adds up quickly if there’s no space to process or recover.

So what do we actually do differently?

This is where the conversation matters most. Not just understanding the problem, but responding to it in ways that actually help.

I’ve watched my daughter navigate this as a program director, and I’ve seen camps across North Carolina begin to adjust in practical ways. The good news is you don’t have to overhaul everything. Small, intentional changes can shift the entire experience for your staff.

Start by building recovery into the schedule

Most camps say they give counselors breaks. In reality, those breaks often depend on things slowing down, which rarely happens.

What I’ve seen work is simple but intentional. Schedule recovery the same way you schedule activities. Protect it. Even short windows of downtime give counselors a chance to reset.

My daughter started doing this with her staff. Not long stretches, just consistent, protected moments. An hour where someone else covered their group. A chance to step away without guilt. It didn’t eliminate fatigue, but it made it manageable and gave counselors something they could count on.

Be honest on the front end

Expectation mismatch is one of the fastest ways to create frustration. Gen Z does their homework. They look at your website, your social media, your messaging. If what they experience doesn’t match what they were led to expect, it wears on them quickly.

I’ve talked with directors who have shifted their hiring conversations to be more honest. They tell potential staff that the job is demanding, emotional, and sometimes overwhelming. Then they explain why it matters.

That combination changes everything. Counselors still choose to come, but they arrive prepared. When hard moments come, they don’t feel misled. They feel equipped.

Create clarity every single day

Uncertainty drains energy faster than effort. My son told me the hardest days weren’t the busiest ones. They were the ones where he didn’t know what was expected or what was coming next.

Daily clarity fixes that. A quick morning huddle to outline priorities, highlight challenges, and set expectations can remove a tremendous amount of stress. It doesn’t take long, but it changes how counselors approach the day.

When people know what matters, they can focus their energy on the right things.

Train for the emotional side of the job

We spend a lot of time training counselors how to run activities. We don’t always train them how to handle stress, frustration, and emotional fatigue.

That needs to change.

I’ve seen camps start incorporating short, honest conversations into training. Not complicated sessions, just real discussions about what it feels like to be overwhelmed and how to respond. Giving counselors language and simple tools to reset makes the experience more sustainable.

You don’t eliminate stress. You help them manage it.

Pay attention early, not late

Burnout rarely shows up overnight. It builds. The challenge is that most leaders step in when it becomes obvious, and by then it’s already affecting performance.

Consistent check-ins can change that. Not formal evaluations, just genuine conversations. Asking better questions. Listening carefully. Responding when something feels off.

I’ve seen leaders who do this well, and the difference is noticeable. Their staff feels seen, supported, and less likely to reach the point of exhaustion.

Keep counselors growing and connected

Repetition without growth leads to disengagement. Gen Z wants to develop. Simple adjustments help — rotating responsibilities, letting counselors lead in different areas, giving them opportunities to try something new. These small changes keep the experience from feeling stagnant and give counselors a sense of progress.

Belonging matters just as much. It doesn't come from big speeches or forced activities, it comes from consistent, meaningful interaction. Counselors need to feel known. That happens when leaders notice effort, offer specific encouragement, and create space for connection. When people feel connected, they stay engaged longer.

Work with their reality, not against it

Gen Z has grown up connected. Completely removing that connection without acknowledging it can create unnecessary tension.

Some camps are finding ways to address this thoughtfully. Structured times to check in, opportunities to share positive experiences, or simply helping counselors reframe what they’re experiencing can reduce that sense of missing out.

The goal is not to eliminate the uniqueness of camp, but to make it more sustainable within the reality counselors live in.

What happens when you get this right

I’ve seen counselors who should have burned out make it through an entire summer with energy that held up. They were still tired, but they weren’t depleted. They stayed engaged, built strong relationships, and often returned the following year.

They left better than they came.

That’s the goal, not just for campers, but for staff as well.

The bottom line

Near the end of one summer, my daughter said something that has stayed with me. She said the counselors who made it weren’t tougher than the others. They were simply supported better along the way.

That’s the shift for directors.

Gen Z counselors aren’t burning out because they care less. They’re stepping into demanding roles while carrying more than previous generations did, often in systems that haven’t fully adjusted to that reality.

The opportunity is to lead differently. And the place to start is simpler than you think…build recovery into your schedule the same way you build activities into it. Put it on the calendar. Protect it. Everything else gets easier from there.

James McLamb is a national youth empowerment strategist, speaker, and founder of Generation Youth. You can contact him at james@generationziglar.com.