Burnout has become a worldwide problem.
People across the country and around the world are exhausted, exhausted and depressed. And the talent revolution (aka the big quit) is perhaps the best evidence that things are less than ideal in the world of work.
Burnout isn’t new, and burnout news isn’t really new. So why is it still a problem, and what can we do about it? There are solutions for employees, leaders and organizations in terms of rethinking work and reimagining organizations.
But first, it is important to appreciate the importance of the questions.
Burnout is widespread
Burnout is a feeling of exhaustion or being trapped in a job with no room for advancement. it is also characterized by cynicism and a sense of inefficiency. Burnout is also increasingly correlated with depression.
And burnout is prevalent all over the world. A new study from Asana looked at more than 10,000 knowledge workers in seven countries and found that around 70% of people had experienced burnout in the past year.
According to the Asana study, when looking at generations, 84% of Gen Zers report burnout, along with 74% of millennials and 47% of baby boomers. And based on McKinsey Research25% of Gen Z, 13% of Gen Y, 13% of Gen X and 8% of Baby Boomers reported feeling emotionally distressed with low levels of well-being.
When it comes to women and men in the Asana study, 67% of women report burnout, 59% of men report burnout, and overall 63% of employees experience burnout. Unfortunately, 40% of workers believe that burnout is an inevitable part of success.
In addition, research by Deloitte and Workplace Intelligence in four countries revealed that workers face all sorts of issues related to burnout and well-being.
- 43% of workers said they were always or often exhausted
- 42% were stressed
- 35% were exceeded
- And 23% said they were depressed.
Burnout is detrimental to people and organizations.
Burnout is harmful
Burnout is hard on people and has negative effects on organizations as well. In particular, according to the Asana study, when people suffer from burnout, they are also more likely to have low morale (36% of people), be less engaged (30%), do more errors (27%) and poor communication (25%).
They are also more likely to leave the company (25%). And according to the Deloitte/Workplace Intelligence study, 47% of employees have quit in the past when a job negatively impacted their well-being, and 57% are considering quitting to find a position that better supports their well-being. be.
Rethinking and reinventing work
But with all the data on burnout, it is possible to find solutions and respond proactively, to improve employee well-being and positively impact organizations.
Create meaning
One of the most powerful antidotes to burnout is job meaning. Companies and leaders can align people’s passions with their responsibilities as much as possible, and also remind people how their work contributes to colleagues and the vision of the organization as a whole. Additionally, leaders can ensure that they provide plenty of opportunities for growth and avenues for career development. And leaders can offer recognition and appreciation for every job, reinforcing each person’s importance and unique contribution.
Research also demonstrates the power of time off work for job satisfaction. Ironically, when people are happier in their activities outside of work, they also tend to perceive greater joy at work. This way, companies can ensure that people have enough flexibility to enjoy their free time, and also avoid a culture of overwork, by ensuring that people can take a break on weekends or holidays without stigma. negative.
Create a membership
People crave relationships and they don’t get them today, whether at work or outside of it. The Deloitte/Workplace Intelligence study found that 24% of people are lonely and a BetterUp study found that 22% of people don’t even have a friend at work. According to the study, 69% of people are dissatisfied with the degree of social connection they have at work.
Thus, organizations can create opportunities for people to come together in affinity groups, common interest groups, and to work across departmental boundaries. Happy hours or collaborative volunteer work are great options for team building, but even more powerful are creating a sense of belonging through shared projects and common goals where people can work together to invent something new, solving a problem or learning together.
We will have to rethink the work.
Create leadership
One of the biggest reasons people leave an organization is because of their leader – leaders have a significant impact on the work experience. Companies are advised to offer development to leaders so that they can evolve their approaches to hybrid working or new ways of working, and model best practices where they take care of their own well-being.
Leaders are also more effective when they communicate well, with transparency and clarity, even when they cannot provide certainty. And the best leaders inspire and empower people.
Leaders also contribute to positive work experiences when they demonstrate empathy and compassion. In fact, the Asana study found that 51% of people don’t feel comfortable talking to their manager about burnout. A better alternative is when leaders are able to foster open and sharing relationships with team members.
Leadership increasingly requires emotional labor, so supporting leaders and developing their skills is good for leaders. It is also good for all employees affected by their duties.
Create supports
In addition to connecting people to meaningful work, colleagues, and leaders, organizations can also reduce burnout by ensuring policies, practices, processes, and places support people. Asana’s research found that 22% of people felt they had too much work to do, and 13% of people said they struggled with unclear processes, too many meetings, or unclear deadlines. In the Deloitte/Workplace Intelligence study, 30% of people report having a heavy workload.
Businesses are smart to ensure that work is distributed fairly and reasonably, and that processes allow for things to be done efficiently and problems to be solved constructively. It’s also important that salaries, benefits, and policies support people holistically.
Additionally, offices should provide a positive experience with a wide variety of places to get work done – from focused, collaborative work to learning, rejuvenating and socializing efforts – and the ability to choose too. Places should provide neighborhoods where people can connect and environments that are invigorating, nurturing and stimulating rather than demotivating, draining or exhausting.
Create perspective
Another key to reducing burnout is managing job reflection. Unfortunately, work has become shorthand for drudgery, but in reality, work is an opportunity to express talents and skills and contribute to the community. Additionally, it helps to realize that no job is ideal. There will always be things about a job that you like more and others that you like less, and that’s okay.
And no matter how much you love a job, it won’t be happy all the time. It is natural to experience ups and downs in job satisfaction levels. Sometimes you’ll feel on top of the world, and other times the job will be especially difficult or stressful.
If your expectations are set too high – with pressure to be in an ideal role and happy all the time – it will be impossible to meet expectations, and depression and burnout can result. It is better to be realistic and understand that work will have ups and downs and its own seasons. Employees, leaders, and organizations can change their own narratives to appreciate the opportunity to work and contribute, and know that it won’t always be perfect.
In sum
Burnout has reached incredible proportions today, but it is possible to hope for better. Understanding the data and the enormity of job dissatisfaction is an important step towards creating a better future of work.
