Burnout is rife. It’s also preventable
New global research reveals hidden dangers of working from home and surprising new insights into the scale and impact of workplace burnout.
DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT, OR READ HERE
Now in its third year, the State of Workplace Burnout 2023 surveyed individuals across 40 countries and found 38.1% of participants reported experiencing burnout, up from 34.7% in 2021.
“We’re alarmed but not surprised to see the increase in burnout year-on-year,” said Dr John Chan, co-author of the study. “As the hybrid work conversation continues, burnout prevention needs to be a central part of this discussion.”
As the study found, work location plays a significant role, with those working from home having the highest levels of burnout and those at the workplace 2-3 days each week having the lowest.
“Burnout is growing across the board, but it is not inevitable,” said Sally Clarke, co-author of the study and Co-Director at Human Leaders. “The data show that burnout levels are lower when leaders are willing to make structural changes to reduce the level of stress and increase psychological safety, belonging and engagement in the workplace.”
The report sets out the steps leaders can take today to prevent burnout, including making the shift from toxic leadership to Human Leadership.
Years of stagnant wages and rapidly increasing inflation contribute to burnout, the study found, with the younger population being most affected.
“Creating an environment so people can thrive is not only doing the right thing, it’s also good for business, innovation and society,” Dr Chan said.
Key insights
● The biggest barrier to increasing productivity is burnout. Without addressing this issue, organisations and society will not be able to sustainably improve productivity.
● Years of stagnant wages and rapidly increasing inflation have changed the landscape of why people are staying at or leaving organisations.
● Burnout is continuing to grow with the younger population being most affected. This will have lasting effects on society if not addressed.
Key research findings
● Burnout rates increased by 3.4% in the last 12 months to 38.1% of participants currently experiencing burnout.
● Those affected by burnout report more than 50% lower levels of well-being and more than 50% higher likelihood of reduced productivity and quality of work compared to those who are not in burnout. This gap has further increased in the last 12 months.
● Those working in the workplace more than 80% of the time reported the highest rate of burnout followed closely by those working from home over 80% of the time.
● The 18-24 age group reported the highest rates of burnout for the first time in the study’s history at 47%, up by 21% from last year, replacing the 35-44 age group.
● Women continue to experience higher rates of burnout than men.
● Across every demographic, people are looking for increases in pay as the top reason for leaving an organisation. This is a significant shift from previous research.
Key recommendations
The report sets out five recommendations leaders can take to address burnout based on their findings:
1. Ensure your people, especially those in the lowest pay brackets, are properly compensated. Targeted support for the lowest pay brackets would see a great return in productivity, retention and attraction.
2. Leaders must lead open and honest conversations about stressors within the organization and be prepared to take action.
3. Focus on creating environments of belonging, psychological safety and engagement to combat burnout.
4. Review how performance is evaluated and rewarded - move away from outdated measures such as ‘hours at desk’.
5. Express care for individuals as people, not a resource.
“Preventing burnout will be the most significant factor that determines if an organization survives or thrives in the coming decade,” said Ms Clarke. “Our report offers the data, insights and information leaders need to help their organisation and their people thrive.”
Link to report https://infinite-potential.com.au/the-state-of-burnout-2023
