Beat Burnout in 2023

As of 2022, almost half (46%) of workers are close to burnout, according to research conducted by Westfield Health. Highlighting the impact that the past 2 years, which includes the pandemic, has had on workers across the UK, the researchers found that nearly two-thirds (62%) of employees worked more hours during and after the pandemic and one-in-five (19%) undertook an extra 5-10 hours a week. Employees who have been working from home are more likely to feel at risk of burnout (50%) than those who have been going to the workplace (41%).

Further research has revealed that the return to the office, commuting, and social life changes has left 42% of people feeling more exhausted in 2022. Data from Champion Health reveals that the number one cause of work-related stress is workload (78%), followed by other issues including lack of support, lack of control, and relationship with senior staff members.

According to a Glassdoor survey, around three-quarters (72%) of UK employees in full-time employment in June 2022 viewed annual leave as an effective method to lessen burnout. Nevertheless, many workers did not make full use of their holiday allocation. Only 60% of employees used their full holiday allowance in the previous year.

According to NICE, an estimated 13.7 million workdays are lost every year in the UK due to work-related stress, anxiety, and depression, costing ￡28.3 billion in lost productivity.

Burnout Isn’t Just A Workload Issue

The pandemic has made many people change their priorities. In the Westfield Health study, over half (53%) stated that job security, better pay (53%), wellbeing support (47%) and flexible working are now more important to them than they were pre-pandemic.

Meeting these needs is important for personal wellbeing. Employees all have our own values and goals and if their workplace does not help to meet them, it negatively impacts happiness, sense of achievement and mental health, all of which can lead to employees looking to move on or feeling burnt out.

Beating Burnout

Addressing these top causes of burnout will improve wellbeing amongst teams as well as increasing your productivity in 2023.

Two key action points to consider are: firstly, give employees opportunities to try new skills, take on new challenges, and even fill in on a different role. Secondly, focus on communication in terms of guidance, feedback, and dialogue. Fairness is a big driver of burnout, and nothing feels more unfair than working without acknowledgement.

Wellbeing strategies are a crucial tool in increasing employee engagement and addressing burnout. The most effective strategies will be formed with employee statistics and engagement in mind whilst focusing on various communication channels to implement them. This will enable a successful and resilient workforce in the year ahead.

MD Comment

The legacy of the pandemic lingers on and it’s no surprise given the magnitude of change many people experienced, whatever your own personal outcome in the workplace, the pandemic shone a very bright light on our relationship with work and health. With many people voting quite literally with their feet to find a better and healthier balance. Our own experience in the recruiting space suggests a marked change in attitudes towards excessively stressful or demanding workplaces, with candidates spending more time researching potential employers and avoiding those who do not fit with their expectations. Given the on-going scarcity of tech skills, it is employers who embrace a culture in which wellbeing is central and expectations realistic that will likely attract and retain the talent in such a fiercely competitive skills market.?