Workplace Burnout- It Hasn't Improved and It Won't Just Go Away.

When I published my book, Managing Employee Burnout, at the end of 2022, I had hoped that workplace burnout was on the decline and that we were entering a new era of freedom, better mental health, and more compassionate and proactive workplaces.

Unfortunately, just over four months into 2023, it has become apparent that the problems associated with workplace burnout are far from over. Instead, they are coming to the forefront, presenting themselves in a multitude of concerning situations and heart-wrenching experiences.

Many have worked with a constant undercurrent of stress over recent years. With major layoffs and an uncertain economy- all you have to do is turn on the news or open up Linkedin to see a long list of issues and situations that keep many in fear, keeping us stuck in the stress cycle. Within our teams, we're often wearing many hats, have an increased pressure to perform and are often feeling isolated (especially if working remotely) or exhausted (from having to navigate the office and at home working.)

Like a volcano eruption, while the undercurrent of stress can lay dormant for many years, eventually, it erupts and explodes- this is what we're seeing amongst our workforce today- burnout is getting louder. No longer can we tick a couple of 'self-care' boxes and expect the problem to go away. We're all being guided to truly look at the state of our organization's well-being- and what specifically are the root causes of burnout, both from an individual and systemic lens.

As we approach Mental Health Awareness Month in May, it is time for us to take a fresh approach to workplace burnout, whether we are in a position to treat it or prevent it for ourselves or those around us.

The State of Workplace Burnout in 2023

According to new research from Future Forum, employee burnout caused by stress in the workplace has reached an all-time high since tracking began in mid-2021. In a survey of more than 10,000 full-time desk and office-based workers across six countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, 42% of respondents reported feeling burned out.?

Infinite Potential found that workplace burnout is continuing to hit new levels, with 38% of respondents in their survey experiencing all three dimensions of burnout: exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced efficacy. Visier found that 89% of employees said they experienced occupational burnout over the past year. Of those, more than a quarter (27%) said they experience burnout "all of the time."

The impact of burnout is showing up within our teams in various ways, and it can no longer be ignored. Some 46% of middle managers say it’s likely they’ll quit their jobs within the next 12 months because of work-related stress, according to a new survey of 3,400 people across 10 countries from the Workforce Institute at UKG , Organizations cannot continue to deal with the issue from a surface-level approach because they are seeing the startling impacts of their team members' suffering mentally and emotionally for so long.

By October of last year, a record 43% of middle managers said they were burnt out, a Slack Technologies’ Future Forum survey found. When one of the primary root causes and solutions to burnout is quality and consistent support from leadership, we can’t help but understand how burned-out leaders create burned-out teams.?

What’s more, we’re losing great talent- who cannot physically and mentally continue with an undercurrent of burnout in their lives because of work. More than half of the 5,000 women surveyed in Deloitte's Women at Work stud y last year said their stress levels are higher than they were a year ago, and nearly as many said they feel burned out. One-third of women surveyed said they took time off of work due to their mental health. Nearly 40% of respondents said that they wouldn't feel comfortable disclosing their mental health challenges at work.?

Burnout is preventable when you focus on the right factors

These findings and the experiences that many of us have witnessed within our workplaces highlight the urgent need for employers to prioritize employee mental health and well-being in the workplace. Organizations must have foundational building blocks in place to support their team's well-being and prevent burnout culture.?

These building blocks include:

Psychological Safety: Employers must create a culture of safety- where everyone feels safe to disconnect from work, set healthy boundaries and have important conversations, without shame, judgment or fear of repercussion.??

Awareness and strategies around workplace burnout root causes: Employers need to understand what’s causing burnout within their organization- as it’s most often a combination of problems on an individual, leadership, cultural and operational level. Once organizations can understand the root causes, this can be the foundation of their well-being strategies and efforts.?

Provide resources for mental health support: Employers should provide resources for mental health support, such as employee assistance programs (EAPs), counselling services, and mindfulness and wellness programs. These resources can help employees manage stress and improve their mental health.

Equipping leadership: Leadership accounts for up to 70% of employee engagement and can be the difference between stress becoming habitual burnout. Empowering and educating leaders on burnout red flags and frameworks to support them in coaching their team members when these challenges arise is key. Leaders also need to be equipped to manage their own well-being and lead by example in a positive way.?

Training and resources for employees: Employers should invest in training for their team members to help them identify and manage burnout. This may include stress management techniques, resilience training, or mental health tools and techniques.?

In conclusion, workplace burnout remains a significant issue in 2023, and it's crucial that employers take proactive steps to address it. It's time for us to recognize the urgent need to address workplace burnout and take action to prevent it. If you need help in either preventing or treating burnout within your organization (or yourself), don’t hesitate to reach out to me, [email protected]