More than three quarter of US employees, 76%, are experiencing burnout, according to a report by Spring Health, a provider of behavioral health benefits.
The Covid-19 pandemic along with major political upheavals and natural disasters — such as wildfires and hurricanes — have led to higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress for US employees, leading to burnout, according to Spring Health.
Its survey found that 57% of US workers say Covid-19 has been a contributing factor to burnout while 33% say political issues have contributed. It also found that 36% of those experiencing burnout say increases in responsibilities at work contributed, and 23% cited insufficient paid time off.
Spring Health’s report included a survey of 1,136 employed US workers and was conducted in December.
“The events of 2020 have put a tremendous amount of pressure on US employees — especially those who are raising children or taking care of elderly loved ones,” said Dr. Millard Brown, senior VP of Medical Affairs at Spring Health. “Burnout is extremely costly for organizations, so it’s imperative that leaders take steps now to reduce and manage burnout symptoms for their workforce.”
The primary symptoms of burnout include exhaustion; feeling negative; cynical or detached from work; and reduced work performance, according to the company. This state of physical and emotional exhaustion is often reached after an extended period of high stress.
At its early stages, burnout can be mitigated by things such as flexible work schedules or rebalancing workloads, Brown said. But things can become more difficult once an employee reaches the complete burnout stage.
Lower motivation
In a separate survey released today, the business and how-to website The Manifest reported that 30% of employees have experienced lower motivation because of burnout amid the Covid-19 pandemic. It found 17% of workers are working longer hours and 7% said they struggled with childcare as schools and daycare facilities closed. In addition, 9% of employees have had their pay reduced during the last year.
Original author: Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) | Daily News