Nearly half of workers may be suffering from job burnout without realizing it, according to a recent survey by talent company Yoh.
While 32 per cent of workers reported experiencing job burnout at least once in the past year, an additional 45 per cent said they encountered one or more indicators or contributors to burnout despite not overtly identifying as burnt out, the survey found.
Conducted online by The Harris Poll from Oct. 22 to 24 among 1,201 adults employed full or part time in the United States, the survey highlighted several factors contributing to burnout:
- 34 per cent said they sacrificed their personal life for professional responsibilities.
- 31 per cent reported being required to take on additional responsibilities without a decrease in their existing workload.
- 27 per cent felt unable to take time off from work despite wanting to.
- 19 per cent were required to work more days in the office instead of working from home.
- 19 per cent felt overwhelmed by caring for a loved one at home on top of their workload.
- 16 per cent felt overburdened by the number of required meetings.
- 15 per cent were unable to consider other job opportunities because of their workload.
“Job burnout poses an invisible threat to companies and their employees,” said Emmett McGrath, president of Yoh. “If left unaddressed, companies risk compromising their employees’ productivity and satisfaction, not to mention their own long-term success.”
McGrath said it’s critical for leaders to pursue policies that prioritize workplace wellness to protect against employee apathy and unwanted turnover. “By proactively and explicitly addressing issues such as work-life balance, time-off benefits, work-from-home policies and other support resources throughout the hiring process, organizations can position themselves as sensitive to the needs of employees and committed to their well-being,” he said.
The survey also found demographic differences in contributors to burnout. Younger employees were more likely to report having to take on additional responsibilities without a decrease in existing workload (37 per cent of those aged 35–44 versus 27 per cent of those aged 55–64). Employees with a college degree (22 per cent) were more likely to feel overburdened by meetings compared to those with some college (12 per cent) or a high school diploma or less (11 per cent).
Employees who are parents of a child under 18 were nearly twice as likely as those who are not to feel overwhelmed by caring for a loved one at home on top of their workload (25 per cent versus 14 per cent).
Male employees may be particularly susceptible to unrecognized burnout, with 50 per cent not reporting burnout yet experiencing at least one contributor, compared to 39 per cent of female employees.
Female employees were more likely than male employees to say they experienced job burnout in the past year (36 per cent versus 29 per cent).
