"Leaders must address burnout and integrate well-being into the design of work so workers feel and perform at their best," says Jonathan Pearce. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Employee burnout is one of those issues thrust into the spotlight during the pandemic. And it's also one of those issues that isn't going to magically go away as the pandemic wanes down. Employers have responded by increasing investment in mental health and wellness resources, but how closely are they looking at how their company culture contributes to stress?
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While the transition to hybrid and remote work models has been positive in some respects, it's also contributing to an increasingly blurred work/life balance and increased stress and burnout levels. Deloitte's workforce strategies leader Jonathan Pearce recently shared some insights into how companies can identify and address the internal factors exacerbating employee burnout.
Jonathan Pearce, workforce strategies leader, Deloitte What's driving the increased incidence of employee burnout?
Employee burnout was a serious issue before the pandemic, and the constant disruption over the past two years due to lockdowns, coupled with the many uncertainties that go with it, has led to high stress levels amongst workers. Our 2021 Global Millennial and Gen Z Survey found that 46% of Gen Zs and 41% of ,illennials indicated they felt stressed all or most of the time when they were surveyed in January 2021. Additionally, while workers have overwhelmingly opted for the flexibility offered by hybrid work, it's also important to note that remote work can make employees feel isolated and can encourage an expectation of being "always on."
In addition, while the proliferation of digital tools was an enabler for better collaboration in a virtual work world, our recent research with Gartner revealed that the average office worker is now switching apps 10 times every hour. This phenomenon of humans being the "middleware" between systems that are not integrated can also drive exhaustion and frustration.
What mistakes are employers/companies making when it comes to addressing burnout?
Unfortunately, many "anti-burnout" strategies are aimed only at the individual or take a one-size-fits-all approach, rather than embedding well-being considerations into the flow of work itself. Additionally, there are four primary reasons these strategies may not solve for burnout:
Not recognizing employee wellness as a strategic priority. Our 2021 Human Capital Trends report found that, while workers listed well-being as one of their top three objectives for work transformation, it was listed as the second-to-last outcome in terms of importance for executives.
Promoting wellness, but not designing for it. Rather than only providing one-size-fits-all solutions or enhancing existing corporate benefits, well-being should be directly embedded into the way work gets done. Many of the ways that organizations address burnout or well-being assume that burnout is an individual problem that workers need to fix themselves.
Being out of touch with employees' motivators and frustrations. Organizations that afford workers the agency to explore passion areas and provide flexibility, not just in where and when people work but in the kind of work they do, will more effectively motivate and inspire workers.
Not prioritizing employee engagement during this time of disruption. According to a recent Gallup report, employee engagement in the US dropped for the first time in a decade, from 36% in 2020 to 34% in 2021.
What does it mean to address burnout at an "organizational level"?
Leaders must address burnout and integrate well-being into the design of work so workers feel and perform at their best. If it's only addressed at the individual level, then the responsibility and ownership of these strategies is placed on the workers, and not the organization. Well-meaning subsidies or perks to support employees in addressing their own burnout overlook the fact that it's often caused by the environment that the organization creates – the expectations, working norms, workload and more. It must be a consideration that's as important as any other strategic priority because it can both drive and limit improved business outcomes.
How can employers change their approach to be more impactful?
Organizations looking to embed well-being into the design of work should consider doing so at three different levels—individual, team, and organizational. While individual workers should be empowered to set their own boundaries and make their well-being needs understood, teams can unleash their collective capabilities while also creating an environment in which each individual's well-being needs are being honored. Teams can do this by creating norms around scheduling, meetings, and communication expectations. At the organizational level, leaders should prioritize elevating the values of inclusion, well-being and worker empowerment with effective modeling, while at the same time setting policies and providing tools like digital collaboration platforms that can enable individuals and teams to do their best work.
Additionally, leaders beyond HR must champion the incorporation of well-being into work to make a meaningful difference. One place to start is by involving the organization's technology leader. Tech leaders and HR leaders must collaborate to elevate the human experience of work in a rapidly digitizing world.
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Emily Payne
Emily Payne is director, content analytics for ALM's Business & Finance Markets and former managing editor for BenefitsPRO. A Wisconsin native, she has spent the past decade writing and editing for various athletic and fitness publications. She holds an English degree and Business certificate from the University of Wisconsin.
