2 in 5 Workers Are Experiencing Burnout — This Could Be Key to Relief
Burnout is on the rise in the U.S., mostly among female and younger workers, a new report finds. However, flexibility seems key to improving production, connection and company culture, the report suggests, in turn alleviating stress and anxiety for employees.
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According to the World Health Organization, burnout is an occupational phenomenon, characterized by three dimensions, including feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and reduced professional efficacy.
The Future Forum Pulse report notes that burnout rose to 40% this quarter globally — an 8% rise from May — with the most significant increase in the U.S., where a staggering 43% of desk workers report feeling burned out.
In addition, burnout is on the rise, specifically among key groups, including female workers: 32% of women are experiencing more burnout than men, as well as for younger workers, with 49% of 18-to 29-year-olds saying they feel burned out, compared with 38% of all workers over the age of 30.
One key factor that seems to make a difference in terms of burnout is schedule flexibility.
“While most conversations about workplace flexibility have centered on location — where people work — the question of when people work may be even more significant,” according to the report Indeed, 80% of global desk-based workers say they want location flexibility, meanwhile, a whopping 94% say they want schedule flexibility.
And the report notes that workers with schedule flexibility are 26% less likely to be burned out and report more than five times greater ability to manage work-related stress.
“I often hear leaders say that working away from the office makes it harder to connect and collaborate and eats away at company culture, and about 25% of executives surveyed listed that as a top concern in our survey,” Sheela Subramanian, co-founder of Future Forum, said in the report. “But this might be an issue of executives believing that what worked for them in the past is what works best for everyone, and the data shows that executives and non-executives have very different experiences.”
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The report concludes that “the future of work is flexible, inclusive, and connected, and employees are demanding work environments that foster the ability to work together across locations and time zones.”
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 2 in 5 Workers Are Experiencing Burnout — This Could Be Key to Relief
