Greater flexibility helps reduce stresses: survey
Burnout among employees has reached an all-time high, according to a global survey.
More than four in 10 (42%) of 10,243 respondents to a survey by Future Forum say they are experiencing burnout — up from 39% in May 2021 when it was first measured.
Forty-six percent of women say they are burned out compared with 37% of men. And 48% of workers under age 30 saying they feel burned out at work compared with 40% of workers age 30 and up.
Japan is seeing the highest rates of burnout:
|
Country |
May 2021 |
Nov. 2022 |
|---|---|---|
|
Japan |
42% |
50% |
|
France |
42% |
48% |
|
U.K. |
40% |
48% |
|
U.S. |
39% |
41% |
|
Germany |
29% |
37% |
|
Australia |
26% |
27% |
Respondents who report they are burned out at work are nearly 3.4x more likely to say they “definitely” plan to look for a new job in the next year than those who say they are not burned out at work, finds Future Forum.
Fifty-three percent of those who are dissatisfied with their level of flexibility say they are burned out compared to 37% of employees who are satisfied with their level of flexibility. Employees with no ability to shift their schedules are 26% more likely to say they are burned out at work than those with moderate schedule flexibility.
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“Listen to the needs of your people and get to know everyone individually. Ask them, human to human: ‘How can we ensure that you remain fresh and don’t burn out?’” says one expert.
Flexibility appreciated
Flexible workers were 57% more likely to say their company culture has improved over the past two years compared with fully in-person workers — and they cite flexible remote work policies as the primary reason, finds Future Forum.
However, 25% of executives surveyed cited “team culture is negatively impacted” as a number one concern about offering employees more flexibility in an office.
Flexible workers are also more likely to feel connected to their direct manager (39% versus 34%) and their company’s values (32% versus 28%) compared with those who are back in the office full-time.
When compared to workers with no ability to shift their schedules, respondents with full schedule flexibility report:
- 39% higher productivity
- 64% greater ability to focus
Compared to those with moderate schedule flexibility, desk workers who say they have little to no ability to set their hours report:
- 4.6x worse work-related stress and anxiety
- 2.6x worse work-life balance
Australian employers are bracing for a rise in costs due to absenteeism as mental health impacts the workplace. Post-pandemic, the number of days off as a result of poor psychological health is predicted to increase by 20%.
In-office benefits
Two-thirds of all workers (67%) say they prefer a hybrid arrangement with the option to access a physical space. Why? The top two drivers are collaboration (33%) and building camaraderie (23%).
When looked at by job level, the motivation for coming into the office differs between executives and non-executives. Executives value putting in face time with management at 1.6x the rate of non-executives. Non-executives value building camaraderie at 2x the rate of executives, finds Future Forum.