'For so many of us, anxiety and exhaustion are at an all-time high'
Thirty-five per cent of Canadians are feeling burned out.
This is “a cause for concern,” says Mary Ann Baynton, director of collaboration and strategy at Workplace Strategies for Mental Health at Canada Life.
"It's not surprising though – considering we're once again faced with extreme uncertainty as the pandemic rollercoaster continues. For so many of us, anxiety and exhaustion are at an all-time high."
Nearly half of Canadians (48 per cent) say they are more stressed to start 2022 than during the first lockdowns in 2020, according to another report.
Workers in the following industries are reporting levels of burnout higher than the national average, according to the Canada Life report:
Within the health and patient care industry, 66 per cent of nurses and 61 per cent of mental health professionals report burnout.
Only a third of respondents indicate their company is committed to a low-stress environment, according to the study conducted by Mental Health Research Canada in December 2021.
"We're troubled about the many respondents who singled out the lack of psychological supports at work," said Michael Cooper, vice-president, Mental Health Research Canada. "With the pandemic, it's more important than ever for employers to consider new leadership approaches to help those employees most at risk of burnout. The consequences of not doing so are significant."
Asked to rank their organization's support for mental health on a scale of one to 10, employees give an average rating of 4.4 — an "F" on the corresponding academic grading scale, according to another report.
Here are some ways employers can prevent burnout among employers, according to Workplace Strategies for Mental Health:
