COVID-19: Why burnout is on the rise

Against the backdrop of a pandemic, more people are feeling mentally exhausted

BY Rachel Ranosa 12 May 2020

More than seven in 10 professionals today are suffering from burnout in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The biggest setback for workers is the lack of separation between their work and private life, according to a new study from professional feedback platform Blind.

Burnout is a reality that has plagued the workplace for years. But, against the backdrop of a global health crisis, the number of cases is rising – and rising fast.

In mid-February, 61% of respondents said they were burning out on the job, with their ‘unmanageable workload’ cited as the main stressor (25.3%). Fast forward to the weeks leading up to the pandemic, and 73% are now feeling exhausted for the following reasons:

26.7% – No separation between work and life
20.5% – Unmanageable workload
18.8% – Job security concerns
11.1% – Lack of support from manager
10.8% – Lack of control over work

“Burnout can feel personal,” said Fiorella Riccobono of Blind. “What can C-level leaders do to address a personal issue systematically, in a time where they cannot even have in-person interaction with them?” The answer, she believes, is in addressing the root cause of burnout – whether it’s the lack of job security or the lack of managerial support.

The study also found certain job functions to be more prone to burnout than others. These include:

Marketing and communications – 74.8%
Finance and accounting – 66.7%
Sales/support – 64.8%
Business strategy/operations – 64.1%
HR – 59.6%
Engineering and technology – 59.5%

How can employers address burnout? “Mental health is often still a taboo subject in the workplace so it is important to openly address the issue,” said Matthieu Imbert-Bouchard, managing director at Robert Half Singapore. “Set time aside to talk to employees.”