Worker burnout is a major problem. A survey conducted by Deloitte found that 77% of surveyed American professionals experienced burnout at their current job, while over half admitted that this has happened more than once.
The vast majority of respondents said that the stress and frustration that they face at work has a negative impact on their quality of work, as well as their personal relationships.
It’s a common misconception that just because you enjoy the work you do, you’ll never feel tired. However, 87% of the working professionals who participated in the Deloitte survey said that they were passionate about their jobs, but 64% revealed that they’re frequently stressed. In other words, being passionate about what you do does not make you immune to stress.
Meanwhile, most respondents felt that their employers weren’t doing enough to prevent burnout. However, the solution doesn’t lie in just having super hip well-being programs to destress your employees.
Ideally, there should be a workplace culture that actively fights back against chronic exhaustion, demotivation, and burnout.
Having supportive bosses who genuinely care about their employees’ issues and growth is a godsend. But that requires being well-versed in leadership and management and having a lot of empathy. If you’re aiming for profit at the cost of your employees’ physical and mental health, you’re going to drive away your top talent. Your staff needs proper rest to recharge and do their jobs well.
If you force everyone to constantly work overtime and pile unreasonable workloads on their shoulders, you’ll only get substandard results. If efficiency and good results are your actual priorities, then you have to be open-minded.
Well-rested, happy people who feel like they’re doing purposeful tasks will get you there faster than a frustrated and exhausted group who feels undervalued. Wonderful things happen if you genuinely care about the individuals who work for you. Loyalty should be a two-way street.
According to Deloitte, corporations ought to prioritize relationships instead of rewards. It’s also essential to assess what the actual needs of your employees are. That way, management can plan how they can best support the entire workforce, as well as separate departments and individual specialists.
It’s also a huge plus if management can make the work processes more meaningful and fulfilling. People can move mountains if they believe in the cause and the values of their company.
