By Kirstie McDermott
According to a new report from Workday, 27% of employees are at high risk of burnout. The figure is based on an analysis of employee survey data from 2.6 million employees in more than 875 companies and 12 industries around the world.
Not surprisingly, industries at high risk for burnout include retail and healthcare. These are often demanding, customer-facing jobs where healthcare workers’ work can literally be a matter of life and death.
But perhaps even more surprising is the fact that 23% of tech companies are at high risk of burnout, an 8% increase from last year’s analysis. Workday’s study identifies burnout based on three metrics: connection, energy and fulfillment. All three have shown a negative trend for the tech industry this year.
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Especially when it comes to technology, employee burnout is “primarily due to a decline in the level of fulfillment and connection,” say the survey authors.
“Employees who work remotely feel less connected to their company’s mission. The extent of remote and hybrid work within technology also appears to be impacting employees’ sense of belonging, as companies struggle to find ways to keep people connected outside of an office environment.”
Since mass layoffs rocked the industry in mid-2022, technicians have been through a lot.
More than 124,000 employees have been laid off so far this year. This has many engineers on edge, and as wave after wave of layoffs eliminates entire teams, they often find themselves taking on the work of their former colleagues.
As a result, many in the tech industry are worried about their own future. Fear of layoffs is a very real phenomenon as they struggle with emotional and psychological reactions due to the fear of losing their jobs.
This then impacts employee motivation, not to mention their productivity and engagement. All of this leads to burnout, Workday research has found.
Other data backs this up. A recent study by Eagle Hill Consulting found that the burnout rate among U.S. workers this year is 45%, with women even higher at 49%. In contrast, 41% of men say they are burned out, but again, this is a generational issue.
The highest burnout rates continue to be reported by younger workers: 54% for Generation Z and 52% for Millennials.
In addition, according to a national survey, people often feel drained after returning to work after a paid vacation or other day off: 42% dread returning to work and 50% say burnout typically sets in within a week of returning.
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Right now, this may seem like a bad case of September scare, so what can tech workers do to feel more comfortable in their jobs and more engaged in their tasks?
The hardest step is often the first: admitting that you feel this way. Employees are often ingrained in a culture of getting by, getting things done, and not complaining. Accepting the situation allows you to address it head-on and find solutions.
Simpler solutions include making sure you take your full paid vacation so you can get some time away from work. Paying attention to your overall health and trying to set boundaries to protect yourself from being constantly available are other strategies you can try.
Of course, not all companies or leaders respond positively to resistance from their teams. For example, if you find that your efforts to be unavailable for calls at 9 p.m. aren’t having any effect, changing jobs may be the best solution.
Starting the way you want to continue and being clear from the start about what you can and cannot accomplish can be the key to avoiding the next burnout.
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