Burnout on the rise for Australian workers
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New survey shows that 46 per cent of Australian workers feel burnt out.
ELMO has released its quarterly ELMO Employee Sentiment Index, revealing burnout is up. In Q1 2021, ELMO found burnout to be at 34 per cent. For Q1 this year, the burnout rate has jumped up to 46 per cent.
Beyond Blue describes burnout on coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au as:
“Burnout is a state of complete mental, physical and emotional exhaustion caused by excessive stress over a long period of time. Though typically associated with people working in high-pressure jobs, burnout can affect anyone. From parents and guardians of young people, to students and those caring for or supporting loved ones.”
Beyond Blue continues: “As with physical signs and symptoms, burnout could have a significant impact on your mental wellbeing.”
In ELMO’s recent index, it says:
“Burn out remains a considerable issue for Australian employers with 46 per cent of workers reporting they are burnt out. This high rate of burn out is the greatest figure recorded in the Employee Sentiment Index to date and is up substantially on the prior comparable period (34% in Q1 2021).”
ELMO Software’s CEO, Danny Lessem, put forward that a perception found by their survey that the economy is unsecure (15 per cent of respondents think it’s secure Q1 2022, versus 30 per cent in the first quarter of 2021), “may be contributing to the burn out rate climbing to 46 per cent of workers from just 34 per cent a year prior.”
“This is a big challenge for employers as burnt out workers are not productive workers,” he added.
The ELMO Employee Sentiment Index also found that workers aren’t happy about what they are being paid. The report states:
“The proportion of Australian workers who feel they are fairly remunerated for their work has reached a record low with three fifths (59%) of workers stating they feel remunerated fairly. This is down from 63 per cent in the previous quarter and down from 66 per cent in Q1 2021.”
Burnt-out workers who don’t feel well paid aren’t likely to be very engaged with their work/ workplace.
The CIPD discusses the meaning of engagement in their factsheet: Employee engagement and motivation.
“A narrower, more specific view that we recommend is that of the Utrecht University group of occupational psychologists [ref. https://www.wilmarschaufeli.nl/publications/Schaufeli/209.pdf] which defines ‘work engagement’ as a state of mind in which, rather than being burnt out, employees show:
- Vigour (energy, resilience and effort).
- Dedication (for example, enthusiasm, inspiration and pride).
- Absorption (concentration and being engrossed in one’s work).
While this approach is narrow, it aligns with the best research on engagement, so is likely to lead to effective decision making.”
For more information on the issues discussed in this article, please see our list of resources below.
- https://elmosoftware.com.au/resources/research-reports/elmo-employee-sentiment-index-australia-period-jan-mar-22/
- https://coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au/COVID-normal/supporting-personal-wellbeing/tips-to-recognise-and-manage-burnout
- https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/relations/engagement/factsheet#6227
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Employees experience burnout when their physical or emotional reserves are depleted. Usually, persistent tension or dissatisfaction causes this to happen. The workplace atmosphere might occasionally be the reason. Workplace stress, a lack of resources and support, and aggressive deadlines can all cause burnout.
Shandel McAuliffe
Shandel has recently returned to Australia after working in the UK for eight years. Shandel's experience in the UK included over three years at the CIPD in their marketing, marcomms and events teams, followed by two plus years with The Adecco Group UK&I in marketing, PR, internal comms and project management. Cementing Shandel's experience in the HR industry, she was the head of content for Cezanne HR, a full-lifecycle HR software solution, for the two years prior to her return to Australia.
Shandel has previous experience as a copy writer, proofreader and copy editor, and a keen interest in HR, leadership and psychology. She's excited to be at the helm of HR Leader as its editor, bringing new and innovative ideas to the publication's audience, drawing on her time overseas and learning from experts closer to home in Australia.