We’re amid a ‘burnout epidemic’: What can employers do to stop it?

A variety of factors have placed a strain on the modern worker, causing burnout. According to some, we’re currently amid a “burnout epidemic”, which, left unaddressed, can severely impact mental health and wellbeing.

Oliver Woolrych, senior community manager at Fiverr, is one such person who believes these issues have gone too far.

“Australia’s in the middle of a burnout crisis. A whopping 62 per cent of Aussies say they’re feeling the burn, according to Microsoft’s Work Trend Index,” said Mr Woolrych.

“It’s not difficult to see why – Australians are working a significant number of extra hours each week. The Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work says the average Aussie is doing six weeks of work for free every year.”

There are a variety of factors causing this epidemic, but a major contributor is the pandemic, with many issues caused by COVID-19 continuing to impact the wider workforce.

“So, why are we all so worn out? Well, the pandemic and the shift to remote work have created a culture where it feels like we’re always working. It’s hard to separate work from our personal lives when we’re working from home all the time,” Mr Woolrych explained.

“On top of that, the rising cost of living is making it tough for people to leave their jobs, even when they’re feeling mentally drained from their demanding roles and long hours. It’s a complicated mix of factors that’s causing this burnout problem in Australia.”

Employers can do their part to alleviate employee burnout. While each workplace has different issues that may require unique care, Mr Woolrych believes an effective option could be to invest in freelance workers.

“In the quest to combat burnout, we often find ourselves at a crossroads. The burdensome trifecta of heavy workloads, long hours, and a skewed work/life balance can take a toll. While the idea of alleviating this by recruiting new talent to share the load seems plausible, the reality presents its own set of challenges for HR leaders: budget constraints and the scarcity of skilled professionals,” he said.

“So, what’s the remedy? Embracing freelancers emerges as a compelling strategy to address workforce expansion and prevent team burnout. These independent professionals offer businesses a flexible staffing option, allowing them to navigate temporary workload spikes without committing to permanent hires.”

Mr Woolrych continued: “Unlike the extended hiring process for full-time employees, freelancers can be onboarded swiftly, armed with specialised expertise in their respective domains. They seamlessly step in, relieving current employees from the burden of overtime tasks.”

While this decision may not be ideal for all workplaces or industries, those that have the capacity to do so can help to alleviate the stress that comes with a tight talent market by tapping into a network of skilled and flexible workers.

Mr Woolrych commented: “Companies, both large and small, across the globe [have adopted] a freelance talent pool strategy. This strategic move aims to promote a more balanced work/life dynamic, mitigate stress, and safeguard their workforce against burnout.”

“Additionally, tapping into freelance expertise enables businesses to swiftly adjust their workforce according to fluctuating needs, thereby offering them a significant competitive advantage.”

Those who fail to address burnout in the workplace run the risk of losing productivity and draining employee wellbeing. This impacts employees personally, and costs the company due to a lack of efficiency. It could also result in employees leaving, creating further skill shortages.

“Failing to deal with burnout at work can cause big problems for both employees and businesses. People facing burnout may feel stressed, tired, have trouble sleeping, find it hard to concentrate, feel sad, and get sick more often,” Mr Woolrych said.

“This leads to more employees taking time off, not doing their best at work when they are there (presenteeism), and more people quitting their jobs. All of this costs businesses a lot of money.”

He concluded: “A recent report from PwC and Beyond Blue found that not taking care of employees’ mental health costs Australian businesses $10.9 billion every year. On the bright side, by employing appropriate strategies, we can prevent burnout and create a work environment where employees are happy, motivated, and do their best.”