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By Troy Gillard

Increasing workloads weighing heavily

One-third of workers more burned out than a year ago: Survey

Oct 8, 2020 | 10:31 AM

The Robert Half staffing firm says one-third (33%)of Canadian workers who responded to a recent online survey said they are more burned out on the job today compared to a year ago.

Of those respondents, 40 per cent pointed to having a fuller plate at work as the top reason for rising levels of fatigue. Another 49 per cent of professionals noted they are as burned out now as they were 12 months ago, while only 18 per cent reported a drop in burnout.

The survey found that women (36 per cent) were more likely than men (31 per cent) to cite a rise in burnout.

Nearly an equal percentage of respondents with children in their household (34 per cent) and those without (33 per cent) said they are more worn out from work today versus 12 months ago.

The survey also revealed that more employees ages 25 to 40 (37 per cent) than those ages 41 to 54 (36 per cent) and 55 and older (28 per cent) said they are experiencing a higher degree of burnout.

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“Organizations continue to weather the financial impact of the pandemic and in some cases are doing so with leaner teams in place,” said David King, Canadian senior district president of Robert Half. “This has resulted in an increased workload for employees with many still working from home and balancing important job priorities with personal and family demands. With workers indicating they are experiencing rising levels of fatigue, managers need to work with their teams to address job burnout head on. This means helping them to not only prioritize their workloads – but also their wellbeing.”

In a separate survey, 82 per cent of senior managers revealed they are worried about staff retention. Of those respondents, 47 per cent said the reason for their concern is that employees are managing heavy workloads and on the brink of burnout. “In today’s demanding work environment, managers need to find ways to support their employees and equip them with the tools they need to alleviate stress and prevent burnout”, added King. “This includes encouraging teams to disengage from work outside of regular working hours, urging them to take time off to relax and recharge and ensuring they take advantage of any wellness offerings they have access to.”

The online surveys were developed by Robert Half and conducted by independent research firms from July 7 to August 9, 2020. They include responses from 500 workers 18 years of age or older and normally employed in office environments in Canada, and more than 600 senior managers at companies with 20 or more employees across Canada.