HR pros know how important it is to help employees avoid stress and burnout, and a lot of companies are doing their best to tackle this issue.
But research is showing it’s still not enough.
A recent study by Deloitte, which surveyed 1,000 U.S. employees, found 77% have experienced burnout at their current jobs. Sixty-four percent reported that they were often stressed at work.
Despite some employers’ best efforts, workers are still wanting more. Sixty-nine percent felt their companies didn’t do enough to minimize burnout, and 21% reported their employers don’t offer any programs to help reduce stress.
Shifting the culture
The surveyed employees also pointed out what was causing the most burnout, and Deloitte’s Managing Director for Well-Being, Jen Fisher, shared some suggestions for tackling these issues:
- Encourage ‘real’ weekends and vacation days. Thirty percent of respondents claimed to consistently work weekend hours, and only 43% use all of their vacation days. Employees are most hesitant to disconnect on days off because they’re worried about potential issues in the office. Employers can help ease these fears by creating a culture where workers aren’t contacted at all on days off. For example, German company Daimler started a “Mail on Holiday” program. This automatically deletes a vacationing employee’s incoming emails, allowing them to completely disconnect. The sender is alerted that the email was deleted, and is encouraged to contact the employee when they return.
- Start health and wellness programs. Many employees expressed interest in more wellness programs, especially ones focusing on mental health. Fisher suggests employers offer preemptive stress management classes. Another idea: Aetna’s CEO started providing on-site yoga, meditation and fitness centers for his employees after going through a personal crisis of his own.
- Show appreciation in big and small ways. Research shows that when employees are consistently thanked for their work, they’re less likely to leave, and more likely to perform better. But that doesn’t mean big thank yous aren’t necessary too. Here’s an idea: To show its appreciation, Deloitte closed its doors the week between Christmas and New Year’s to make sure everyone enjoyed the holidays stress-free.
