Rise in cases of burnout and stress at work

People ride e-scooters in Melbourne’s central business district on August 14 – Copyright AFP William WEST

An independent survey into burnout and stress at work has found that one-in-four (24 percent) UK workers have taken time off in the past 12 months due to stress, while over a third (34 percent) have experienced burnout in the same period.

This information came as nearly three-in-ten (28 percent) say they are likely to change jobs between now and the end of 2025. The research comes from the company Avilio (a productivity and performance coaching provider).

The survey was based on a poll among 1,284 UK workers, 739 of whom were in management positions. Of those who are managers, 38 percent said they are stressed on a day-to-day basis in their professional lives.

When managers were questioned about their employers’ response to employee wellbeing, 58 percent suggested their organisation has initiatives in place to monitor and improve employees’ wellbeing. A similar number (61 percent) believe that their organisation cares about their stress and emotional wellbeing.

This comes as nearly three-in-ten (28 percent) employees say they are likely to change jobs between now and the end of 2025.

Philippe Masson, CEO of Avilio, tells Digital Journal: “Clearly, there’s a disconnect between the wellbeing initiatives in place and the actual needs of employees. Even though many feel their organisation cares about their stress and emotional wellbeing, rampantly high levels of stress and burnout suggest that current efforts are just not enough – it’s time for employers to change that.”

Masson follows this up by considering the tactics that companies can adopt to help to reduce the impact: “True support should go beyond awareness and tick-box policies. It requires consistent, proactive, evidence-based solutions that effectively reduce stress and foster a healthier workplace.”

There are other reasons why this is in the interests of the firm: “Such a significant proportion of workers taking time off consistently has clear financial implications for businesses and without robust solutions in place, they will continue paying the price. In addition, they risk losing out on top talent – and with so many looking to leave their jobs, it’s clear that retention should be a top priority.”

To do is also in keeping with the ‘good employer’ paradigm, observes Masson: “Greater levels of support to reduce stress and burnout would strengthen both employee wellbeing and staff retention rates. After all, a healthy and well-functioning workforce cannot be built on good intentions alone, but instead forged through meaningful policies that truly meet employees’ needs.”