5 Ways Work Must Change

People across the nation and across the world are burned out, exhausted and depressed. And the talent revolution (aka the great resignation) is perhaps the best evidence things are far from ideal in the world of work.

Burnout isn’t new, and news of burnout isn’t really news. So why is it still an issue, and what can we do about it? There are solutions—for employees, leaders and organizations in terms of rethinking work and reimagining organizations.

But first, it’s important to appreciate the significance of the issues.

Burnout is Widespread

Burnout is a feeling of being exhausted or trapped in a job with no options to grow. it is also characterized by cynicism and feelings of ineffectiveness. Burnout is also increasingly correlated with depression.

And burnout is widespread across the globe. A new study by Asana, looked at over 10,000 knowledge workers across seven countries, and found approximately 70% of people experienced burnout in the last year.

Considering generations, 84% of Gen Zs report burnout along with 74% of Millennials and 47% of Baby Boomers, according to the Asana study. And based on McKinsey research, 25% of Gen Zs, 13% of Millennials, 13% of Gen Xs and 8% of Baby Boomers reported feeling emotionally distressed with low levels of wellbeing.

Looking at women and men in the Asana study, 67% of women report burnout, and 59% of men report burnout, and overall, 63% of employees experience burnout. Sadly, 40% of workers believe burnout is an inevitable part of success.

In addition, research by Deloitte and Workplace Intelligence across four countries, found workers were dealing with all kinds of issues related to burnout and wellbeing.

• 43% of workers reported being exhausted always or often
• 42% were stressed
• 35% were overwhelmed
• And 23% reported they were depressed.

Burnout is Damaging

Burnout is hard on people, and it also has negative effects on organizations. In particular, according to the Asana study, when people experience burnout, they are also more likely to have lower morale (36% of people), be less engaged (30%), make more mistakes (27%) and miscommunicate (25%).

They are also more likely to leave the company (25%). And according to the Deloitte/Workplace Intelligence research, 47% of employees have quit in the past when a job negatively affected their wellbeing, and 57% are considering quitting to find a role that better supports their wellbeing.

Rethinking and Reinventing Work

But with all the burnout data, it is possible to find solutions and respond proactively—to increase employee wellbeing and positively impact organizations.

Create Meaning

One of the most potent antidotes to burnout is meaning in work. Companies and leaders can align people’s passions with their responsibilities as much as possible, and also remind people of how their work contributes to co-workers and to the vision for the organization as a whole. In addition, leaders can ensure they’re providing plenty of growth opportunities and pathways for career development. And leaders can provide recognition and appreciation for every job—reinforcing the importance of each person and their unique contribution.

Research also demonstrates the power of time outside of work for satisfaction at work. Ironically, when people are happier in their activities away from work, they tend to perceive greater joy within work as well. So, companies can ensure people have enough flexibility to enjoy time away from work, and also avoid a culture of overwork—ensuring people can get a break on weekends or vacations without negative stigma.

Create Belonging

People crave connections and they’re not getting them today—either within or outside of work. The Deloitte/Workplace Intelligence study found 24% of people are lonely and a study by BetterUp found 22% of people don’t have even one friend at work. According to the study, 69% of people are dissatisfied with the amount of social connection they have at work.

So organizations can create the opportunities for people to come together in affinity groups, common interest groups and to do work across department boundaries. Happy hours or collaborative volunteer work are great options for team building, but even more powerful, is to create a sense of belonging via shared projects and common goals where people can work together to invent something new, solve a problem or learn together.

Create Leadership

One of the primary reasons people leave an organization is because of their leader—leaders have a significant impact on the work experience. Companies are wise to offer development for leaders so they can evolve their approaches to hybrid work or new ways of working, and model good practices where they take care of their own wellbeing.

Leaders are also most effective when they communicate well—with transparency and clarity, even when they can’t provide certainty. And the best leaders inspire and empower people.

Leaders also contribute to positive experiences at work when they demonstrate empathy and compassion. In fact, the Asana study found 51% of people don’t feel comfortable talking to their manager about burnout. A better alternative is when leaders are able to foster open, sharing relationships with team members.

Leadership increasingly requires emotional labor, so supporting leaders and developing their skills is good for leaders. It is also good for all employees affected by their roles.

Create Supports

In addition to linking people with meaningful work, colleagues and leaders, organizations can also reduce burnout by ensuring policies, practices, processes and places support people. The Asana study found 22% of people felt they had too much work to do and 13% of people reported they struggled with unclear processes, too many meetings or unclear deadlines. In the Deloitte/Workplace Intelligence study, 30% of people said they had heavy workloads.

Companies are wise to ensure work is distributed equitably and reasonably, and that processes support getting things done efficiently and working through problems constructively. It’s also important that wages, benefits and policies support people comprehensively.

In addition, offices should offer a positive experience with plenty of variety in places to get work done—from focused and collaborative work to learning, rejuvenating and socializing efforts—and the opportunity for choice as well. Places should provide neighborhoods where people can connect and environments which are invigorating, nourishing and stimulating rather than demotivating, depleting or draining.

Create Perspective

Another key to reducing burnout is managing the thinking about work. Unfortunately, work has become shorthand for drudgery, but in reality, work is an opportunity to express talents and skills and contribute to the community. In addition, it’s helpful to realize no job is ideal. There will always be things about a job you like more, and some you like less—and this is okay.

And no matter how much you like a job, it won’t be all happy all the time. It’s natural to experience ebbs and flows in levels of satisfaction at work. Sometimes you’ll feel on top of the world, and other times work will be especially challenging or stressful.

If your expectations are too high—with pressure to be in an ideal role and happy all the time—it will be impossible to meet expectations, and depression and burnout can be the result. It’s better to be realistic and understand work will have ups and downs and its own seasons. Employees, leaders and organizations can shift their own narratives—to appreciate the opportunity to work and contribute, and know it won’t always be perfect.

In Sum

Burnout is reaching incredible proportions today, but it’s possible to hope for better. Understanding the data and the enormity of dissatisfaction with work is an important step toward creating a better future of work.