Most senior managers say staff experiencing burnout: survey

Unmanageable workloads cited as top reason

Most senior managers say staff experiencing burnout: survey
Nearly all senior managers in Canada (96 per cent) believe their team members are experiencing some degree of burnout, according to a survey from Accountemps. Shutterstock

Nearly all senior managers in Canada (96 per cent) believe their team members are experiencing some degree of burnout, according to a recent survey from Accountemps.

And 95 per cent of Canadian workers said they are at least somewhat burned out, found another survey by the staffing firm.

When respondents were asked to report the level of burnout among employees on a scale of one (not at all burned out) to 10 (completely burned out), the average was 5.7.

One in five respondents rated their team's burnout eight or higher.

Workers cited an average burnout level of 5.6, with 22 per cent of respondents falling within the eight to 10 range, found the survey of more than 400 workers.

Reasons for burnout vary

As to what may be contributing to employee burnout, workers ranked first constant interruptions and putting out fires, while senior managers cited unmanageable workloads, found the survey of more than 600 senior managers.

"Burnout can be a costly symptom of a workplace culture that doesn't prioritize employee wellbeing; it's detrimental to both the health of the individual and the business itself," said Koula Vasilopoulos, district president at Accountemps.

"It's in an organization's best interest to proactively help their teams manage stress levels and prevent burnout. Frequent check-ins with staff to gauge workloads, flexibility with close deadlines and leading by example in encouraging staff to disengage from work after hours can help managers set the foundation for a more productive, positive and committed workforce."

 

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