About 65% of employees said they suffered from burnout last year, according to a Dec. 18 report from isolved, a human resource management system.
Employee burnout has decreased somewhat compared to 2022, according to the report, but it’s still heavily affecting productivity. About 72% of employees said burnout impacted their performance.
“Leaders need to keep a close eye on employee experience in 2024,” Celia Fleischaker, chief marketing officer at isolved, said in a statement.
“The critical nature of customer experience is often prioritized over the employee’s day-to-day workplace experience, but the reality is the two are very intertwined, and a poor company culture can detrimentally impact an organization’s bottom line and long-term competitiveness,” she said.
According to the report, 88% of employees said it’s become more important to have a job they find personally fulfilling. In addition, 53% want their employer to provide more opportunities to develop their skills, and 52% want a more flexible work environment.
Importantly, about 19% want improved internal communications, which surpassed the 18% who said to “pay employees market value.”
“This year’s report found that one of the top reasons employees are not satisfied with their current role is because they’re underwhelmed by their company’s culture,” Fleischaker said. “Successful businesses are focusing on creating and maintaining employee experience that meets employees’ needs and wants. Creating employee experiences that matter is great for business.”
As employees continue to face high levels of burnout, leaders can lead with listening, Jim Link, CHRO of the Society for Human Resource Management, wrote in an op-ed for HR Dive last year. By listening to employees regularly and giving daily feedback, leaders can respond to minor concerns before they become major issues that lead to burnout and attrition.
As part of this, top leaders should pay attention to burnout among HR pros who are trying to recruit, retain and help employees, according to a Gartner report. It’s important to recognize the changing role of HR, invite participation among staff and support business-enabling digitization.
Offering mental health tools and work-life balance perks could reduce burnout and boost employee satisfaction and retention as well, according to an Aflac report. Employees want their employers to care about their well-being and help them stay ahead of burnout, but fewer believe their employer cares about them or their mental health, the report indicates.
