Four in five (79%) UK employees have experienced burnout, driven by increased workloads, mental health challenges and pressure to meet deadlines.
Of those who experienced burnout, more than a third (35%) rated their level of burnout as “extreme” or “high”, the survey for technology platform Ceridian’s 2022 Pulse of Talent report found.
Asked the reasons why they felt burnt out, nearly half (49%) of staff said that their workloads had increased; 34% said they struggled with their mental health; and 32% felt pressured to meet deadlines.
Wendy Muirhead, vice-president at Ceridian Europe, said organisaitons had become “borderless, agile and always-on” and that employers needed to prioritise briniging forth the employee experience and culture staff wanted.
“It’s essential that organisations help take care of the holistic wellbeing of their people. Now is the time for employers to prioritise the employee experience, and leverage technology to deliver programmes that support wellness, skill development, and the benefits that employees want and need most,” she said.
“There’s a reset in employee expectations and the organisations that succeed are those that address these factors in meaningful ways.”
Meanwhile, private mental healthcare specialist Claimont Health has claimed that significant declines in mental health linked to employment have been consistent, regardless of the working situation of individuals during the pandemic.
Frontline key workers commonly reported a fear of the illness and feelings of guilt, whereas home workers described feelings of loneliness and a perceived lack of direction.
“During the pandemic, the ability to retain secure employment became extremely unstable for many, which has had a devastating impact on mental health,” said Fiona Carnes, Claimont Health’s head of people.
“It’s possible that we may not see the true long-term effects for a few years but it’s essential that the necessary support is given to all affected to prevent further declines.”
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NHS Digital figures have shown that one in 20 people in England were in contact with secondary mental health services in 2020-21.
Some 5% of people in England were known to have accessed secondary mental health, learning disabilities and autism services last year, compared with 5.1% the year before.
The figures covered the first full year that the Covid-19 pandemic hit, which affected the availability of some support services as the NHS focused on tackling the virus.
NHS Digital also released separate figures on the number of people using talking therapies to help alleviate conditions such as anxiety and depression. In England, 1.46 million referrals to talking therapies were made in 2020-21 – down 14.0% from 1.69 million in 2019-20. Of those referred, 1.02 million accessed the services – down 12.2% from 1.17 million the year previously.
More than half (51.4% of referrals) moved to recovery in 2020-21, up 0.3 percentage points from 51.1% in 2019-20, it added.
