Burnout has become a lasting issue in Australian workplaces, staying persistently high over the last 10 years. A recent study finds that almost three million Australians plan to quit their jobs within the next 12 months. Perhaps more importantly, this trend is largely a reflection of widespread burnout. This disturbing trend points to the continued need for strong and proven strategies. We need to double down on mental health and general employee well-being across every industry.
Industries such as health care, education, and retail have the highest incidence of burnout. This trend is largely driven by the immense psychological anguish. Associate Professor Ross Iles, chief research officer at Superfriend, an Australian not-for-profit organization dedicated to mental health training and support, highlights that this distress manifests as generalized stress and anxiety impacting individuals in numerous aspects of their lives.
“Psychological distress is that generalised stress and anxiety that people experience in all aspects of their life.” – Ross Iles
Iles signals a deep connection between experiencing long-term psychological distress and increased levels of burnout. Workers who put up with extreme stresses are much more likely to experience burnout. There is a growing awareness of the importance of addressing mental health issues in workplaces. This increase in total supply has not resulted in a meaningful decrease in burnout.
Mark Pittman, executive general manager personal injury at Allianz Australia, agrees it’s high time something is done on this front. Allianz’s recent research identifies three primary solutions employees desire to mitigate burnout: enhanced training for managers to support employee well-being, a reduction in unnecessary tasks and meetings, and the implementation of recurring mental health days off work.
“We encourage Australians to take a proper break, set boundaries and prioritise recovery activities such as sleep and exercise, and making these small changes can really make a difference in helping to prevent burnout.” – Mark Pittman
Employees say its hard to find the time to make time for yourself when you have to work overtime. Workplace leaders therefore have a basic moral imperative to create spaces where health, happiness, and productivity are fostered.
Iles acknowledges that the industry has made positive strides, but says the culture and stigma around mental health conversations still needs work. These companies have recognized that less than half of Australian workers are comfortable discussing mental health with their employer. This number has been stubbornly static over the years.
“While we’ve been making progress, we still find that less than half of Australian workers feel comfortable talking to their manager about mental health, and we find that figure hasn’t shifted too much.” – Ross Iles
In order to truly address the issue of burnout, Iles says it starts with dismantling the stigma around mental health conversations. He’s convinced that designing opportunities for employees to come together is the key. This practice contributes to fostering a climate of positive workplace culture.
“So it’s really important to break down that stigma, and that will help prevent burnout.” – Ross Iles
These results, from Allianz and Superfriend, highlight the urgent need for employers to address their vital role in the fight against burnout. On a personal level, creating strong, supportive, positive, karma kind of relationships and workplaces are key ingredients in fostering employee well-being and happiness.
Iles points to an alarming increase in psychological distress among workers across all industries — including high levels of presenteeism and absenteeism. Retail, health care, and education have been hit especially hard. He sounded a note of caution that education campaigns have started. The changes that are being put into place aren’t moving fast enough to address the worsening tide of burnout.
“When we focus in on particular industries like retail, health, and education, that’s actually becoming a much more important factor. In fact, it’s getting worse.” – Ross Iles
