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Analysis

Workplace Burnout Survey

Burnout without borders

Deloitte’s external survey explores the drivers and impact of prolonged, unmanageable stress that may lead to employee burnout.

Deloitte’s marketplace survey on burnout

Professionals today are undoubtedly feeling the pressure of an ‘always on’ work culture, causing stress and sometimes leading to burnout.

Deloitte’s external marketplace survey of 1,000 full-time US professionals explores the drivers and impact of employee burnout, while also providing insight into the benefits and programs employees feel can help prevent or alleviate burnout versus those their companies are currently offering.

The findings indicate that 77 percent of respondents say they have experienced employee burnout at their current job, with more than half citing more than one occurrence. The survey also uncovered that employers may be missing the mark when it comes to developing well-being programs that their employees find valuable to address stress in the workplace.

Additionally, the survey found that:

  • Employee burnout has no boundaries: 91 percent of respondents say having an unmanageable amount of stress or frustration negatively impacts the quality of their work. 83 percent of respondents say burnout from work can negatively impact their personal relationships.
  • Passion may not prevent workplace stress: 87 percent of professionals surveyed say they have passion for their current job but 64 percent say they are frequently stressed, dispelling the myth that passionate employees are immune to stress or burnout.
  • Many companies may not be doing enough to minimize burnout: Nearly 70 percent of professionals feel their employers are not doing enough to prevent or alleviate burnout within their organization. 21 percent of respondents say their company does not offer any programs or initiatives to prevent or alleviate burnout.
  • Companies should consider workplace culture, not just well-being programs: One in four professionals say they never or rarely take all of their vacation days. The top driver of burnout cited in the survey is lack of support or recognition from leadership, indicating the important role that leaders play in setting the tone.
  • Burnout affects millennial retention: 84 percent of millennials say they have experienced burnout at their current job, compared to 77 percent of all respondents. Nearly half of millennials say they have left a job specifically because they felt burned out, compared to 42 percent of all respondents.

Visit our special section on Thrive Global for more insights and perspectives on stress management and burnout.

Deloitte’s 2015 external workplace well-being survey found that that one-third of employees do not feel comfortable taking vacation time.

More insights

  • Parental leave survey: Deloitte’s external workplace survey on parental leave found that more than one-third of men and women surveyed think that taking parental leave would put their job in jeopardy.
  • Does scarcity make you dumb? Deloitte Insights takes a behavioral science approach to understand how scarcity diminishes decision making and how slack can help address it.
  • Future of work: Deloitte Insights looks at what changes could be in store for the workplace, the workforce, and the nature of work itself.

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