Search Results for: burnout

Hybrid working should be supported by a licence

Hybrid working should be supported by a licence

A new report from workplace consultancy Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA) suggests that organisations could introduce a licensing system to ensure employees have the conditions to deliver high performance and work safely, in a hybrid working modelA new report from workplace consultancy Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA) suggests that organisations could introduce a licensing system to ensure employees have the conditions to deliver high performance and work safely, in a hybrid working model. This follows AWA’s most recent Hybrid Index Report, a study of nearly 120 workplaces in 22 countries, representing 155,000 employees, which found that workers are still only coming into the office an average of 1.75 days a week. More →

Half of workers are either bored or knackered

Half of workers are either bored or knackered

Almost half of employees are either bored or exhausted and many are both, according to new research from emlyon business school and published in the Journal of Vocational Behaviour [paywall]. The study, conducted by Lotta Harju, Professor of Work and Organisational Psychology at emlyon business school, investigated the prevalence and persistence of boredom and exhaustion manifest among Finnish and UK workers. Nowhere in the paper do the researchers use the term ‘knackered’. That’s down to us. More →

The words we borrow from other languages to talk about work and wellbeing

The words we borrow from other languages to talk about work and wellbeing

We are prone to borrow words from other languages to express ideas that otherwise need some explaining in English. This includes the way we talk about work, and specially the way we talk about wellbeing and happinessWe are prone to borrow nuanced words from other languages to express ideas that otherwise need some explaining in English. This includes the way we talk about work, and especially the way we talk about wellbeing and happiness. Perhaps most famously, there was a lot of talk about hygge a couple of years ago. A straight dictionary translation of hygge would be something like cosiness, but the word also embodies an emotion and an approach to life that embraces a certain degree of slowness and an enjoyment of the present moment. It’s no coincidence that it became modish in a distracted and hurried world. Although the concept is usually referred to as Danish, the word itself is shared with Norwegian, which also offers us the word koselig, which means cosiness but also hints at it being best enjoyed at a fireside. More →

Lack of employee engagement continues to dog organisations around the world

Lack of employee engagement continues to dog organisations around the world

A declining share of employees said they were motivated to go above and beyond at work, or were inspired to do their best work, according to the latest employee engagement benchmark data from QualtricsA declining share of employees said they were motivated to go above and beyond at work, or were inspired to do their best work, according to the latest employee engagement benchmark data from Qualtrics. The new proprietary data – aggregated from thousands of employee engagement surveys administered in 2022 – shows symptoms of burnout and a significant drop in confidence in leaders from 2020, when the pandemic ‘upended workplaces’ around the world. The report argues that employees are willing to tell their employers that they were struggling, and if something doesn’t change, they may look for a new job. Labour productivity also reflected this drop in motivation, the report claims. More →

People who drive networking in businesses often end up burnt out and abusive

People who drive networking in businesses often end up burnt out and abusive

People who adopt a role as a 'networking broker', connecting other colleagues and teams who might otherwise not know each other, often end up burnt out and more abusive towards their co-workers.People who adopt a role as a ‘network broker’, connecting other colleagues and teams who might otherwise not know each other, often end up burnt out and more abusive towards their co-workers. That is the key finding of a new study from ESSEC Business School published in The Journal of Organizational Science.  These networking go-betweens often receive career advantages such as faster promotions, unique information access, or a creativity boost. They play a critical role in the functioning of the organisational. However, there can be hidden psychological and social ramifications associated with this important role as they’re also more likely to suffer the consequences of being so socially adept. More →

Cost of living crisis and other employee concerns are top risk concerns of businesses

Cost of living crisis and other employee concerns are top risk concerns of businesses

The managers and owners of firms across the UK now believe that the cost of living crisis is the top risk to their business, closely followed by a range of employee related issuesThe managers and owners of firms across the UK now believe that the cost of living crisis is the top risk to their business, closely followed by a range of employee related issues, according to a new poll. Employee related risks in the top five include lack of skilled talent, employee retention and cost of salaries. Despite the cost of materials continuing to rise over the last 12 months, this risk has dropped back from first place in 2022. Risks relating to debts, late payments and fraud all make an appearance in the top ten for the first time. More →

The office no longer provides ‘separation between life and work’, remote work survey claims

The office no longer provides ‘separation between life and work’, remote work survey claims

office workers are experiencing the highest levels of burnout and lowest levels of happiness and job satisfaction when compared to remote and hybrid workersA new poll from IE University,  the WorkAnywhere campaign and Remote claims that office workers are experiencing the highest levels of burnout and lowest levels of happiness and job satisfaction when compared to remote and hybrid workers. The team behind the survey say this indicates that the office environment isn’t the effective separator between life and work that many believe it to be. According to findings from The Global Life-Work Survey, in the past month alone, 41 percent of full-time office workers experienced signs of burnout compared to 26 percent of fully remote workers and 34 percent of hybrid workers. More →

 It is possible to balance the positives and negatives of stress at work

 It is possible to balance the positives and negatives of stress at work

It’s important to know the difference between helpful and unhelpful stress and what this means for employers looking to improve workforce wellbeingStress is an inevitable part of everyday life, and our bodies are hard-wired to respond to it. However, it’s clear stress takes a regular, negative toll on organisations across the country. Last year, 17 million days were lost due to stress, depression or anxiety, which accounted for 51 percent of all work-related ill health cases and 55 percent of all working days lost due to ill health. Poor mental health costs employers between £1,205 and £1,560 per employee, per year. Some of the main causes of stress in the workplace include mounting workload pressures, increased responsibilities, and a perceived lack of support from senior management. More →

Most people now at risk of poor mental health as a result of social exclusion

Most people now at risk of poor mental health as a result of social exclusion

More than half of people in the UK have experienced social exclusion in the past year, leading to poor mental health and wellbeingMore than half of people in the UK have experienced social exclusion in the past year, leading to poor mental health and wellbeing, according to a new report from BUPA in partnership with ParalympicsGB. The poll suggests that 58 per cent of British people have felt excluded at some point in the past year – leading them to feel shut out when going about their daily life (28 percent), at work (27 percent) or within society (24 percent). Bupa’s survey also claims that 30 per cent of people have felt a negative impact on their general mental health due to their experience of social exclusion, with many left feeling isolated (41 percent), sad (41 percent) and anxious (33 percent). More →

Members of European Parliament back charter to ‘revolutionise workplace wellbeing’

Members of European Parliament back charter to ‘revolutionise workplace wellbeing’

The Future Workforce Alliance (FWA), a consortium of policymakers, researchers and firms such as Zoom and Remote, has launched the European Charter for Digital Workplace WellbeingMembers of the European Parliament have backed a new charter from a consortium of organisations that sets out to ‘revolutionise workforce policy’. The Future Workforce Alliance (FWA), a consortium of policymakers, researchers and firms such as Zoom and Remote, has launched the European Charter for Digital Workplace Wellbeing and claims that the step by MEPs signals the beginning of the life/work revolution and solidification of workers’ rights in the face of  what it refers to as ‘return to office lobbying’. More →

Three quarters of firms have now mandated some form of ‘return to office’

Three quarters of firms have now mandated some form of ‘return to office’

A new poll from Unispace claims that around 72 percent of companies globally have now mandated a return to office based workA new poll from Unispace claims that around 72 percent of companies globally have now mandated a return to office based work. However, many respondents also report losing key employees due to mandates, with recruitment also being impacted by enforced returns. The report concludes that companies are failing to recognise the drivers of workers’ reluctance to return to the workplace, and likewise, the opportunities and value that the physical workplace provides. More →

Workload and personal appearance now main sources of workplace anxiety

Workload and personal appearance now main sources of workplace anxiety

The chief sources of workplace anxiety according to a new survey is increased workload, followed by personal appearanceA new poll from The Adaptavist Group claims that three-quarters of UK office workers now say they experience workplace anxiety, with a little over one-quarter saying it happens often to almost all the time. This is a significant shift from just nine months ago when only 38 percent of respondents in Adaptavist’s Reinventing Work study said they suffered from anxiety upon returning to work. More →