Burnout expected to rise next year due to pandemic workplace changes, report finds

A new report has found that nearly half of employers are preparing for burnout to become widespread among employees next year because of the way the working world has been affected by the pandemic.

Robert Half, a recruiter based in the UK, carried out the research by surveyed 300 chief executives and senior managers found that the majority of them were concerned about how remote working had impacted staff loyalty.

Out of those surveyed, 90 per cent said they were concerned about how their company would keep valued members of staff, with many citing this as their biggest worry.

Meanwhile, nearly a third said their main concern when it comes to keeping staff was with overall dissatisfaction with corporate culture.

Due to lockdown restrictions and the increase in people working from home, those surveyed said that workplace activities have dropped significantly, with a decline in teamwork and a growing distance between colleagues.

However, two-fifths of those surveyed said that that ,moving forward, flexible working should be offered as standard to all employees.

The report illustrated the dilemma faced by employers to either offer more perks for remote working or reduce flexibility to encourage people to return to the office.

Matt Weston, Robert Half’s UK managing director, said: “Candidates are demanding flexible working conditions and businesses are delivering, but concerns are starting to emerge about the impact of home-working on corporate culture, leaving businesses between a rock and a hard place.

“It is crucial that business leaders find a way to balance flexibility with the culture and communication required to create a loyal and cohesive team.

“We’re already seeing a tsunami of turnover as employees shift their priorities and expectations in the wake of the pandemic, so business leaders need to listen carefully to strike the right balance and prevent their best talent from jumping ship.”