Nearly Half of U.S. Employees Feel Burnt Out, With One in Four Attributing Stress to the COVID-19 Pandemic

ARLINGTON, Va., April 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Forty-five percent of U.S. employees say they are burnt out, with one in four indicating that the cause is attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic according to a new national poll by Eagle Hill Consulting. Workers indicate that top causes of burnout are their workload, trying to juggle their professional and personal life, a lack of communication, and time pressures.

These findings come as millions of American workers face unprecedented circumstances – either working around the clock on the frontlines of the pandemic, worrying about protecting their business or job, or struggling to work from home. 

Register here for a webinar on Wednesday, April 15, 2020, at 2:00 PM ET to review the findings and discuss practical steps to help employees combat burnout, regain focus, productivity and connection. The session will include Melissa Jezior, Eagle Hill Consulting president and chief executive officer, and Binita Amin, Ph.D., PLLC, licensed clinical psychologist.

More than one-third (36 percent) of employees say that their organizations are not taking steps to address employee burnout, the survey found. Also, only 34 percent say that their employers are increasing flexibility while 26 percent say communications are improving. Few employees (20 percent) say they are provided with mental and physical wellness resources, and 14 percent say their organizations provide avenues to express their burnout.

"Employee burnout was a problem before the coronavirus global pandemic, and now the risks of burnout are painfully acute during this crisis," says Melissa Jezior, president and chief executive officer of Eagle Hill Consulting.

"The mistake many leaders make is treating burnout as a personnel issue when it's really an organizational issue. It's incumbent on employers to create an organizational culture that supports employees during times of crisis and avoids burnout when we're not facing an emergency. Ultimately, the costs of burnout are high – from low productivity to mistakes to high turnover," Jezior explained.

Key findings of the Eagle Hill Consulting COVID-19 Workforce Burnout Survey are as follows:

• Nearly half of U.S. employees (45%) say they are burnt out, with one in four feeling this way because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Workers indicate that the top causes of burnout are their workload (45 percent), trying to juggle their professional and personal life (35 percent), a lack of communication (32 percent) and time pressures (30 percent).
• More than one-third (36%) of employees say their organization is not taking action to combat employee burnout. Only 20 percent say they are provided with mental and physical wellness resources, few (19 percent) say their goals are changing, and 18 percent say their employers are working to make workloads more manageable.
• 37 percent of employees indicate that they are more attentive to customer needs.
• 46 percent of employees say they now are more likely to stay in their job, while 36 percent say they feel less positive about their career.
• Amid the crisis, 45 percent of employees say they are less productive and 50 percent feel less connected to their colleagues.

During the webinar, the speakers will review key steps employers can take to address burnout including:

• Creating a culture that supports psychological well-being.
• Building team resilience.
• Focusing on getting "unstuck."
• Practicing self-care.

The 2020 Eagle Hill Consulting COVID-19 Workforce Burnout Survey was conducted online by Ipsos from April 8-10, 2020. The survey included 1,001 respondents from a random sample of employees across the United States, polling respondents on burnout in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eagle Hill Consulting LLC is a woman-owned business that provides unconventional management consulting services in the areas of Strategy & Performance, Talent, and Change. The company's expertise in delivering innovative solutions to unique challenges spans across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, from financial services to healthcare to media & entertainment. Eagle Hill has offices in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Boston, MA and Seattle, WA. More information is available at www.eaglehillconsulting.com.

SOURCE Eagle Hill Consulting

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