Survey Says Employees Who Work From Home Suffer Burnout

According to a recent study commissioned by LinkedIn, three out of five (58%) HR managers are worried that the mental health impact of working from home due to Coronavirus is so serious that they will lose staff, who could be ordered to take time out of work due to burnout.

The study also found that more than half (54%) of HR managers believe mental health issues such as anxiety, isolation, and burnout have become more widespread amongst workers in their organisation due to the impact of coronavirus on the way we work, and 56% fear lower team morale.

Here are some findings from the study:

• 4 out of 5 agree that the extended period of working from home has encouraged a culture of ‘ePresenteeism’

• Employees in the United Kingdom who are currently working from home are clocking up an extra 28 hours of monthly overtime since the lockdown

• 4 out of 5 HR managers say they have the right skill set, knowledge, and tools to support employees

54% of HR managers mental health issues such as anxiety, isolation, and burnout have become more widespread amongst workers

What is ePresenteeism?

‘ePresenteeism’ means that employees feel that they should be online and available as much as possible even if out of hours, or if they are unwell. 3 out of 4 (75%) respondents think that ‘ePresenteeism’ has the potential to negatively impact employees’ mental health by causing further stress, burnout, and anxiety.

This study is a partnership between LinkedIn and The Mental Health Foundation to raise awareness of the issue and encourage people to reach out for support.

Employees feel overworked and overwhelmed

LinkedIn also surveyed office workers on their response to working from home since COVID-19. The majority (86%) feel that remote working is harming their health as they feel the need to prove to bosses that they are working hard and deserve to keep their jobs. 

On average, employees who work from home are clocking up an extra 28 hours of monthly overtime since the lockdown. This is equal to almost four days of work. As a result, nearly a third (31%) say they are now sleeping poorly, 30% have experienced rising anxiety and 24% admit their mental health is suffering.

Even though many of them are struggling to work from home, 2 out of 5 (44%) said that they feel more connected to their family. Over half (54%) can also see the benefits that come with working from home and would like their employer to give them the choice to do so more often.

HR managers believe they have the right skill set to support employee mental health

Though the sudden, enforced working from home restrictions are having a negative influence on mental health for many employees, HR managers are well equipped to support them. 

4 in 5 (82%) think that if an employee were to open up to them about their mental health problems while working from home, they feel confident they have the right skill set, knowledge, and tools to support them.

Companies are already stepping up

Organisations are already taking measures to combat mental health and the side effects of ‘ePresenteeism’ occurring during the extended working from home period caused by COVID-19:

• 34% have introduced additional private mental health support (e.g. private healthcare)

• 44% have introduced professional mental health support

• 33% have enforced working hours or banned out of hours emails

• 36% have introduced additional mental or physical training sessions (e.g. yoga, meditation)

• 33% have introduced additional holiday, sabbaticals and flexible working hours

Promisingly, more than half (57%) of HR managers say that companies and senior leaders take employee mental health seriously.

Source: The Undercover Recruiter

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