Recent research from Vitality has found that one in eight employees claim to have experienced frequent burnout in the past year while two in five (40%) say their job is a primary source of stress in their life. 

Furthermore, 67% of employees believe they have experienced some form of burnout in the past 12 months. With burnout existing on a spectrum that ranges from feeling overwhelmed by excessive workloads to emotional exhaustion, disengagement and reduced motivation, the findings highlight the varied ways workplace pressure can affect employees.

In fact, despite 65% describing their mental health as good, many employees said they were struggling to maintain their health alongside work demands, with only 58% saying they have enough time to look after their mental health, and 61% able to say the same about their physical health.

Vitality’s Britain’s Healthiest Workplace research previously highlighted the significant impact poor mental wellbeing, stress and burnout can have on workplace productivity through reduced performance, disengagement and lost working time. The findings indicate there may be opportunities for organisations to further support employee wellbeing to overcome this gap, as over a quarter of employees (26%) are struggling at work due to their mental health while a third (33%) are struggling at work due to stress.

The research found that SME employees are less likely to have access to the formal wellbeing support typically available in larger organisations. But with high levels of stress and burnout reported across the workforce, employers may need to focus not only on support services, but also on addressing the underlying causes of poor health and wellbeing.

The findings suggest employee wellbeing needs vary considerably from person to person, reinforcing the challenge of relying on a one-size-fits-all approach. This is where personalised health and wellbeing support has the potential to make a meaningful difference.

Gary Impett, Director of Corporate, VitalityHealth, said “The findings reinforce that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to employee wellbeing. Burnout rarely has a single cause and rarely presents in the same way for every employee. The challenge for employers is understanding the pressures their people face and ensuring support is relevant to their individual needs. Organisations that listen to those needs have an opportunity not only to improve wellbeing outcomes, but also engagement, productivity and retention.”