While recent data shows a steadily improving U.S. labor market, some employed Americans are concerned their jobs are negatively impacting their wellbeing. According to a new survey from Yoh, a leading international talent and outsourcing company owned by Day & Zimmermann, nearly one in three (32%) employed Americans experienced job burnout at least once in the past year. The survey was conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of Yoh from October 22-24, 2024, among 1,201 adults ages 18 or older who are employed full or part time.
However, while only 32% of employed Americans admitted to experiencing burnout, nearly half (45%) said they experienced one or more other listed indicators of / contributors to job burnout at least once over the past year, despite not saying they experienced job burnout overtly.
- 34% said they sacrificed their personal life (e.g., exercise, hobbies, taking care of their home) for the sake of their professional responsibilities.
- 31% said they have been required to take on additional responsibilities without decreasing their existing workload.
- 27% said they felt as if they could not take time off from work despite wanting to.
- 19% said they have been required to work more days in their company’s office instead of working from home.
- 19% said they felt overwhelmed because they had to care for a loved one at home on top of their workload.
- 16% said they felt overburdened by the number of meetings they were required to attend.
- 15% said they have been unable to consider other job opportunities because of their workload.
More than a quarter of employed Americans (27%) indicated experiencing job burnout and at least one other listed contributor to burnout at least once over the past year, while only 22% reported not experiencing burnout nor any other listed contributors to burnout.
“Our latest survey underscores the invisible threat job burnout poses to all companies and their employees. If left unaddressed, companies risk compromising their employees’ productivity and satisfaction, not to mention their own long-term success. To protect against employee apathy and unwanted turnover, it’s critical for leaders to pursue policies that prioritize workplace wellness,” said Emmett McGrath, President of Yoh. “For those looking to hire, having an understanding of the common pain points and stressors burdening workers can provide a leg up on the competition for talent. By proactively and explicitly addressing issues such as work-life balance, time-off benefits, work-from-home policies and other support resources throughout the hiring process, organizations can position themselves as sensitive to the needs of employees and committed to their wellbeing.”
DIFFERING CONTRIBUTORS TO BURNOUT
The survey results suggest certain indicators of / contributors to burnout differ along demographic lines. According to the findings:
- Younger employees were more likely to report having to take on additional responsibilities without decreasing their existing workload (37% of those aged 35-44 vs. 27% of those aged 55-64). The same is true of white employees (34%, compared to 25% of Black employees).
- Those who were more likely to report feeling overburdened by the number of meetings they were required to attend include employed Americans who:
- Are younger (22% of those aged 35-44 vs. 11% of those aged 55-64)
- Hold a college degree (22% of college graduates vs. 11% of those who completed high school or less and12% of those who completed some college)
- Have children in their household (20% of those with children in household, 12% of those without children in household)
- Employees who are parents of a child under age 18 were nearly twice as likely as those who are not to report feeling overwhelmed because of needing to care for a loved one at home on top of their workload (25% vs. 14%, respectively).
ADDITIONAL SURVEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:
- Older respondents were more likely to not report experiencing job burnout nor any listed contributor to burnout (25% of those aged 45-54 and 31% of those aged 55-64 vs. 15% of those aged 18-44).
- Male and younger employees may be particularly susceptible to job burnout without realizing it. Half of male employees (50%) did not report experiencing burnout yet reported experiencing at least one other listed contributor to burnout, compared to 39% of female employees. Likewise, half of employees aged 18-44 (50%) reported similar experiences, compared to 43% of employees aged 45-54 and 39% of those aged 55-64.
- Female employees were more likely than men to say they have experienced job burnout in the past year (36% vs. 29%)
To learn more about the complete survey findings and Yoh’s staffing solutions, visit www.yoh.com.
SURVEY METHODOLOGY
This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Yoh from October 22-24, 2024, among 1,201 adults ages 18 and older who are employed full or part time. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/-3.2 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact Joe McIntyre at joe@gobraithwaite.com.
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