Burnout and the Gig Economy: What Employers Need to Know
In an always-on workforce, workers are expected to keep up with taxing demands, often leading to burnout. Business leaders must learn how to support workers in upgrading their skills to future-proof their careers and find satisfaction in their work, writes Sandy Slager, President, Skye Learning
Whether you’re a workforce veteran or a relative newcomer to your industry, the expectations and pressures on today’s workers are intense. Rapidly evolving technologies are reshaping the workplace and changing how we think about the future of work. And our always-on work culture has also affected how we think about the traditional, 9-to-5 workday. The result? Greater turbulence in the workplace, as employees in virtually every industry, face increasingly high-pressure work situations.
Skye Learning’s second annual Work Confidence surveyfound signs that this turbulence is increasing: workers reported sharply reduced confidence in their job security, increasing reliance on part-time jobs and “side gigs,” and – most striking – high levels of “job burnout.”
These findings are consistent with other research that’s been in the news recently. This past October, Harvard Business Review reported that half of Millennials and 75 percent of Gen Zers have voluntarily left roles in the past for mental health reasons. Many experts categorize this phenomenon as job burnout, a condition so widespread that the World Health Organization recently deemed it an occupational syndrome. Job burnout is defined by three elements that include:
- Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
- Increased mental distance from one’s job, including negative feelings or cynicism about the job
- Reduced professional efficacy
Each dimension of job burnout wears on a worker’s sense of confidence and autonomy, and together they threaten the endurance and stability of the workforce. As the effects of job burnout continue to loom over many workers, HR leaders need to understand this phenomenon as they work to foster a more productive, balanced, and positive workforce.
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Understanding burnout and the gig economy
Skye Learning’s Work Confidence survey found that nearly half of Americans work eight to 12 hours a day, leaving them only a few hours for their lives outside of work. As the “always-on” work culture becomes the norm, American workers face an increasingly difficult task in balancing their work lives and their personal lives. Reflecting this mounting pressure, more than 74 percent of survey respondents reported experiencing at least some level of job burnout this year.
The survey found that the most frequent signs of burnout include a perceived lack of opportunities for advancement; deteriorating relationships with supervisors; and dissatisfaction with pay. Once burnout reaches a critical stage, workers may slip into a downward spiral of fatigue that can ultimately lead to leaving a job altogether.
But many workers take the opposite tack: more and more employees are now choosing to extend their stressful workdays by adding an additional job, or side hustle. Even as their full-time jobs become more stressful, many employees who feel unfulfilled and under-compensated are seeking out a second job as a source of motivation and supplemental income.
The survey found that one-third of American workers have entered the gig economy with a freelance or part-time job, and nearly 30 percent more are thinking of joining the gig economy. Depending on the nature of the work, a side gig can make economic sense. According to theOpens a new window rel="nofollow noopener" title="Opens a new window" target="_blank"> 2019 Freelancing in America study, conducted by Edelman Intelligence, a freelance job in skilled services earns a median rate of $28 an hour – more than what 70 percent of the American workforce currently earns.
Even for those whose side gigs aren’t that lucrative, many workers are finding that the gig economy empowers them to find new passions, explore new opportunities for growth, and even switch careers to find work-life balance. And business leaders should understand that these trends are not a passing phase – they’re here to stay.
Learn More: 4 Ways HR Professionals Can Help Employees Beat Burnout in Today’s Always-On Workplace
Overcoming modern workforce dilemmas
Fostering an engaged, happy, and healthy employee base is a crucial concern for employers in every industry, which is why modern HR practices and policies need to evolve with the changing workforce. One example: many companies are beginning to implement email blackout periods to encourage their workers to sign off at 7 p.m. Other options, according to a recent survey by USA Today and Linkedin, including offering more flexible working options; increasing salaries; and investing in new skills and training. Policies such as these enable employers to show that they care about their workers’ work-life balance.
In particular, investing in skills and training has the potential to yield significant long-term benefits. Helping employees build on their skills not only gives them a chance to learn more about their area of expertise, but it also helps them amplify and bolster their career goals.
Remember: the only thing worse than a burnt-out, overworked employee base is a company that doesn’t care enough to try to solve the problem. By contrast, companies that understand the risks of a frenetic workforce can help future-proof their employees’ well-being, attract and retain top talent, and boost their bottom lines in the long run.
Learn More: Work Burnout is Preventable: Here’s How