Global studies have shown two in five IT professionals are at high risk of burnout, and in IT security, it’s more than half.
So, what causes employee burnout in the tech industry?
That is the same question the anonymous workplace review service Blind asked 10,000 tech workers at 30 of the biggest tech companies. They tried to discover the main factors leading to burnout in their organization.
This is what the survey revealed:
- 9% of tech workers say that poor leadership and unclear direction is the #1 factor for burnout.
- 4% of tech workers say that work overload contributes to burnout.
- 5% of tech workers believe that a toxic workplace is a cause for burnout.
- 4% of tech workers listed poor control and career growth as a reason for burnout.
- Out of the 30 companies, 25 have an employee burnout rate of 50% or more. Only five companies have a burnout rate of less than 50%. Around 60% of the employees at Lyft report feeling burned out, 59.5% of the Amazon employees, 58% of the AirBnb employees, and 57% of the employees at Apple.
As some of the best companies in the world have a high rate of burnout, the tech industry might have a serious problem.
A recent report by Beamery has found that more than half of tech workers are concerned that they will be made redundant by their current employer. This lack of job security will undoubtedly lead to work-related stress increasing the risk of burnout.
Another factor, which could be contributing to increasing rates of burnout in the Tech sector, is that working from home is common practice. This may mean that employees are less able to seek support from their colleagues and that management has reduced awareness of the full extent of an employee’s workload and the associated pressure they may be under. Another consideration is that employees who work from home often report an expectation to always be available and that they find it difficult to relax at the end of a working day.
As working from home has become the “new normal”, employers in the Tech sector should consider whether additional support would be appropriate to ensure that this is not having unintended detrimental impacts on employees.
What does it take to assure a more positive work environment for many stressed-out technology workers and professionals?
Several strategies can be utilized by employers to minimize the risk of Burnout.
According to BTOEmploymentLaw.com, management should:
- Be aware of the common symptoms of burnout.
- Monitor the workload and working hours of their team members.
- Communicate openly about the pressures the team may be facing at work.
- Recognize and reward professionally achievements and development.
- Identify additional support, for example a 24/7 counselling service, that can be provided to support employees who may be struggling, and ensure employees are aware of this.
Source:
Adeva.com
BTOEmploymentLaw.com
Yerbo