Eagle Hill Consulting has been tracking employee burnout levels since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
In that time, the Arlington, Va.-based management consulting services provider has seen public sector workers experiencing symptoms of burnout at a higher rate than that of their private sector counterparts.
In 2023, for example, Eagle Hill polled 1,001 U.S. employees, including 475 federal, state and local government workers. In that survey, 52% of public sector respondents said they were struggling with job-related burnout, compared to 46% of private sector employees saying the same.
That 52% figure actually represented a slight decline from the previous year, when 56% of public sector survey participants told Eagle Hill that their work had left them feeling fried.
Eagle Hill Consulting has shared the results of its most recent employee burnout survey, and the findings paint a similar picture, with public sector burnout trending slightly downward, but remaining “stubbornly high.”
The consultancy’s latest poll garnered responses from 1,247 U.S. workers, including 515 government employees. Among these government workers, 41% said they were dealing with work-related burnout. Gen X-age government employees reported higher levels of burnout, at 49%, with the same number of employees with children in the household saying they are burnt out.
At 48%, workload was the most frequently cited factor driving these consistently high levels of government burnout, according to the survey. Another 44% cited staff shortages, with the same percentage pointing to the demands of juggling personal and professional life.
In the roughly four years that Eagle Hill Consulting has been conducting surveys focused on worker burnout, employees have consistently noted that remedies such as increased flexibility (69%), four-day work week options (68%), decreased workload (65%) and working from home (60%) would help alleviate their work-related stress.
Ultimately, while Eagle Hill’s research sees burnout levels continuing to drop among the government workforce, “it’s still too high,” said Melissa Jezior, president and CEO of Eagle Hill Consulting, in a statement.
“Our latest worker burnout research finds substantial burnout levels, and the burnout drivers have remained virtually unchanged. Workers continue to say that the burnout solution lies in offering more flexibility and addressing their workload levels,” Jezior said, urging government employers to pay heed to high levels of employee burnout and what’s driving it.
“When workers are burnt out, they’re less productive, engaged and innovative,” she concluded. “And they’re more likely to leave their jobs, especially given that opportunities in the private sector typically offer higher pay. Worker views provide a roadmap for addressing burnout, and agencies that consider that input and take action will be best positioned to achieve their mission.”
24 June 2024
Category
HR News Article