Women suffer burnout at work: what can companies do about it?
A recent report by McKinsey and LeanIn.org confirmed what various studies have indicated over the past year: the toll that the pandemic continues to take on employees – especially on women, who are more burned out than they were a year ago. McKinsey recommends three actions companies could take to support managers’ efforts in addressing burnout at work.
According to the 2021 Women in the Workplace report that surveyed more than 65,000 workers in the U.S., 42% of women and 35% of men have felt burned out in the last few months – up from 32% and 28% respectively last year.
One in three women says they have considered downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce this year, compared to 1 in 4 who said this a few months into the pandemic. Additionally, 4 in 10 women have considered leaving their company or switching jobs – and high employee turnover in recent months suggests that many of them are following through.
“The immediate challenge for companies is to help employees get through the pandemic – and the work to get this right is far from over,” says McKinsey, adding that companies should also start to plan for the future.
What can companies do to address burnout?
In an article published in the Harvard Business Review, the authors of the report – Jess Huang, Alexis Krivkovich, Ishanaa Rambachan, Tijana Trkulja, and Lareina Yee – suggest three actions that companies can take to alleviate burnout.
Set company-wide working norms
Even though remote work offers flexibility, which most employees value a lot, it also leads to more burnout as there is the idea that they should be available to work 24/7. According to a TINYpulse survey, about 86% of remote workers in the United Stated say they’ve experienced a great deal of burnout, compared to roughly 69% of in-person employees.
To take pressure off managers, McKinsey suggests that companies establish basic working norms, such as putting guardrails around off-hours communications and clearly setting expectations on response time.
“Companies should also make it clear that evaluations are based on performance, not promptness in answering a late-night email. And most importantly, managers should model these behaviors: show that it is okay to not always be “on” by unplugging and setting healthy boundaries,” the authors say.
As companies embrace flexibility, they also need to set clear boundaries.
Equip managers with the training and resources they need to lead
Managers are in the best position to identify and address burnout in the workplace. So, they have an important role to play and need to be at the forefront supporting their teams.
McKinsey says that companies should first raise awareness among managers on the challenges employees face in the workplace – by providing, for example, managers with tools, such as surveys, to easily pulse check their teams.
“Companies then need to move this awareness to action, by regularly offering and promoting trainings and resources for managers on topics such as how to spot burnout, be an ally or an inclusive leader.”
Formally recognize the work managers do to support employees
When managers do support employees, this should be officially recognised and rewarded, the authors of the report suggest.
To effectively address burnout, companies should measure how managers are supporting their direct reports as part of performance reviews. “Without accountability and formal recognition, this critical work could be at risk of being relegated to the ‘office housework,’ or that which contributes to the business but doesn’t typically lead to advancement or compensation,” McKinsey warns.
Key Takeaways
McKinsey recognises the steps that many companies have taken to help employees weather the pandemic, including adding support for parents and caregivers, and offering more paid leave. “These steps have led to better outcomes for all employees, and they have likely played a key role in helping women to stay in their jobs.”
But as burnout is still on the rise, especially among women, continued investment will be critical. The report suggests that companies should look for opportunities to expand on these initiatives, and should establish new norms and systems to improve employees’ everyday work experiences.
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