31

Mar 2022

Australians Are the Most Burnt-Out Workers in the World

By: Odyssey General, Outsourcing
Tags: burnout, Post-COVID, work life balance

The pandemic is as much a crisis of mental health as of physical health. Research by recruitment firm Adecco found Australians are the most burnt-out workers in the world, with more than half (53%) saying they had suffered from burnout over the past year.

Burnout is defined as a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.

The culture of being ‘always on’

The pandemic and the remote work revolution have solidified the culture of being ‘always on’. With the advent of working from home, many have found that the line between work and personal life has been blurred to the point that they are unable to disconnect even after business hours and this is the key reason behind most current workplace burnouts.

According to research by the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work, an average Australian works 6.1 hours of unpaid overtime each week, equating to $460 per fortnight. And it is no surprise, overworking is also the leading cause of resignations in Australia.

In a survey carried out by Limeade, 29% of respondents said the strain of working longer hours from home during pandemic lockdowns was the top reason they left their job. It is worth noticing that over 37% of respondents said they were leaving their workplace without another job lined up.

As a result, the scarcity of skills is increasingly evolving into a more critical concern.

Learn more: Australian Skills Shortage: How Accounting Firms Responded

What can accounting firm owners do?

The solution lies in reducing overwork. When staff feel that they are on top of their workload, get recognised for what they do, and feel supported in their work and career advancement, they are less likely to experience workplace burnout.

There is no better way to do this than to outsource. Through outsourcing mundane and time-consuming tasks, firm owners can free up significant time and allow in-house staff to focus on higher-value-added work. Not only does this help with staff work-life balance, but it also helps the firm stay competitive in the marketplace.

If you believe it is time to free up your local employees for better and more rewarding work, contact Odyssey now.

Share this article