Despite the increase in hybrid work, women suffer more from ‘burnout’ syndrome

Almost half of women suffer from burnout syndrome, and as many as 53 percent believe that their stress levels are higher than they were a year ago, according to the latest Deloitte report ‘Women in the Workplace 2022: A Global Perspective’.

The survey, which included the views of 5,000 women from 10 countries, revealed concerning long-term effects of high exposure to stress, harassment, or microaggressions. It uncovered alarming facts about the ‘new normal’ of work, as nearly 60 percent of women whose jobs involve a hybrid work model, that is, a combination of working from home and working in the office, stated that they already felt excluded.

As stated in the press release, nearly 40 percent of women are actively seeking a new employer due to burnout, more than half of the respondents want to leave their current employer in the next two years, and only 10 percent intend to stay with their current employer for more than five years.

– Despite the fact that many employers have introduced new ways of working to increase flexibility, our research shows that new ways of working carry the risk of excluding those who would benefit the most from them, and the majority of respondents experienced exclusion while working in a hybrid environment – said Helena Schmidt, a partner in Deloitte’s tax consulting department and regional leader of the SheXO initiative for the CE South region.

Schmidt also emphasized that an alarming number of women reported being exposed to increased stress and suffering from burnout syndrome. Employers are struggling to address this issue as burnout syndrome is the main reason women are currently seeking new jobs.

– The findings of the survey illustrate the importance of actions that go beyond policies, namely measures that truly introduce well-being, flexibility, and a daily culture of respect and inclusivity – said Schmidt.

Limited Opportunities for Advancement

Almost half of the respondents rated their mental health as poor or very poor, and one-third of the respondents took days off due to mental health issues, the press release states. Likewise, only 43 percent of respondents feel comfortable discussing mental health issues in the workplace.

The number of women seeking a new job at the time of the survey increased compared to last year’s survey, with 10 percent of respondents stating that they are actively looking for a new job. Forty percent of respondents from that group indicated that burnout is the reason for this. Among the respondents who left their employer, 22 percent cited a lack of advancement opportunities as the main reason since the beginning of the pandemic.

The future, in fact, is not bright for employers. More than half of women intend to leave their employer within two years. This trend is more pronounced among employees at the middle management level and in non-managerial roles. Namely, less than a quarter of women in those positions intend to stay with their employer for more than two years. Only 10 percent of respondents intend to stay with their current employer for more than five years.

Workplace Issues

While many organizations have transformed their strategies over the past year by introducing flexible and hybrid work models, many women reported that they have yet to feel the benefits of new ways of working.

Only 33 percent of women stated that their employers offer the option of flexible work, and only 22 percent indicated flexibility regarding the place and time of work as a new policy that their organizations introduced during the pandemic. Moreover, 94 percent of respondents believe that requesting flexible working hours will affect their chances of promotion.

In addition to flexibility, the introduction of hybrid work has brought additional challenges. Almost 60 percent of women working in hybrid environments feel that they are excluded from important meetings, and 45 percent stated that they are not in sufficient contact with managers, which is crucial for professional advancement and sponsorship. It is concerning that the hybrid work model does not guarantee the predictability that women who care for someone need, and only 26 percent of them stated that their employer provided clear guidelines on how and where to work.

As stated in the press release, this year’s survey also revealed that women working in hybrid environments are more likely to report experiences of microaggressions than women who work exclusively remotely or exclusively in the office. Furthermore, the percentage of women who experienced ‘exclusionary’ behaviors in the past year increased, from 52 percent in 2021 to 59 percent in 2022.

Exactly half of the women reported experiencing microaggressions, while 14 percent of women experienced harassment.

When it comes to reporting exclusionary behaviors, the fear of career repercussions remains. Namely, 93 percent of respondents believe that reporting exclusionary behaviors will negatively impact their careers. Only 23 percent of microaggressions are reported to employers, compared to 66 percent of harassment cases that are reported.

Minority Groups More Prone to ‘Burnout’

Although exclusionary behaviors affect the majority of respondents, the research results show that women belonging to ethnic minority groups in their countries, LGBT+ women, and women in lower management positions or non-managerial positions are more likely to be exposed to such behaviors.

Furthermore, women from ethnic minority groups are more prone to burnout than women from majority ethnic groups. Additionally, they are more likely to be excluded from informal interactions and to be talked down to.

Women who belong to the LGBT+ group are 10 percent more likely to be talked down to or underestimated based on gender and 7 percent more likely to be addressed in an unprofessional or disrespectful manner than women who do not belong to the LGBT+ group.

Burnout levels vary according to professional levels. Sixty-one percent of women in middle management roles and younger women aged 18 to 25 reported feeling burned out, indicating that women in these groups are more frequently exposed to high levels of burnout. Additionally, women from these groups more often state that they intend to leave their employer in the next two years.

Inclusive Culture a Priority

Deloitte’s research showed that there is a group of ‘gender equality leaders’, or organizations that, according to the respondents, have created truly inclusive cultures that support their careers, work-life balance, and promote inclusivity.

Women whose employers lead in gender equality report significantly higher levels of engagement, trust, and job satisfaction. Eighty-seven percent of women working for such employers state that their employer provides appropriate support regarding mental health issues, and the same percentage of women feel comfortable discussing their mental health in the workplace. Furthermore, these respondents have far more positive experiences with hybrid work. Interestingly, only 3 percent of these women reported feeling burned out.

It is clear that there are benefits for women working for employers who lead in gender equality, but there are also undeniable advantages for the business itself. Thus, no woman whose employer is a leader in gender equality is currently seeking a new job, only 9 percent intend to leave their employer in the next 1-2 years, and 90 percent rate their motivation to work as good or excellent.

– Building or maintaining a truly inclusive culture should be a priority for all corporations – said Schmidt, adding that this means organizations need to address the issue of burnout, make mental health a priority, and approach hybrid work organization by establishing inclusive and flexible policies that truly work for women.