An alarming trend is emerging in Australia, where millions of professionals are contemplating departure from their current roles due to the growing specter of workplace burnout. This pervasive issue continues to disrupt the professional landscape nationwide.
Recent findings from Allianz Australia reveal a troubling statistic: nearly 80 percent of surveyed employees, alongside 66 percent of managers, express skepticism regarding the enforcement of effective workplace practices and boundaries by their organizations.
An equally concerning 78 percent of managers identified systemic obstacles that exacerbate these issues, including insufficient time and resources, inadequate technological support, and competing workplace priorities.
An increasing number of Australians are weighing the option of leaving their jobs due to relentless workplace pressures. (Getty)
In parallel, 59 percent of employees reported experiencing work-induced mental distress, often triggered by excessive workloads, an overload of meetings, and unrealistic expectations.
On average, Australian workers claim to spend 3.31 hours weekly on tasks or meetings deemed “unnecessary,” and 32 percent admit to feeling unable to take adequate breaks.
Despite the implementation of new right-to-disconnect laws, 19 percent of employees indicated that technology hampers their ability to disengage from work, while 25 percent noted that financial burdens related to the cost of living adversely impact their work performance. Most workers report feeling overwhelmed by their workload.
Disturbingly, approximately 2.73 million Australians are contemplating resignations within the next year.
Allianz’s data reflects a significant 28.4 percent increase in mental distress compensation claims from the fiscal years 2021 to 2025, with the average duration of absence per claim escalating by 10 percent to 81 days.
“Our claims data indicates that mental stress and pressure at work account for 34 percent of primary active psychological claims, ranking as the second highest contributor,” stated Mark Pittman, Allianz Australia’s executive general manager for personal injury.
“While Allianz is dedicated to supporting injured workers affected by workplace stress, we are acutely aware that optimal outcomes stem from preventive measures.”
The research underscores a troubling inability among the majority of employees to allocate personal time for themselves, burdened by external pressures such as household responsibilities, caregiving, and unsupported parenting tasks such as school drop-offs.
Moreover, a stark minority of managers believe that their workplaces effectively cater to the needs of working parents and caregivers.
Ten professions in Australia that offer compensation surpassing that of a CEO.
“Allianz urges Australian organizations to adopt a holistic perspective regarding employee wellbeing,” stated Brianna Cattanach, Allianz Australia’s national manager for mental health strategy related to personal injury.
“Business leaders can foster this by implementing job designs that facilitate manageable workloads, a natural ebb and flow of work demands, sufficient recovery time during working hours, and clear guidelines for disconnecting after work.”
Helen Lawson Williams, co-founder of the anti-burnout initiative TANK, emphasized that while burnout manifests differently for each individual, it should not be regarded as an inevitable aspect of professional life.
“Employees are encouraged to recognize when their balance of stress and recovery is disrupted, which may present as fatigue, overwhelm, irritability, or diminished engagement with their work,” she remarked.
“It is crucial to express concerns before the situation escalates, and to be specific about factors that hinder stress management or recovery—whether due to meeting overload, inadequate breaks, unrealistic deadlines, or external pressures.”
Source link: 9news.com.au.
