Fatigue is still plaguing employees

Nine out of ten employees feel fatigued from work

Employees have been through a lot in recent years. A pandemic, followed by a labour shortage, and then a recession. No wonder tiredness and fatigue are still the top physical impacts of work life, and this has only increased since 2022. We found that, because of work, in the past three months:

89% of employees experienced tiredness and fatigue, up from 85% in 2022
78% experienced problems sleeping, up from 73%
73% experienced anxiety, up from 63%
73% experienced difficulty in concentrating, up from 69%.

More concerning, 42% of employees felt tired and fatigued more than half the time, with 7% of employees suffering fatigue all the time. When employees feel tired for long periods of time, their risk of burnout increases dramatically. Little surprise, therefore, that 52% of employees are concerned about burnout.

Employers are responding

The good news is that there is evidence that companies are responding to better support employee wellbeing.

Almost two thirds (62%) of employees believe their workplace proactively manages their wellbeing, up from 53% two years ago.

We found an improvement across a range of metrics. Not having enough staff was still the top factor impacting workplace wellbeing, but this has fallen from 64% in 2022 to 47% in 2024. Other metrics include:

Fewer employees being impacted by poor work-life balance (36% in 2024 compared to 42% in 2022)
Less pressure to work long hours (34% compared to 39%)
Reduced concerns about lack of support from supervisors or managers (28% compared to 33%).

We also found the vast majority of employers remain committed to their employees and intend on investing in both strategic and wellbeing benefits. In the coming year:

84% said they would be investing in at least one strategic HR initiative
70% said they would be investing in at least one wellbeing benefit
15% are considering a four-day working week
11% are looking at investing in more than the mandatory sick leave.

What can you do?

To prevent fatigue and burnout in your workplace, there are several things you can consider, including:

Promoting work-life balance. This could include introducing flexible hours, encouraging regular breaks throughout the day, and ensuring staff are taking regular annual leave.
Foster a healthy work environment. This might include supporting physical activity, providing ergonomic workspaces and considering healthy snacks.
Monitor workloads. Set reasonable expectations, ensure tasks are delegated evenly throughout the team, and have regular check-ins.
Provide mental health support. Consider providing your staff access to an EAP service, consider mental health workshops and training for managers and senior staff, and provide training in mental health first aid.
Lead by example. Encourage healthy work habits and work-life balance amongst leaders. Foster a culture of open communication where employees feel comfortable to discuss their wellbeing.
Use technology wisely. Consider how new technology, such as AI tools, might reduce the number of manual tasks but set boundaries with no work-related notifications outside office hours.

Practical Solutions and Resources

Training courses

Personal Effectiveness – Managing Yourself

If you feel constantly stressed by your workload and consider yourself time-poor, this course will give you tips on managing your stress and feeling more in control. Brush up on your time management skills or suggest it to a colleague.

After, you’ll be able to:

Shift from time management to self-management and multiply your time efficiently.
Manage your top time wasters and deal with procrastination.
Understand four brain chemicals to better manage your stress response.
Create a ‘to do’ list based around priorities and delegate tasks.
Say “no” and handle interruptions more professionally.

Puzzle People – Effective Communication Model

If you want to improve your communication skills, enhance your understanding of the way others behave and help to build better workplace relationships, this course is perfect. You’ll find the content valuable whatever role you play in your organisation.

Identify your own unique communication style.
Recognise and respond to different behaviour styles.
Identify ways to improve communication and relationships in the workplace.
Adapt your style to benefit situations or relationships in a variety of roles in work and life.

eLearning modules

Dealing With Stress, Pressure and Burnout

Ever feel stressed at work? How do you react to high-pressure situations? Is burnout a threat to your wellbeing and productivity? The truth is that we’re all prone to stress, pressure, and burnout. Understanding what they are and how they work helps us create a better, more satisfying lifestyle.

Dealing with Stress and Pressure – which includes understanding the relationship between pressure and performance, how to manage your stress and increase focus plus how to perform under pressure.
Burnout Strategies – will help to define what burnout is and offer tips on how to recover from it.

Mentoring your Team

Gain an understanding of how to identify opportunities for mentoring and support teams and individuals to achieve their goals plus manage inconsistent behaviours while they make the changes needed.

Taking the perspective that your staff want to do well but sometimes need guidance, the module teaches your team leaders how to:

Identify opportunities for mentoring.
Support teams and individuals to achieve their goals.
Support team members with inconsistent behaviours while they make the changes they need.
Give constructive and timely feedback that gets heard.

Resource documents and policies

Webinar

Boosting business resilience

Your workforce is your biggest asset, that is why investing in your people makes good business sense, especially at times like these. After all, it is your team that will help drive your business to success and allow you to Survive to 2025.

Proudly brought to you by the EMA and Best Places to Work.

20 August, 11am, online.