A Mercer report from 2024 found 82% of workers said they were at risk of burnout. A study conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness and Ipsos shows more than half of the workers surveyed said they had experienced burnout because of their job in 2023, according to Fast Company.
However, employers may not realize how widespread burnout is among workers. A new report by Care.com shows that although 84% of companies surveyed know burnout can significantly affect retention, employers believed only about 45% of their workers were at risk of burnout while 69% of employees said they were at moderate to high risk of burnout.
The report polled 600 human resources executives and 1,000 rank-and-file employees and points to caregiving responsibilities as a main factor behind burnout. Of respondents who pay for family care, most say caregiving puts them at higher risk of burnout, and their stress in the workplace is worsened by managing work expectations alongside caregiving.
Care.com found workplace benefits that help support caregivers can help. Mental health resources have become popular benefits, and some companies provide caregiver support in the form of subsidies or backup care coverage.
About one in five employees said they have quit jobs because of a lack of caregiver benefits or they would leave their current job for a role that offers those benefits. Forty-five percent of employees who have access to caregiver benefits say their productivity increased, and 40% report lower rates of absenteeism. Additionally, more than half of employees said caregiver benefits boosted their quality of life, improved their work-life balance and reduced stress levels.
Although employees and employers largely agree companies can and should help families manage the cost of caregiving, it is not always clear how to help. It is crucial employers take the time to understand what their workers need.
