Burnout Across a Diverse Workforce

Written by Arief Kartolo & Christine Yip, edited by Lillie Sun

Everyone can burnout. But is the experience of burnout similar across age groups, gender and income levels? The answer is no. Here is what we know.

According to Statistics Canada, 1 in 4 Canadian employees reported feeling high levels of stress on a daily basis. While this data point is important to help us understand the scale of the problem, it does not help us determine why, who, or what is causing people to burnout. A corporate CEO and an individual who works shift work may share similar symptoms of burnout, but the causes that led them there and the consequences of their burnout are vastly different. We dug deeper to identify how burnout is experienced differently across different income levels, age groups, and gender.

It is important to note that the data and research available on differential experiences of burnout is limited. However, taking stock of what data we do have today is an important starting point — not only for us as we continue to identify practical solutions to address burnout across different work environments, but for organizational leaders and managers who are looking to build healthier, more supportive, and productive workplaces for their people.

Burnout at the Extremes

The relationship between stress and income level is best demonstrated with a U-shape curve, with those having an annual household income under $40,000 or over $80,000 being more likely to report a high level of stress than those with incomes in between.

While the majority of those highly stressed individuals (62%) reported work as their main source of stress, several notable distinctions were found between the two groups.

Among those in the higher-income group:

• 45% reported work as the main source of stress.
• 43% attributed their stress to not having enough time in a day.

In addition, a 2018 survey found that more than 800 senior executives worldwide reported that they worked nearly 70 hours per week. Research on Canadian senior executives found that although most spend 66% of their waking hours working, many reported a desire to work 20% less.

Among those in the lower-income group:

• Only 17% reported work as a contributing source of stress.
• 40% reported financial insecurity as the main source of stress. Other research has shown a direct link between financial insecurity and burnout.

Although only 17% of the lower-income group identified work as their main source of stress, other studies have shown that certain job characteristics that are more common in lower-income roles — less variety of tasks, high levels of repetitiveness, fewer opportunities for creativity, fewer opportunities for career development — do contribute to an increased risk of burnout.

This is concerning as those in lower-income roles who do experience burnout do not have as much flexibility as those in higher-income roles to address feelings of burnout. For example, it may be more difficult to adjust work schedules, take time off, or change jobs or companies compared to those in higher-income groups. One study found employers are less willing to consider work flexibility (e.g., scheduling) as an option for lower-income employees, and have reported less sympathy for lower-income employees’ needs. This means experiences of burnout for low-income earners are more likely to be overlooked or brushed off by their employers, and could be much more debilitating and detrimental to their longer-term mental and physical health.

Millennials are the Most Burnt Out Generation

A staggering 84% of millennials (i.e., those who were born between 1982 and 1997) reported having experienced burnout in their current jobs, in comparison to 77% of all 1,000 respondents of a recent Deloitte Marketplace Survey in 2018.

One study conducted with 2,073 Canadian employees confirmed this pattern, reporting younger employees between the ages of 20 to 35 to be more susceptible to burnout. Research suggests that the prevalence of burnout among younger employees is due to several factors:

• Younger employees may have fewer occupational experiences and resources to cope with various facets of work-related stressors.
• They most likely hold positions with lower levels of authority and are given less latitude in the decision-making process.
• Almost half of the millennial workers in Southern Ontario experience some degree of job insecurity (i.e., working short term, freelance, or temporary work) and financial insecurity.
• Millennials have accrued more debt from post-secondary education compared to previous generations. These experiences result in more mental health challenges and concerns.

In comparison, older employees may have access to more resources to cope with work-related stressors. They are more likely to work in more stable occupations, have access to more power and decision-making authority, and may have also developed appropriate networks of support to protect themselves from burning out. This is by no means suggesting that older employees are immune to burnout. Rather, research points to the fact that older employees may have accrued experiences that make them better equipped to cope with stress, making them less susceptible to burnout than their younger counterparts.

Women are Stretched Thin, Men Suffer in Silence

Many studies and reports suggest women are more susceptible to burnout than men, however one meta-analytic study that analyzed the results of 183 studies found no significant differences in the prevalence of burnout across genders. While this means burnout is experienced by both men and women, research shows that the experience and impact of burnout do significantly differ across genders.

Exhaustion vs. Apathy

Research found burnout in women is more likely to manifest as emotional exhaustion, while for men symptoms of apathy and depersonalization are more common. Studies suggest women are more likely to voice and express their psychological distress (54% vs. 44%, women vs men), whereas men are more likely to suffer in silence where they shut off and withdraw from tasks when they are burning out (57% vs 43%, men vs women).

Toxic Masculinity

For men, toxic masculinity contributes to various forms of health risks, including burnout. Toxic masculinity can show up at work as four distinct behaviours:

• Showing no weakness
• Displaying absolute strength and stamina
• Putting work above all else
• Embracing ruthless competition

Men who adhere to these behavioral norms are at a higher risk of burnout, and are likely to be experiencing this in silence. But the impact of these behaviours and norms are not limited to just men. The same study showed that women were also negatively impacted by this toxic masculinity culture, leading to high levels of stress and ultimately burnout. The difference is, however, in the stereotypical expectations and the pressures of societies around gender roles. Men are supposed to demonstrate strength and embrace competitive environments. The impact of toxic masculinity is more prevalent amongst men as a result of gender role stereotypes, social pressure, and oftentimes self-imposed, expectations.

The Double Shift

While research has shown burnout is most likely to come from work-related sources for men, for women burnout is more likely to be driven by sources both inside and outside the workplace.

Studies have found women engage in more responsibilities from multiple domains, including responsibilities from work, family, and childcare. In 2018, Statistics Canada reported women spend an average of 2.5 hours more per day on unpaid work activities, such as childcare and housework then men (5.4 hours vs. 2.9 hours/day, women vs. men). For example, full-time employed women with young children spend a total of 5 hours 13 minutes per day, whereas men in the same situation spend only 2 hours 59 minutes per day. As a result, women experience greater role overload and role conflicts from multiple domains, which explains why fatigue is the prevalent symptom of burnout among women.

The Glass Ceiling

Studies also found many working women — compared to men — are given lower levels of authority and decision-making power. One study found women over the age of 55 are more likely to burnout, as they hit the glass ceiling and are less likely to receive equivalent improvements in work conditions (e.g., social support at work, job security, working schedules) in comparison to their male peers. These inequitable conditions coupled with the double shift standard, lead to frustrations and elevated stress levels, contributing to the more frequent occurrences and report of burnout among women over the age of 55.

Key Takeaways

Unfortunately, burnout is an experience that is shared by many, but the causes and consequences of burnout differ depending on income level, age, and gender. Research suggests that lower-income workers struggle with fear and pressure rising from financial insecurity and millennials struggle in an increasingly precarious labour market. Men face pressure to show no weakness and women continue to struggle to balance home and work demands while trying to break the glass ceiling.

Increasing our understanding of the different experiences of burnout across a diverse workforce is more important than ever. With many people still working from home with little to no social interaction or balancing competing family demands, leaders and managers need to take the time to understand and invest in their team’s well-being. It is time to go beyond managing productivity, and focus on how to support, connect, and build trust across teams. Organizations and leaders who are able to successfully do this will see the payoffs in the short and long term. They will be rewarded with loyalty, commitment and energy from their team.

There is a famous quote: “People may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” The question is, when your teams look back at these extraordinary times, what will they remember? How did you and your team get through it, and how did you care for each other along the way?

For more information on burnout across different employee groups, or to learn how your organization can help address these issues please visit our website www.orgsforimpact.com.

About the Authors

Arief Kartolo is a PhD candidate in the Applied Social Psychology program, with a specialization in Industrial and Organizational Psychology at the University of Windsor. His research focuses on intergroup conflicts and resolutions in the workplace; specifically, with conflicts stemming from cultural and demographic diversity, such as stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination. He is a research member at the Centre for Culture and Organizational Research, and has experience providing consultation services for both non-profit and private sector organizations.

Christine Yip is the Founder and Managing Director of Organizations for Impact. She has spent her career helping leaders across sectors build more inclusive, safe, empowering, and productive workplaces. She holds a masters degree in Organizational Psychology from the University of Guelph and in Social Policy & Planning from the London School of Economics. Her education and work experiences have fuelled her passion for making work better — better for individuals, managers and for society.

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