Employee Burnout, A Workplace Concern For Singaporean Companies: 2 out of 4 Employees Experience Burnout As Per UserTesting Survey

Singapore, 15 September 2022: UserTesting (NYSE: USER), a leader in video-based human insight, conducted a survey to study the effects of employee burnout. As per the survey findings, over 50% of the Singaporean workforce stated workload as the major factor of their burnout whereas 20% stated unrealistic expectations to be the top cause of their stress. The sample set of this survey included professionals from across industries with 40% from tech backgrounds, followed by 10% working in sales/marketing and startups respectively. 

Mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion leads to employee burnout. A recent Mercer report from earlier this year, aligns with the UserTesting findings, albeit their rate of burnout in Singapore was higher, with “one in two Singaporeans intending to leave their jobs in the next six to 12 months.” In such cases, exploring new opportunities is a relief for some professionals. When UserTesting enquired whether Singaporeans are looking for a job change, about 25% of Singaporeans showed an inclination toward job change. 

Providing Flexible Work Hours - A Solution For Burnout As Per Employers 
Every employee is exposed to the risk of workplace burnout. Therefore, employers should not only promote employee well-being but also implement burnout prevention strategies for higher efficiency and productivity. In the survey, 50% of respondents stated that their employers ensured flexible work hours, and 25% indicated provisions for wellness programs to minimize burnout. Furthermore, 5% of respondents also reported that their companies planned company offsites and offered them to counselors. 

When asked about possible methods that organizations should take to prevent burnout, 80% of Singaporean employees indicated that their employers should ensure required downtime after work hours

Changing Workplace Dynamics Leads To Increased Work Hours 
The pandemic-induced lockdown forced companies to shift their work formats to remote where possible. This change led the companies as well as employees to realize the advantages of work-from-home opportunities, though one of its drawbacks was increased working hours as personal and work life began to blend. As per UserTesting latest survey, 45% of Singaporeans reported an increase in working hours due to the lockdown. 

Hybrid Work - A Means To Better Work-Life Balance
Remote working gained popularity during the pandemic as employees became comfortable with the new rhythm and began to see increased productivity.. As businesses started to reopen, a new work model has evolved–hybrid work. Owing to the flexibility that this work model provides,  85% of respondents surveyed stated that they can balance their personal and professional life better. Interestingly, 80% of Singaporeans said that hybrid work has led to increased work satisfaction. 

As a result, many Singapore companies have switched to a hybrid working model. A whopping 95% of respondents declared that they are still following the hybrid work model. Interestingly, Singapore’s Public Service Division (PSD) will be introducing hybrid working arrangements, reinforcing that “hybrid work is not an entitlement” and the requirements of the job “take precedence.”* This testifies that this new work mode is here for the long run. 

Sources: 
*HRM Asia