Report on States with the Greatest and Least Amount of Employee Burnout in the Year 2024, as Detailed in a Recent Study
A new study by Social Market Way in 2024 highlights the importance of addressing burnout in the workplace, particularly in states with high employee burnout levels. The study emphasizes the need for policies and practices that promote work-life balance and reduce burnout.
Yassin Aberra, CEO of Social Market Way, urges businesses and policymakers to prioritize employee well-being to reduce stress, boost productivity, and improve employee retention.
Key Recommendations for Reducing Burnout
The recommended practices for states with high employee burnout levels include implementing flexible work arrangements, supportive wellness initiatives, and comprehensive benefits programs.
- Flexible Work Schedules: Allowing employees flexibility in their work hours or offering remote work options can help reduce stress by enabling workers to balance personal needs with professional tasks. This autonomy improves wellbeing and productivity.
- Compressed Workweeks or Reduced Work Hours: Alternatives like 4-day workweeks or half-day Fridays have been shown to lower stress and enhance job satisfaction without significant loss of productivity. Offering extra time off during the summer or holidays can also recharge employees.
- Supportive Corporate Culture: Fostering a culture of respect, empathy, and understanding where employees feel comfortable prioritizing personal life without fear of negative repercussions is crucial. Promoting inclusion and encouraging the use of time off can help avoid burnout.
- Comprehensive Benefits and Wellness Programs: Providing health insurance, mental health resources, wellness activities, and parental leave supports employees' holistic wellbeing.
- Role and Work/Life Conflict Management: Recognizing the impact of role conflict and work/life conflict on burnout, especially in high-stress roles or industries, is essential. Tailoring social support carefully is crucial, as family and supervisor support can sometimes intensify stress related to work/life conflicts. Peer support networks may help mitigate these effects.
- Establish Clear Working Hours and Boundaries: Encouraging employees, especially in 24/7 digitally connected roles, to set working hours and boundaries can help avoid the "always on" expectation. Using calendar blocks or status indicators can help clarify availability and reduce burnout.
- Encourage Pursuit of Personal Interests: Supporting employees to engage in hobbies and activities that reduce stress and improve mental health can have positive effects on job performance and satisfaction.
Together, these practices aim to reduce employee burnout by balancing job demands with personal life needs, enhancing support systems, and cultivating workplace policies that prioritize wellbeing.
State Burnout Levels
According to the study, Delaware reported a burnout score of 64.14, with workers averaging 40.8 hours per week. States like New Mexico, South Carolina, Arkansas, and Montana also ranked among the states with the least burnout, with burnout scores of 34.72, 36.59, 37.82, and 39.02 respectively.
Alaska reported the lowest burnout score at 30.04, with workers averaging just 27.7 weekly hours and moderate search interest in burnout-related terms (5.45 per 100,000). Vermont has a burnout score of 80.42, driven by significant burnout-related searches (7.72 per 100,000) despite a relatively shorter average workweek of 37.8 hours.
The study by Social Market Way ranked Wyoming as the state with the highest employee burnout score in 2024, at 86.29. States with the highest burnout scores, such as Wyoming and Vermont, show a combination of high search interest in "work stress" and above-average work hours.
Taking Proactive Measures
Aberra recommends that employers implement policies that promote work-life balance, such as flexible working arrangements and reasonable work-hour limits. States with lower burnout levels should maintain practices that support healthier work environments to ensure continued workplace stability.
By taking proactive measures, businesses and policymakers can create a more sustainable workforce, reducing burnout and improving overall workplace conditions.
- To promote mental health and reduce burnout, companies can institute fitness-and-exercise programs as part of their workplace wellness initiatives, encouraging physical activity and stress reduction.
- By fostering a culture that values health-and-wellness, businesses can encourage employees to prioritize mental health, providing access to resources such as counseling and stress management workshops.
- In states with high burnout rates, implementing science-based strategies that address work-life balance, such as 4-day workweeks and supportive wellness initiatives, could lead to a significant improvement in employee well-being.
