Whilst December can be a stressful month at the best of times, according to survey data from people analytics company, Visier, more than a third (36%) of UK employees feel more stressed about the festive season this year when compared to last year.
Two thousand and six full time employees who work at UK organisations employing more than 250 people were surveyed online and mentioned the cost of living crisis (79%), being able to afford Christmas presents (55%) and fear of new year redundancies (18%) as key reasons why they were more anxious this year.
However, it is not just financial worries that are causing concerns this festive season, as more than two thirds (67%) of employees currently feel burnt out and a further 57% admit to feeling more burnt out than they did at this point last year. As more than a third (36%) of employees stated they still had more than 10 days of annual leave allowance left to use before the end of the year, Visier concluded this signalled “a clear cause of exhaustion and burnout.”
Ian McVey, EMEA MD at Visier said:
“Stress is a major issue at work, and the repercussions can be huge for business performance. December should be a time of celebration, a time to unwind, spend time with the family, and celebrate the successes of the past year. But 2022 has not been a normal year. Understandably, employees are tired, and feeling concerned about the current economic climate we find ourselves in. The challenge for businesses is the knock-on impact that these feelings of fatigue will be having on employee morale, and overall business performance.”
They continued:
“Employees will look to their employers for support, direction and reassurance through the turbulent times ahead. Businesses must understand how teams are feeling, and engage employees in conversations about burnout - including the importance of taking time off - using workplace tools to gauge their stress levels. Leaders, including line managers, can then also work with individuals to reduce work-related exhaustion and provide support where it is needed most.”
