While the topic of wellbeing is core to our purpose and is always on the agenda for the Thrive Advisory team, the nuance of mental health is particularly top of mind today, on World Mental Health Day and throughout October as Mental Health Awareness month. The Mental Health Month theme for 2024 is ‘Let’s Talk About It’, emphasising the significance of open dialogue and communication regarding mental health across various platforms and settings. We couldn’t agree more, particularly as we reflect on recent research evidence.
Australia is the most “burned out” nation in the world, according to a recent global survey of 16,000 adults. Of the 15 countries surveyed, Australians were in the “top burnout zone” with 55% of Australian participants reporting the chronic stress condition. The concerning findings were published in 2024 Global Wellbeing Report, conducted by Edelman Data & Intelligence. New Zealand, placed second in the top global burnout zones, followed by Canada in third place and Malaysia in fourth. The United States ranked fifth of fifteen, and broader alarming statistics leading U.S. surgeon general Vivek H. Murthy to describe mental health as the “defining public health crisis of our time”, indicating the criticality that we focus on understanding the causes, forms, differentiators and support related to diverse mental health conditions.
Burnout is distinct from anxiety and depression
An article on ABC News highlighted the ongoing research into the area of burnout, and in particular the ongoing challenge of recognising burnout as distinct from other mental health conditions; particularly anxiety and depression. Catherine Taylor points out that despite the significant impact on individual’s lives, burnout is not officially recognised as a mental health condition in Australia, though researchers are campaigning to change this.
Gabriela Tavella, a researcher at the University of New South Wales is conducting a PhD study on burnout, aiming to identify specific symptoms and establish a definition that recognises burnout as a distinct disorder. Her work builds on the well-established Maslach Burnout Inventory, which identifies and measures three components to burnout; exhaustion, de-personalisation and a sense of reduced professional efficacy.
However, there is ongoing debate over whether these three components are sufficient, with Tavella’s research (some still under peer review) pointing to two new symptoms; social withdrawal and cognitive issues (trouble focusing/concentrating and recalling information). In seeking to officially recognise burnout as a mental health condition, Tavella is attempting to disentangle the symptoms of burnout and depression. The presence of a common symptom in social withdrawal serves to emphasise this overlap. Lack of empathy may hold the key to differentiating between burnout and depression with lack of empathy being more common with those experiencing burnout.
Another approach to disentangling the two conditions is to look at the causes of burnout compared to depression. Tavella points out that burnout tends to be a structural problem, a common example being the experience of overload at work. These are problems external to the person.
Physically speaking, it is represented as the chronic activation of the stress response. Burnout can dysregulate the automatic nervous system causing the body to react as if it is in a constant state of stress with impacts on heart rate and hormone levels. When the body remains in a chronic state of stress our body’s capacity to fight off illness and disease becomes compromised. Longer terms, experiencing chronic stress is associated with higher rates of mortality. Researchers are currently exploring whether a simple test of cortisol levels in saliva might aid in distinguishing between depression and burnout.
Burnout is influenced by personality
Interestingly, personality type is also thought to be linked to burnout, with those that possess emotional sensitivity, goal and detail orientation and conscientiousness seemingly more vulnerable. However, personality traits such as extraversion may also protect against burnout. It is possible that an extravert’s desire for engagement with the external world makes social withdrawal less likely and therefore buffers against burnout.
Burnout is being experienced differently across generations
While there has been a spike in burnout across all age groups, the Edelman research of 16,000 participants across 15 countries determined that Gen Z is more impacted by the condition and its challenges than any other demographic. The data indicates 58% of Gen Z Australians are struggling to find a sense of purpose, compared to 40% nationally, resulting in 85% of Gen Z Australian participants reporting they are experiencing burnout, compared to 55% of Australians across the other generations. Causality of this effect is challenging given how complex it is to disentangle the role of social media and the Covid-19 pandemic effects from broader macro-economic conditions, geo-political and social factors. Social comparisons and what is often highly curated content on social media appear to be one driver with almost one in two (45%) of the Edelman research participants describing they have felt societal pressure to “appear well” even when they don’t feel it.
Early burnout warning signs
If you are reflecting on your personal burnout or concerned for colleagues, friends or family members, some early signs of burnout include”
At the team, division or organisational level, some key metrics to monitor include:
Systemic organisational interventions are required
While numerous interventions for stress and burnout exist, complex forces appear to be at play, preventing many from addressing their burnout. Of those experiencing “high levels” of stress in the Edelman study, a staggering 2 in 3 admitted they felt “powerless” when it comes to improving their overall wellbeing.
Unfortunately, burnout is still frequently treated as an individual issue not systematic one. Despite the efficacy of some individual solutions, we at Thrive believe a more systemic approach is required to actually address burnout. In our 2023 Mental Health Month post, we highlighted the significant role that increasing “collaborative demands” play in stress and burnout and the extent to which employees believe their organisations engage in wellbeing washing, versus demonstrating a true commitment to understanding and addressing the key organisational factors exacerbating the issue.
As this McKinsey insight paper highlights, organisations are increasingly investing in mental health in order to respond to the rise in burnout and other wellbeing challenges. However, whilst 9 in 10 organisations offer some form of wellness program, research is suggesting that focusing on individual interventions alone (i.e., the symptoms rather than drivers of burnout) is having a limited impact.
Research outlined by Jennifer Moss in her book ‘The Burnout Epidemic’ highlights that when asked to point to which aspects of work most compromise mental health, things like unreasonable workloads, low autonomy, lack of social support and a feeling of never switching off are most frequently mentioned. Given that these are the ultimate drivers of burnout, it is perhaps not surprising that many of the well-intentioned wellness programs currently in place are not having extensive impact.
This is exacerbated by a difference in perceptions between employees and employers on the general state of wellbeing in their organisations. The McKinsey Health Institute observed an average 22% gap with employers consistently perceiving more favourable mental health and wellbeing. According to this research the single biggest contributor to burnout outcomes was Toxic Workplace behaviour, accounting for 70% variance in burnout symptoms. Given that toxic workplace behaviour drives not only burnout but also intent to leave, this is not something that organisations can afford to ignore.
As you reflect on this research and consider the Mental Health Month theme of ‘Let’s Talk About It’, what do you feel uniquely positioned to discuss with your colleagues, friends and loved ones? What role will you play to create the psychological safety on your team to discuss burnout and mental health more broadly? How will you spotlight the need to take holistic approaches at your organisation?
