Workers in the Asia Pacific are facing increased burnout due to a lack of separation between work and personal life as well as the worry of contracting COVID-19, according to Microsoft's latest Work Trend Index report. Close to one-third of workers in the Asia Pacific cited increased rates of burnout over the past six months. The lack of separation between work duties and personal obligations negatively impacts their well-being. Surveying across eight countries globally including Australia, Japan, India, and Singapore, found that Singapore and India were the top two countries in the region with workers facing increased burnout, at 37 percent and 29 percent respectively. In addition, close to 34 percent of Asia Pacific respondents cited concern about contracting COVID-19, due to the lack of tech or protective equipment provided, resulting in increased stress levels.
Rosalind Quek, General Manager, Modern Workplace, Microsoft Asia said, "In the last 6 months, we have seen how COVID-19 has contributed to the evolution of the workplace from a physical space to one residing in a virtual world. As businesses adapt to a new way of working, it is important to examine the multifaceted impact these changes are having on employees and provide relevant and timely solutions."
Inspired by this research Microsoft created productivity tools to promote individual well-being and organizational resilience including:
- A virtual commute experience that prepares users for the day and aids mindfully disconnecting in the evening.
- New insights that support managers and leaders in understanding how work happens and the impact on employee well-being.
- A curated set of mindfulness and meditation experiences with Headspace for firstline workers.
- New Teams experiences for firstline Workers to support them with the tools they need to work more safely.
The pandemic increased burnout at work in some countries more than others. In Asia Pacific, 29 percent of respondents cited that the pandemic has increased their sense of burnout at work. However, Microsoft's research showed that everyone is experiencing this differently. For instance, Microsoft found that 37 percent of workers in Singapore are experiencing higher rates of burnout than those in Australia, India and Japan. While burnout can be attributed to many factors, longer workdays impact feelings of burnout. For example, workers in Australia saw the highest increase in workday span in Microsoft Teams at 45 percent, with a medium increase in burnout while workers in Germany saw very little change to workday span or feelings of burnout.
The report also revealed that the top stressor shared globally was worry about contracting COVID-19, followed by the lack of separation between work and life, the feeling of disconnect from co-workers, and lastly an unmanageable workload or hours. In Asia, the study found that over 34 percent of workers have not been provided the tech or protective equipment they need to effectively social distance by their company, resulting to increased stress levels. This was higher than the global average by 4 percentage points. In addition, among the stressors reported by remote workers, the lack of separation between work and life and the feeling of disconnect from co-workers ranked highest.
Some countries across Asia cited different factors contributing to work stress. In Australia and Singapore, the separation between work and life was the top stressor, with the feeling of isolation as a close second. However, in countries such as India and Japan, 42 percent and 26 percent respectively, cited the inability to social distance and the worry over contracting COVID-19 while on the job as their top stressors. With the lack of separation between work and life and with unmanageable work hours, as top workplace stressors, people are in significantly more meetings, taking more ad hoc calls, and managing more incoming chats than they did before the pandemic. With remote working, after-hours chats, or chats between 5 pm and midnight, have increased notably.
No commute is hurting, not helping. For years, HR has been studying how commute has helped maintain work-life boundaries and worker's productivity and well-being. A 2017 study by Microsoft helps us understand the productivity benefits of commute time. As part of the study, a digital assistant used chat conversations featuring task- and emotion-based questions to help participants prepare for the workday and then later detach. The study found that 6 in 10 people globally felt they were more productive when the digital assistant helped them ramp up to and down from work. On average, productivity increased between 12 and 15 percent.
Meditation can fight burnout and stress during the workday and now Headspace will offer workers the ability to schedule ad hoc or recurring time for mindfulness breaks anytime, before a big meeting or to find the focus needed to start on an important project. In Asia, 73 percent of those surveyed said meditation could help decrease their work-related stress. External research backs this up, consistent meditation can decrease stress and burnout and improve your ability to react to negative feedback.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
