Employee overwhelm – people struggling to juggle their day-to-day work requirements – is reaching crisis levels and businesses aren’t coping with it, according to Deloitte’s annual Global Human Capital Trends report.

In 2014, two thirds of business and HR leaders in 94 countries surveyed for the report rated the issue as urgent or important but admitted they either didn’t know what to do about it or weren’t ready to deal with it.

In 2015, Deloitte’s research dug deeper on the topic and identified our “always-on” hyper-connected global workplace culture as a major challenge for workers, along with the increasing complexity of the workforce.

Dr. David Batman, Chief Medical Officer at Global Corporate Challenge (GCC), has been a medical practitioner for 40 years and is a registered Consultant Specialist in Occupational Health with a long term knowledge of psychological health at work. He said the problem is people just aren’t getting any breathing space.

“Our workplaces are getting busier and more intensive than ever. People are working longer hours and also skipping breaks in favour of eating lunch at their desks,” he said.

“And if you work in a global business, it means no matter what time it is; somewhere in the world, someone in your business is working – and generating documents, and sending you emails.

“That means your employees are still getting email notifications on their phone as they eat dinner with their family and bathe their kids, putting pressure on them so they may feel like they’re always on duty. The workplace has extended to every aspect of their lives.

“This is compounded by the fact that workplaces are becoming more and more complex. People may be surrounded by colleagues they speak to every day; while having no idea what their job is or what they do.”

Dr. Batman said HR teams tackling the problem of employee overwhelm needed to start with supporting the individual.

“We can’t change the world overnight and the reality is, complexity and the pervasiveness of technology are only likely to become more prevalent. The key is to help individuals to better cope with a challenging environment.”

Dr. Batman said GCC experience in delivering health and Wellbeing programs with 2 million people in 185 countries had clearly shown that encouraging employees to take simple steps to improve their general health and wellbeing could have a dramatic impact on their resilience.

Here are five simple things employees can do to improve their wellbeing and help them better manage the stresses of their daily working life.

1. Step away from the technology: Skipping lunch and staying plugged in to our emails long after we clock off at work stops us from giving our brain a break. It’s important for employees to take their allocated breaks and switch off when they leave the office to avoid burnout.

2. Move it! GCC’s extensive data shows a clear link between regular exercise and improved psychological wellbeing. Whether you’re a gym junkie or just take a brisk walk or run around the block at lunch time, it’s a great way to recharge your batteries and let go of negative emotions. It's also good to take a lunchtime walk with colleagues – you develop better links and often solve problems faster than exchanging emails.

3. Feed your body. A diet of caffeine and snacks from the vending machine is enough to keep your body in a permanent sugar and adrenalin see-saw. Stabilise yourself by drinking at least eight glasses of water a day to keep hydrated and eat regular healthy meals high in protein and low GI carbs.

4. Feed your soul. All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy – so goes the saying. It also leads to burnout. Find time to do things you love and remind yourself that you work to live, not live to work. Find more quality time with family and friends – socialising is proven to aid health

5. Rest. Fatigue reduces coping skills and makes us more susceptible to emotional overwhelm – have you ever seen a toddler who missed his nap? Give your body and mind a break and make sure you get adequate rest so you wake refreshed and ready to deal with the challenges of the day.

Related Articles