Boost Equity and Inclusion to Mitigate Burnout

The business case for establishing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs is vast, but many leaders and managers still fail to grasp how vital DEI is to employee wellbeing and productivity at work or the consequences of not making it a priority. The case is clear when it comes to employee burnout.

Three in 10 employees in the U.S. report being burned out “very often” or “always” at work. Every month, employees like these choose to leave their jobs due to burnout, stress and negative effects on their life. This adds up to 322 billion dollars spent on turnover and loss of productivity as a result of employee burnout globally.

This means that leaders must act now to build strong, inclusive cultures and equitable practices that promote their employees’ wellbeing.

A recent survey of over 9,000 working adults conducted by the Gallup Center on Black Voices shows that the way employers treat their employees is a key differentiator between employees who are engaged and high performing and those who are burned out -- and likely heading for the exit.

Start With the Basics

Employees who are treated well by their organizations and feel valued and included are less likely to feel burned out. Managers and leaders shouldn’t think of these as optional; they should think of them as requirements.

Recommendation #1. Treat all employees with respect.

The golden rule -- treat others as you want to be treated -- extends to the workplace. Managers, leaders and coworkers should treat everyone with courtesy and respect.

It doesn’t get any more fundamental than that, and employees who feel like they are treated with respect at work are 50% less likely to report experiencing burnout “very often” or “always.”

Managers can take the lead on increasing wellbeing by improving team culture. In addition to treating their employees well, managers can act as role models encouraging employees to treat each other respectfully.

Of course, managers also need to take responsibility for protecting employees from harmful experiences -- and not being the source of them. Employees who reported feeling discriminated against at work in the past 12 months are more than twice as likely to be experiencing high levels of burnout.

Recommendation #2. Foster a sense of inclusion. 

Everyone wants to feel like they are part of their organization -- that they matter and belong. When they do, they are less prone to burnout.

Employees who strongly agree that they are accepted and valued as a person are 52% less likely to be feeling high levels of burnout. Similarly, employees who report feeling like a valued member of their team are 57% less likely to be experiencing burnout.

Managers foster inclusion and belonging when they include every member of the group in conversations, give them credit for their contributions and genuinely ask how their day is going. If this sounds simple, it’s because it is.

Build a Bright Future

Recommendation #3. Provide fair opportunities to all employees.

Employees also experience less burnout when they feel they are treated fairly and have fair access to opportunities at their organization.

Employees who strongly agree that they have the same opportunities for advancement as other employees in their organization are 43% less likely to report feeling burned out “very often” or “always.” Employees who strongly agree that they have equal opportunities to advance to senior management within their organization are 30% less likely to experience high levels of burnout.

The perception of a promising, equitable future may be even more important for Black employees. Black employees who strongly agree that they have the same opportunities for advancement as other employees are 55% less likely to report feeling burned out “very often” or “always.” When it comes to strongly agreeing that they have an equal opportunity to advance to senior management within their organization, 43% of Black employees report being less likely to report high levels of burnout.

Managers are uniquely positioned to improve workers’ wellbeing. They can do this by ensuring that all employees have what they need to develop, including support and encouragement, key experiences and opportunities to experiment, and ongoing conversations about goals and progress.

When employees see their managers providing these experiences regularly, they have greater confidence that their employer is acting in good faith and can be trusted to provide fair opportunities going forward. The feeling of a bright future inspires employees to keep going -- and feel good about it -- even when it takes hard work to get there.

Banish Burnout for Free

A good culture goes a long way: When employees feel valued, accepted and treated fairly, they feel better about showing up and bringing their best to work every day.

You don’t need any fancy programs or major investments. Managers and leaders can start improving employees’ wellbeing right now by simply modeling respect, rooting out discrimination, fostering inclusion and practicing equity. Banishing burnout might be the best business case for DEI yet.