In a departure from the traditional focus on Blue Monday, which typically highlights winter blues and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), the global workforce is grappling with an intricate web of crises, economic uncertainties, and climate anxieties, leading to heightened concerns about mental health.
International SOS’s Risk Outlook 2024 data identifies burnout, the cost-of-living crisis, and mental health as the top risks to organisational well-being this year.
Survey data underscores the critical link between employee well-being and organizational success, with 82% acknowledging the vital role of health and wellness policies in recruitment and retention.
Burnout rates among the global workforce have surged from 11-18% to 20-40%, and in some cases as high as 50%, according to the International SOS report.
The perceived impact of burnout in 2024 varies across regions, with 80% of surveyed global senior risk professionals identifying employee burnout as the top threat to their organisations.
Notably, the concern is most pronounced in the Middle East (93%), Oceania (88%), Africa (84%), and the Americas (84%), surpassing the global average.
International SPS Global Health Advisor, Dr. Rodrigo Rodriguez-Fernandez emphasised the post-holiday return to work as a tipping point for exhaustion, chronic stress, and burnout.
Heightened geopolitical uncertainties and ongoing global crises amplify employee anxieties, creating a complex landscape for businesses navigating workforce well-being and productivity.
As a response, International SOS urges organisations to implement proactive strategies to prevent burnout and combat crisis fatigue in the workplace.
Recommendations include creating an emotionally open culture, providing flexibility and promoting work-life balance, investing in emotional well-being through mindfulness sessions and stress management training, offering Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), and equipping managers with mental health first-aid training.
Amidst the current challenges, organisations are encouraged to assess and strengthen workplace mental health initiatives, recognizing the strategic investment in their workforce’s potential.
The focus on employee well-being goes beyond Blue Monday, offering a timely opportunity for organisations to prioritise mental health support, fostering engaged, focused, and thriving work environments.
