Burnout is on the rise, as millennials quit their jobs

Burnout is on the rise and millennials are quitting their jobs. This statement might seem puzzling given the almost 18-month pandemic placing most of our lives on hold. Posing questions like, ‘How does one get burnout in lockdown?’, or ‘Why on earth would someone quit their job when so many people have been furloughed or sacked?’

While on the one hand the pandemic brought about radical and much needed change, it also allowed the curtain to fall on workplace operations and culture. In particular, the pandemic presented – and continues to present – three core issues.

First, the inability to separate personal and professional lives – leading employees to being constantly “on”. This hasn’t fared well from a mental health perspective, particularly for millennials who are already high risk.  Second, many a workplace didn’t cope well with the change – leaving employees with little, or no support. This has left many people questioning their workplace. Third, opportunity came to a halt – leaving many people bored, irritated and feeling “stuck”.

For millennials in particular, these issues haven’t sat well. In fact, they have prompted many to seriously question their current workplace or quit their job. Why?

Millennials are done with old ways of working. Mental health matters. Culture and support matters. Learning and growth matters. If your workplace is not offering anything that meets these criteria, then millennials will not stay.

That’s the reality.

Millennials are attracted to workplaces that align with their values and irrespective of the global situation, this generation is adaptable, flexible and entrepreneurial enough to pivot and find new opportunity elsewhere.

So, what can employers do to retain their talent?

1. Mental health support is non negotiable.

Telling your millennials that the reason they are burnt out is because they can’t manage their personal life, is not the answer.

We know that the cost of the mental health will fall heavily on to the shoulders of workplaces, as our younger workforce continues to grow. Which means there is an obligation for workplaces to provide adequate mental health support to their employees. If your workplace doesn’t offer support or services that adequately address these concerns, then your employees will leave.

2. Corporate culture needs to change.

Business lunches, drinks after work and offsites are still off-limits for some workplaces. Meaning a lot of younger, single millennials are sitting at home isolated and disconnected. The pandemic has slowly killed off corporate culture.

Millennials want to be part of a culture that is fun, inclusive, and accessible. Re-thinking culture and what defines it, will be critical as part of this change.

3. Learning and development must continue.

UK stats gathered by platform HowNow, suggest that average workplace spent 67% less on staff training in the last 12 months, than the year before. In turn, leading employees to actively look elsewhere (35%) or consider quitting their job (42%).

Millennials are a generation who thrive on learning, development and opportunities. Which means irrespective of any business decision to pause training or promotion, there must be something available that signifies growth or development. Unless there is something to work toward, or goals, millennials will not remain.

Attracting and retaining quality millennial talent in this post covid world requires workplaces to do things differently. Change will continue – and must – in order to keep up with the emerging workplace, and world.