Grappling with fear, change and uncertainty is draining. And unfortunately, the past three years have delivered on all.

Those in the UK have struggled with successive lockdowns, pandemic-fuelled redundancies, precarious furlough positions, huge hikes in inflation and rocketing fuel bills. Yet, this time of turmoil is far from over, as the cost of living crisis intensifies and the economy contracts.

This barrage of stress and uncertainty has drained the UK workforce. Research found that 70% of UK employees say their long-term mental health has been affected negatively from the instability of the past few years. And it has created the conditions for a burnout crisis.

Our new report has highlighted that over half (56%) of those aged 18-24 frequently experience burnout at work. These Gen Zers are experiencing workplace burnout at a faster rate than millennials, as only 47% of this generation (aged 25-34) say they frequently experience burnout at work — though this stat is also deeply worrying. It’s no wonder Gen Z is feeling immense pressure. Studying and entering the workforce in a pandemic — and with a looming recession — are harsh conditions to endure, not to mention the fact they are typically on lower wages than their peers due to being at the start of their careers.

As Gen Zers increasingly swell the workforce, HR leaders desperately need to find ways to stall and reverse this burnout crisis, as mass resignations and hiring shortages place further strain on their teams.

Here’s how they can do it.

Looking for signs of burnout and taking action
If an employee is in a junior position or new to a company, they may feel unable to speak up. Therefore, it’s crucial that managers and HR teams are constantly on the lookout for signs of burnout.

Symptoms of burnout include emotional exhaustion, where employees exhibit negative emotions at work and are less likely to power through adversity. Employees may also emotionally disengage from their work and have feelings of inadequacy.

Burnout is a serious condition from which it can take a long time to recover. It can easily take over someone’s life and affect them outside of work, with 90% of 18-24 year olds stating that workplace burnout has an overall impact on their mental health and wellbeing.

There’s an ethical imperative for employers to look after the health of their workers but there’s an economic motive too. Burnt out employees are less productive, and at a higher risk of moving jobs or quitting altogether. Treating burnout should be a top priority for employers and an effective way of tackling it is through the four tenets of employee wellbeing.

The first tenet is support – creating a culture of empathy and understanding, and providing access to resources that can help employees improve their physical, mental and financial wellbeing.

The second is connection, especially important in a landscape of remote and hybrid working. Cultivating employee-manager connections and embedding good practices to support this, such as  weekly or monthly 1:1s and open-door, drop-in policies, is important. Peer-to-peer connections should also be encouraged, such as through ice breakers to start meetings or inclusive, non-work team activities.

The third tenet is communication — encouraging a two-way dialogue between managers and employees. Keep team members updated with news and information, so they feel empowered and in the loop, and proactively gather feedback — and show that you’re listening and addressing it.

The final tenet is recognition — verbally and materially thanking employees for their contribution. It’s critical in battling burnout: Our research found that among employees that frequently experience stress at work, 74% rate workplace recognition as poor and among those that frequently experience burnout at work, 66% rate recognition as poor.

Tips and tricks to boost morale
Addressing each of these tenets of wellbeing is also essential to boosting overall morale among Gen Z workers.

Recognition is particularly key to raising morale and fundamental in driving employee engagement. Our research shows that three quarters (72%) of UK employees agree their work wellbeing would improve if they were simply thanked more for their hard work. There’s science behind these results. Feelings of competence and mastery (created through recognition of work) release dopamine — a neurotransmitter that triggers pleasure and motivation, further increasing work success.

But meaningful recognition is more than a casual ‘thank you’. The majority (55%) of UK employees want their employer to increase their investment in employee reward and recognition, which could include celebrating work milestones, rewarding contributions with gift cards, sending personalised cards or shouting out individuals’ success. Recognising and rewarding employees in these ways makes them feel seen, valued and fulfilled, creating a positive work environment and increasing individual and collective morale. Recognition and rewards can be delivered through employee engagement platforms, which help boost morale in additional ways.

As previously mentioned, seeking feedback makes employees feel valued and increases morale in the short-term, while acting on that feedback improves the work environment (and therefore morale) in the long-term too.

Using an employee engagement platform to improve financial wellbeing
Financial wellbeing can be overlooked when considering the health and welfare of employees, yet money has a direct impact on people’s physical and mental health. As the cost of living crisis bites, employers must recognise the significance of financial wellbeing support and the role it plays in protecting employees and further reducing negative stressors that lead to burnout.

Many employers are falling short of Gen Z workers’ expectations. In the UK, only 8% of 18-24 year old workers would rate the financial wellbeing support from their employers as excellent, with no room for improvement, and only 33% would rate support as good. With the cost of living crisis increasing pressure on workers, eyes are on employers to take action: 66% of 18-24 year olds think their employers could do more to offset inflationary pressures.

If companies can’t raise salaries, there are a number of measures they can take. One further, crucial benefit of an employee engagement platform is improving team members’ financial wellbeing.

For instance, an employee discounts programme delivering retailer discounts, vouchers, and cashback options is a quick-to-implement, cost-effective solution to support employees with essential costs. This, coupled with financial advice and resources can help make salaries go further and enable employees to better manage costs.

Employers can’t afford to ignore the burnout crisis, for the sake of their employees and their business. Learning to spot and treat the signs of burnout, recognising the importance of employee morale and providing financial support as employees struggle during the cost of living crisis is essential — otherwise managers will see the literal and emotional depletion of their teams.