The study, the largest of its kind, includes data from more than 15,000 managers and 2,102 human resources professionals representing over 1,740 organisations in more than 24 industries worldwide. The survey was conducted from February 2020 to July 2020. Its results may serve as an early warning for companies and organisations of a potential crisis at the workplace that would adversely affect their continuity.
The main findings of the survey include the following:
- Almost 60% of leaders say they feel exhausted at the end of the working day, which is a strong indicator of burnout.
- Approximately 44% of leaders who feel exhausted at the end of the day expect to change companies so as to advance; 26% will probably do so during this year.
- Only 20% of managers surveyed believed that they were effective in virtual leadership.
According to DDI experts, the most surprising finding was the large percentage of leaders who actually face burnout. Such a high and immediate connection with the retention risk was not anticipated.
Commenting on the survey's findings, Janice Litvin, author of the Banish Burnout Toolkit, said the most interesting aspect for her was leaders feeling unable to face the pandemic effectively and prepare teams for the future, adding that "leaders are constantly confronted with change, especially in our high-speed, continuous world of technology. Being prepared for change is one of the basic principles of strong leadership.”
The impact of the coronavirus crisis is likely to last long after the end of the pandemic itself. There are clear signs it will lead to serious problems in retaining people, as leaders who experience burnout are almost four times more likely to leave their positions.
According to DDI, this could have a lasting impact on current and future leaders, as 86% of high-potential employees also experience burnout and are twice as likely as other colleagues to leave the company. So there are reasons for concern regarding the future of overhead lines.
Radical change forward
The key message of the survey is that managers should not focus too closely on current business challenges or short-term challenges caused by the pandemic. They need to be prepared for rapid and radical change. Companies envisage a very different business environment and will need extremely agile learning leaders, ready to acquire new skills quickly.
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