Stress Awareness Month | If employers really want to address the burnout crisis, give your staff less work

April marks Stress Awareness Month, a crucial time to shed light on the causes of stress, its symptoms, and the best ways to manage it.

For all humans, stress is a natural part of life. However, the modern lifestyle brings about some unnatural stresses, that wouldn’t have impacted people in previous times, for example.

The demanding nature of careers is often a primary stress factor for many modern people, and balancing this alongside getting enough sleep, exercise, and nutritious food – which all help to alleviate stress – can be challenging, especially with the busy lifestyles we all tend to lead.

Recent research revealed that half of NHS workers are showing signs of burnout, and that the same amount is looking for work elsewhere. This arguably unsurprising news is not only a reminder that the UK has a mental health and burnout crisis, but also points to the overlooked fact that burnout often stems from an unmanageable workload.