Just 12 per cent of charity sector staff feel that their organisation is well equipped to tackle staff burnout, new research has found.

Of more than 140 employees working in charities across London, just 12 per cent feel their organisation’s current strategies for addressing staff burnout are effective, research from the recruitment agency Merrifield Consultants has found.

The survey, which was carried out between 12 August and 15 September, found that 85 per cent of respondents working in small charities felt that burnout strategies could be improved “significantly”, while 91 per cent of those in medium charities felt this way. 

Of the respondents who worked for large charities, only 10 per cent felt that their burnout strategies could be improved significantly.

The research found that 75 per cent of respondents have either personally experienced burnout or witnessed colleagues struggling with it in the last 12 months. The remaining 25 per cent either had not experienced burnout or were unsure if they had. 

Respondents reported various signs of burnout among colleagues, with 24 per cent saying they had seen increased absenteeism and 19 per cent had observed decreased productivity among staff.

Emotional exhaustion from work culture was observed by 22 per cent of respondents, physical signs of burnout was seen by 22 per cent and 18 per cent said they had seen reduced collaboration or communication among colleagues.

Of those who completed the survey, 60 per cent left comments about their experience of burnout in the charity sector.

One respondent warned that attempts to mitigate the problem can become micromanaging which can worsen burnout, saying: “When I was burnt out, my organisation tried to be caring and implemented daily check-ins, but this turned into micromanaging and there was a shift in our working relationship which decreased professionalism. It made me feel more burnt out.”

Another respondent said that transparency is needed to successfully reduce and prevent burnout in their organisation, saying: “It would help to have easily accessible resources that are well documented and advertised, a structured policy/procedure for managers to follow, and make space for genuine well-being check-ins from colleagues by creating a positive work culture.”

Based on responses, Merrifield Consultants recommended a number of operational and strategic solutions to tackle burnout, including implementing flexible working hours and remote work, providing mental health support, training on stress management and resilience, wellbeing initiatives and open communication and supportive leadership.

The agency also recommended a number of more creative solutions, such as providing ‘tech-free’ hours or days, silent co-working spaces, employee-led support circles and employee sabbaticals or a ‘restoration break’.

Stuart Milliner, head of Merrifield Consultants, said: “Given the motivation for launching the research and survey, I anticipated the results to highlight that there is an issue in the sector as people are moving to careers away from the sector – burnout being the leading reason. 

“However, I didn’t expect just how problematic and ingrained the issue is within the sector and people used this survey as a chance to express how they have been feeling and outlined their views on this being the most damaging issue in the sector. 

“It is paramount that we look after charity workers, reading that nearly 9 out of ten people in small and medium-sized charities feel that current methods to treat wellbeing and burnout are not working, is highly concerning.”