New Research from WFD Consulting Gives Reasons for Burnout, and Solutions

WFD Consulting announces research findings that demonstrate how longer work hours and time spent on low-value work increase burnout and negatively impact employees and productivity. A team-based approach to a solution shows positive results.

Boston, MA (HRMarketer/PRWeb) July 8, 2008 -- WFD Consulting released research findings today that demonstrate how longer work hours and time spent on low-value work increase burnout and negatively impact employees and productivity. The company is a leading expert in work-life, talent management, workload and overwork.

Workers who participated in WFD’s study report working an average of 52 hours per week and spending over nine hours each week, almost 20% of their work time, on low-value, inefficient work. As a result, two-thirds of employees report feeling physically or emotionally drained at the end of the workday and 30% report high levels of stress. Those who work 60 hours a week are over twice as stressed as those who work 40 hours a week. Those with high stress are 15% less engaged in and committed to their organizations, and their intention to leave their companies is almost twice as high.

When work teams come together and engage team members in identifying the key issues driving excessive workload, they develop creative and effective solutions that often enhance individual employee productivity and engagement

The top sources of overwork and inefficiencies identified by participants in WFD’s research are:

• Lack of adequate staffing to meet work demands—doing more with less,
• Information overload—too much e-mail and internal communication, making it difficult to filter and prioritize key information,
• Client and customer demands—last-minute urgent requests and commitments,
• Poor communication, coordination and cooperation among different functions, and
• Lack of clarity or conflicting priorities about what is really important.

“When work teams come together and engage team members in identifying the key issues driving excessive workload, they develop creative and effective solutions that often enhance individual employee productivity and engagement,” says Diane Burrus, WFD senior consultant and expert in workload solutions.

Participants in the WFD study saw positive results after implementing team-based solutions:

• 61% report improved work process efficiency,
• 58% report improved level of customer/client service,
• 58% also report an improvement in their ability to manage workload,
• 57% report improved work product quality, and
• 65% report improvement in team morale.

WFD is a work-life and talent management consulting firm that partners with clients to find solutions to the challenges of attracting, retaining, and motivating the 21st century workforce. WFD maintains an extensive database of workforce and workplace measures used to benchmark clients with other comparable firms.

Media contact:
Youme Yai
617-219-8736
youme.yai @ wfd.com

This press release was distributed through eMediawire by Human Resources Marketer (HR Marketer: www.HRmarketer.com) on behalf of the company
listed above.

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