Suffering From Burnout? You Aren't Alone!

Burnout in America isn’t just bad; it’s practically a way of life now. Aflac’s new WorkForces Report says stress and exhaustion are at a six-year high. Apparently, three out of four employees are running on fumes and caffeine. And Gen Z just leapfrogged millennials as the most burned-out generation. Congrats, kids, you finally beat the millennials at something!

Only 48% of workers think their company cares about their mental health… probably because “mandatory wellness meeting” doesn’t pair well with twelve back-to-back Zoom calls. The biggest stress trigger? Heavy workloads. Which makes sense, most offices are now staffed like a Waffle House at 3 a.m.: one person doing everything and forget about quality control.

Then there’s med-anxiety, that special kind of stress where you wonder if your insurance covers anything besides Advil. Nearly half of workers say they’ve skipped medical care because they couldn’t afford it or weren’t sure if it was covered. Translation: we’re one twisted ankle away from starting a GoFundMe.

The kicker? Most employees don’t even understand their health insurance, but their bosses think they do. It’s like watching two people argue directions while both are holding upside-down maps.

Aflac’s report ends on a hopeful note: people at work who feel like they belong are happier and less burned out.

So maybe the cure for burnout isn’t yoga in the breakroom or another HR email about “self-care.” Maybe it’s just having a boss who says, “Hey, you’re doing great”, and actually means it.

Doug O’Brien