Burnout in IT: Why Is It a Growing Problem and How Companies Are Combating It?

In recent years, burnout has become a hot topic for discussion. The topic has been known for a long time, but recently – it would seem – it has gained popularity. Why then has it become so interesting to us all? 

Due to the seriousness of the problem…

Burnout affects many industries, especially those characterized by a rapid pace of change, high requirements and constant emphasis on productivity. The IT sector, which is one of the most dynamic areas of the economy, is particularly vulnerable to this phenomenon. Additionally, the growing popularity of AI is changing the way of working and increasing the pressure on specialists.

A frequently asked question is: what is behind the growing wave of fatigue among IT specialists and what steps can employers and employees take to counteract this phenomenon?

Let’s start from the beginning

The phenomenon of burnout syndrome was first described in 1974 by American psychiatrist Herbert Freudenberger. While observing volunteers working in a center for addicts, he noticed that they gradually lost energy and commitment to their tasks. At the same time, psychologist Christina Maslach was studying the emotions that accompany professional contacts with people. Her research showed that long-term stress in working with people can lead to emotional exhaustion.

IT – the paradox of high satisfaction and high stress

How to recognize burnout in people who, at first glance, seem to be the least exposed to long-term work with people? The modern definition of burnout focuses on the employee’s reaction to long-term stress at work, the main cause of which is excessive responsibilities, lack of support from superiors and an unsupportive work atmosphere, which leads to a deterioration of mental and physical condition. This definition is much closer to the IT industry, which is often associated with innovation, intellectual challenges, and good earnings. It should also be remembered that this work can be unpredictable and demanding, and the organizational environment changes at a rapid pace. Tasks often require full concentration for long hours, and a sudden escalation of technical problems, pressure related to deadlines or customer expectations – both internal and external – lead to excessive stress. Let’s look at the statistics of burnout in the IT industry. Although there are few available reports and studies often cover small target groups, there are several important results that deserve attention.

According to a report prepared by the portal TwójPsycholog.pl and Just Join IT entitled “Burnout in the IT industry 2022”, as many as 70% of IT employees indicate that this is a problem that affects them to varying degrees and with varying frequency. Every tenth of the respondents suffers from depression.

The report “The State of Burnout in Tech 2022” also confirms these results. It was attended by approximately 32.6 thousand IT specialists. The results showed that over 42% of respondents were found to be at high risk of burnout, and as many as 62% of respondents responded that they felt mentally and emotionally tired.

In turn, the 2021 Haystack Analytics report shows that as many as 83% of programmers are struggling with burnout. The data forces us to think, questions arise…

What causes burnout?

First, the specifics of the IT industry require constant technological development. To be a valued specialist, you need to constantly update your knowledge, train, and develop your skills – both technical and soft. The rapid pace of change makes employees feel they lack skills, which reduces their self-confidence. In recent years, changes related to AI, which force new positions and requirements, have caused particular confusion. Is any other industry undergoing as many changes as IT?

The second important factor is the responsibility associated with work. Delivering projects on time, despite numerous variables, requirements, team turnover and business expectations, means working under constant pressure. All this seems to be the perfect recipe for an exhausting work environment.

The third, no less important factor, is the way IT teams are managed. In an ideal scenario, IT would be the driving force of the project, and not just respond to business expectations. However, it usually looks like the business sets the expectations, and IT tries to meet them as best it can.

One of the main factors leading to burnout in IT is the phenomenon of so-called “continuous availability“. Remote work has many advantages, but often means availability after hours and on holidays. Due to project deadlines, it is often difficult to take time off. Combined with constant technological progress and the expectations of customers who usually require almost immediate results, such “being on demand” can cause a lot of mental stress.

We also cannot ignore the fact that burnout can be facilitated by remote work, which is currently extremely popular, especially in the IT environment. Although research shows its positive impact on employee satisfaction, few of us pay attention to the fact that a lack of interaction with team members promotes a sense of loneliness and isolation in the long term.

Culture – key word 

Corporate culture is the values ​​that guide the company’s employees. Regardless of whether you like it or not, every company has its own organizational culture. The way it welcomes a new employee and how it says goodbye to them is its calling card. The way a manager takes care of his employee, passes on changes and personal information, asks for feedback on the company’s activities, motivates and develops – this is a reflection of the company’s policy. Corporate culture is not just a slogan. Well-managed, it will help in times of crisis.

81% of Mindgram survey participants claim that they have not received adequate support in the last 2 years. At the same time, IT employees are aware of their role for the organization in recent times. They know that in the era of digitalization, without their involvement, companies would not survive.

Communication  

The current budget cuts and layoffs are frustrating for everyone. At the same time, it is difficult to limit them, because the economic moment is difficult for everyone. If the company does not communicate its situation, employees will not understand it. Employees treated as partners will be less likely to criticize or change their place of work without a word. Lack of communication or understatements will give rise to private discussions in which everything that was left unsaid will be heard.

Companies such as Microsoft have introduced regular one-on-one meetings so that employees can express their concerns and comments. Meetings are held weekly or every two weeks, depending on the needs of the team. These are informal conversations that focus on solving current problems, discussing priorities and progress of projects, and reporting concerns or ideas for improvement. Thanks to this, employees have a space to openly express their opinions and suggestions about the way of working or strategy. Microsoft also uses the Leadership Principles, which encourages leaders to support employees in their development. Managers are trained to ask open questions and listen actively. Additionally, the company uses the Microsoft Teams platform to facilitate the organization and documentation of the results of the conversations. This allows all participants to monitor the implementation of the agreements. Microsoft promotes a culture of openness and transparency, and regular one-on-one meetings are a key element of this strategy.

Culture of feedback 

Regular feedback plays a key role in preventing burnout. Properly provided feedback allows employees to better understand expectations, which reduces uncertainty and stress related to performing tasks. It also allows for quick recognition of symptoms of fatigue or frustration, which may be the first signs of burnout. It also gives employees a sense that their efforts are appreciated, which promotes motivation and engagement. Thanks to f2f conversations, employees feel more supported by their superiors, which is important in building a healthy work-life balance and increases their loyalty to the organization. Feedback – still underestimated – can be a driving force in difficult moments.

Cisco and IBM ensure regular, two-way feedback, which allows employees to express their concerns and needs, and also allows for faster response to possible signals of burnout. Regular, non-binding conversations (e.g. weekly check-ins) between employees and team leaders are standard. These meetings allow for discussing current challenges, progress and areas for improvement. Cisco also introduced “Moments that Matter” – a philosophy that feedback should be provided at key moments: after a project is completed, during important challenges, or when developing new skills. Additionally, they use the Team Space platform, which allows for ongoing monitoring of projects and sending feedback in real time.

Appreciating

We appreciate too little, we thank too little (not only in our professional lives!). Every employee will doubt their skills if they do not receive a word of appreciation. According to a Mindgram study, as many as 51% of IT employees believe that they are not as effective as they could be, while as many as 33% assess their work as ineffective. Amazon uses “Shout-Outs” – a platform where employees can appreciate each other for their achievements, which significantly affects team morale. In Salesforce, employees can send “Thanks” to their colleagues on an internal platform. Paper or online kudo cards will also fulfill this role. Google has its Peer Bonuses. It allows employees to nominate colleagues for financial bonuses when they distinguish themselves at work. Airbnb has introduced awards related to the company’s values. Employees can nominate colleagues who implement Airbnb’s principles, such as hospitality or innovation. It is worth emphasizing that appreciation costs us little and carries great power.

Development

Providing employees with access to training and professional development can reduce the stress associated with continuous learning. An example is Salesforce, which offers free access to learning platforms for its employees. Even if this is too expensive, it is worth organizing training within internal resources or looking for materials among currently available e.g. books, podcasts, webinars, online materials, etc.

Adobe offers employees access to mentoring programs and coaching sessions, thanks to which they can develop their skills and manage professional challenges with the support of experienced mentors. IBM has a dedicated platform “MentorPlace”, where employees can establish mentoring relationships both internally and with external mentors. Google offers various forms of mentoring, including “reverse mentoring” (where younger employees teach leaders) and thematic programs, such as support for women in technology. Accenture has a comprehensive mentoring program that supports diversity and inclusivity. The company promotes cross-cultural and cross-industry mentoring.

Training budgets are also popular. If the employee has no idea how to use them, the manager should come to their aid. Each training, apart from fulfilling the function of employee development, will also increase their self-esteem.

Work-life balance  

More and more companies are implementing policies that support healthy balance. For example, Google offers flexible work hours and wellness programs that help employees rest and recharge. Workload tracking software is becoming more common, which can help distribute workload evenly. Slack has implemented internal time management mechanisms to ensure that employees are not overloaded. These systems support balanced workload distribution, and managers can respond more quickly to excessive stress in teams.

Edge One Solutions takes steps to support work-life balance, especially through educational programs and burnout prevention. These initiatives include training and webinars on mental health, burnout, sleep and diet, among others. These initiatives help raise awareness among employees about the need for recovery and health care.

Salesforce and LinkedIn offer recovery days, wellness programs, yoga and meditation classes, which allow for rest and stress reduction. These types of activities support productivity, but also improve the comfort of everyday work.

Netflix is ​​one of the most famous examples of a company that has introduced unlimited vacations. The company has implemented a “freedom and responsibility” policy, under which employees can use such vacations, provided that they fulfill their duties. LinkedIn has also introduced unlimited vacations as part of a flexibility policy and care for work-life balance. The company believes that trust in employees and their ability to manage their time is key. Bumble is known for its innovative organizational culture. The company offers unlimited vacations and introduces additional “rest weeks” for all employees during the year.

Burnout Education 

It’s time to say it straight: we don’t know much about burnout. As long as people showing symptoms of burnout don’t know what they’re dealing with, we can’t estimate the scale of the problem. According to the Mindgram study, only about 4% of respondents learned about burnout in the workplace. 44% of respondents believe that burnout occurs after many years of work, and only 12% indicated that it occurred at the beginning of their career path. How can you combat this phenomenon in an organization if you don’t know the “enemy”? Only companies that are aware of the problem take action to counteract this phenomenon, invest in training, webinars, discussions, and launch psychological support. At Amazon, employees have access to courses and webinars related to mental health. Deloitte, among others, offers its employees free therapy sessions and psychological consultations – such activities help IT employees cope with the emotional aspects of work. SAP provides training on work-life balance management, and to minimize the risk of burnout, it also offers mindfulness sessions and mental resilience techniques to help employees cope with stress. Maybe it’s worth reviewing your current list of benefits and re-prioritizing?

Summary

Observing changes in the IT job market, I am increasingly convinced that traditional methods of retaining employees, based mainly on attractive remuneration, are no longer sufficient. If an organization does not take care of its employees – does not provide them with a work-life balance, does not create space for development and does not take care of a work culture based on mutual respect and trust – specialists will take care of themselves, choosing employers who meet their expectations.

I increasingly notice that today, IT employees are not only interested in the amount of remuneration, but also in the sense of meaning in their work. They want to implement ambitious projects, have a real impact on the organization and develop their skills in line with their aspirations. At the same time, work-life balance is playing an increasingly important role – flexibility, work comfort and the ability to combine career with private life. Companies that understand this not only attract, but above all retain the best talents, building loyal and committed teams.

I believe that every organization that can respond to the needs of employees, investing in their development, well-being and motivation, can count on a high position on the IT market.

You can hear more about burnout in the first episode of our podcast “On TheEdge” – just click on the graphic 😉

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