Survey reveals office workers facing much higher burnout levels than remote and hybrid workers

According to the results of a global survey, office workers are facing the highest levels of burnout and the lowest levels of happiness and job satisfaction compared to their remote and hybrid counterparts

This challenges the common belief that the office provides a clear separation between work and personal life.

Some business leaders have argued that returning to the office would improve work-life balance and reduce stress by establishing clear boundaries. However, findings from The Global Life-Work Survey tell a different story. In the past month alone, 41% of full-time office workers experienced signs of burnout, while only 26% of fully remote workers and 34% of hybrid workers reported the same.

The study also revealed that remote workers reported the highest levels of happiness, with 42% rating their happiness at eight out of 10 or higher, compared to just 21% of office workers.

Ben Marks, founder of the #WorkAnywhere Campaign and co-founder of the Future Workforce Alliance, emphasised that remote and hybrid working allows for a genuine work-life balance and leads to happier employees. Interestingly, 74% of remote workers would recommend their job to a friend, and 65% are extremely satisfied with their jobs, while only 56% of office workers would recommend their role, and job satisfaction levels are as low as 34%.

The survey identified four types of worker profiles: “work warriors” (15%), “separators” (45%), “integrators” (14%), and “family guardians” (26%). Separators, who could focus during work hours and fully switch off on evenings and weekends while working remotely, experienced the least burnout. On the other hand, integrators, who struggled to separate work and personal life, faced the highest levels of burnout.

Filipa Matos, VP of Special Operations at Remote and co-founder of the Future Workforce Alliance, highlighted the importance of setting healthy boundaries for remote and hybrid workers to fully enjoy the benefits of their working arrangements. Employers should also support work-life balance through policies like no-contact outside of working hours and avoiding tracking employees’ time and activities.

Dr. Kriti Jain, a Professor at IE Business School, urged policymakers to reconsider traditional workplace models and prioritise mental health and wellbeing based on the surprising findings of the research.

Members of the European Parliament have made worker burnout a priority, thanks to the European Charter for Digital Workplace Wellbeing, initiated by the Future Workforce Alliance. This alliance, comprising politicians, business leaders, and academics, aims to drive policy changes in response to the digital transformation of work environments.

The survey involved 1,000 workers from various regions and industries, including tech, healthcare, education, and public administration, working remotely, in the office, or on a hybrid basis. It was designed and analysed by academics from IE Business School.