What You Should Know:
– As we celebrate National Caregivers Day, a new report by ShiftKey paints a concerning picture of burnout among healthcare workers.
– While these professionals are passionate about their calling, the ShiftKey report reveals 81% report experiencing burnout, with nearly half considering leaving the field altogether. This crisis is compounded by personal caregiving responsibilities, with 81% shouldering additional burdens outside of work.
Personal sacrifices due to work commitments often lead to burnout
The report highlights the need for increased schedule flexibility, support for personal caregiving needs, and greater understanding of the demands healthcare workers face. Additionally, resources for self-care, mental health support, and promoting family time are crucial to combat burnout and retain this vital workforce.
Key findings of the report include:
- Burnout is rampant: 81% of healthcare workers say they’ve experienced burnout, 62% feel at risk currently, and 49% contemplate leaving the field.
- Caregiving responsibilities add stress: 81% have caregiving duties, making managing both personal and professional responsibilities difficult for 64%.
- Passion meets misunderstanding: While 79% wouldn’t trade their careers, 95% feel their challenges are not understood. 91% say their job is more demanding than average, and 51% find it significantly more so.
- Personal sacrifices abound: 96% have missed major life events due to work, including holidays, birthdays, vacations, and even funerals.
- Quality of life suffers: 88% struggle to find family time, 87% lack time for hobbies, and 86% neglect home upkeep. 85% report difficulties with mental health and wellness.
- Schedule flexibility is key: 97% believe schedule flexibility is crucial for combating burnout, and 93% see benefits in independent contractor work.
- Family time matters: 82% view quality family time as the top stress management tool, and 43% say schedule flexibility is crucial for achieving it.
“Professional autonomy and the ability to own their own schedules are not just ‘nice-to-haves’, but a lifeline and necessity for many healthcare workers to remain in the field,” said Regan Parker, Chief Legal and Public Affairs Officer, ShiftKey. “By empowering healthcare professionals to choose where and when they work, they can manage the demands of their professional and personal lives. Nobody should have to choose between the work that they love and their family, and we know from our report that having more freedom and preserving work-life balance is critical to solving the exhaustion that is common among this workforce. By providing a different way to work through our marketplace, we allow people the flexibility they need to stay in this industry, which, in turn, keeps our healthcare system strong.”
