In 2020, our market report showed 41% of Kiwi employees had been asked to do more with less resources during COVID-19. Reports show stressed employees adapting and readapting to an ever-changing work environment has led to an increase in burnout. A 2020 survey of 900 Kiwi workers showed that more than 64% feel more burnt out at work now than they did prior to the first COVID lockdown.

​Unfortunately, according to our recent 2021 market report that you can request here, the situation has not changed: over 70% of Kiwis are feeling closer to burnout than prior to COVID despite the economic recovery. With one in two New Zealanders working more hours than before the pandemic, Shannon Barlow says working longer for less is a hangover from the new way people had to learn to work during the lockdowns, and has “serious implications” for employees’ mental health.

​ “Last year was extraordinary in many ways and while it could have been acceptable at that time to have your people work longer hours, this should not be the status quo. The main risk right now is that some employees have maintained these hours, and employers may not be aware of this, or worse, are taking for granted their overtime.”

Add to this the stress that accompanies EOFY and you effectively get a recipe for burnout.

Here’s how to deal with increased workload during stressful times:

#1 Prioritise

Once you understand the scope of the expanded job brief, ask your manager to help prioritise what must get done daily - and which projects can be deferred - and organise yourself accordingly. In this situation, you must prioritise; you can't afford to waste time.

#2 Take a break

As you find yourself working much longer hours, you need to take more - not fewer - breaks. Every 90 minutes or so, you should at least get up from your desk and stretch. Better yet, take a 10-minute walk or grab coffee. It’s about changing the mindset of being chained to our desks for 11 hours a day to taking care of yourself. We must get up and take a break.

#3 Set expectations

If you have trouble saying 'no' to requests, you are not alone. A surprising number of us just don’t like to say 'no'. The next time a request comes in, think about if it helps you achieve your goals. Is it going to take away the time with your family you’ve been working toward? Then say 'no'. If it’s an urgent request that must be done, work on prioritising your tasks and setting boundaries. Finally, if you feel overwhelmed at work, ask for help. Some of your colleagues might be able to share the burden during stressful times.

#4 Consider hiring temporary workers

Organisations are now facing strong business confidence and the labour market is recovering. Project work has resurfaced and with EOFY approaching, increased workload, tight timelines, longer working hours and heightened stress leading to staff burnout are some of the many challenges our clients have experienced in 2021. Hence many accounting & finance leaders are planning stronger temp staffing resourcing to support their teams. Bringing a temp worker onboard gives your team immediate assistance from qualified professionals who will be able to hit the ground running. Temp workers are enablers who empower your team to meet deadlines when workloads increase. Temp workers provide flexibility without increasing permanent headcount

#5 Keep a healthy lifestyle

Healthy snacks, Vitamin B, regular workouts and a good night’s sleep are ingredients you need to keep your motivation at its highest. Get the work done, but make sure you do your best to keep the stress away when not at work! And do your best to stay away from any kind of work when out of office.

A few words from our Managing Director Shannon Barlow to conclude this article:

“The cost of losing an A player and bringing on a new hire costs more than time and money. It means lost productivity, training, integration issues and reduced efficiency. We estimate it to be around 3.5 times their salary. It’s become essential for managers to check in with their employees, ask them how they’re tracking and the work hours they are keeping.”