Burnout in the Charity Sector

With 80% of leaders in the charity sector expressing concern over staff burnout, a critical question emerges: how do we support those who dedicate their lives to helping others? Increasingly we are sadly having more conversations with people who are considering leaving the sector, or are losing employees, due to “burnout” in the charity and NFP space. With high-demand roles, long hours and limited resources, working in the not-for-profit sector can be emotionally draining whilst also being rewarding.

 

A 2023 study from by Pro Bono Economics and Nottingham Trent University revealed 3 in 10 charities have seen an increase in staff burnout or exhaustion related to their work. The pressure on charities has never been higher and the commitment to helping others can make it difficult for employees to set boundaries. In turn, this leads to prolonged periods of overwork and neglect of their own needs.

 

This relentless pressure can result in burnout – a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion which not only has a profound effect on the health of employees but also diminishes the quality of work provided. Ultimately this has a high impact on the communities and causes charitable organisations support.

 

With burnout becoming a rising concern within our network we were presented with an opportunity at The Association of Charitable Organisations (ACO) Annual Conference 2024, where Head of Merrifield Consultants, Stuart Milliner highlighted ‘Staff Burnout: tools to recognise and tackle the challenge in the charity sector’, sharing insights and our market research on how burnout can be prevented in the workplace.

 

What is burnout?

 

The World Health Organization states, burnout is “a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”

 

Typically, burnout is characterised by three symptoms:

 

• Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion

• Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job

• Reduced professional efficacy

 

Not only can this be detrimental to a person’s mental health, leading to anxiety, depression, a feeling of hopelessness and imposter syndrome, but it can also bring physical symptoms such as headaches, digestive problems, or cardiovascular issues as a result of chronic stress.

 

As a whole it is a complex interplay of emotional, cognitive, and environmental factors. It often requires addressing both external causes (e.g., workload, lack of control) and internal responses (e.g. emotional resilience, coping strategies) to prevent and recover from it.

 

Our research

 

We collected the responses of over 130 not-for-profit professionals sharing their advice and insights regarding their experiences of burnout. With 45% of our demographic being executive leadership, we were shocked to see 75% of individuals stated they have had experienced burnout personally or had colleagues experience burnout.

 

In our research survey we found 76% of individuals or their colleagues have experienced burnout in the last two months, with it being the leading reason for someone finding a new role.

 

The data highlighted the primary contributing factors for burnout were high workload, lack of support from management and emotional exhaustion from work culture.

 

Additionally, when asked if burnout strategies could be improved, 91% of medium charities and 85% of small charities said they could be improved in the sector.

 

What is being done?

 

When charitable organisations are facing increasing demand for their services whilst combating resource management, charity leaders and hiring managers across the sector must work together to address this growing challenge to maintain a healthy, productive workforce.

 

Some of the shared strategies that had been implemented to prevent burnout included regular mental health checkups, flexible working hours and clear communication of expectations just to name a few. However, 88% of respondents felt their current workplace strategies for burnout were ineffective.

 

When asked about how charities are combating burnout concerns. We found employees felt a personalised strategy for a single employee experiencing burnout would be helpful and having management step in to help with a heavy workload.

 

“Managers need to understand that the main cause [of burnout] is the workload, so they need to rethink the organisational and departmental priorities.” – Head of Communications, Fundraising and External Engagement, Small charity (1-20 employees).

 

“[The strategy] has to be tailored to the staff member to be effective.” – Managing Director of Fundraising, Large charity (101+ employees).

 

A small charity employee stated since taking a proactive approach to combating burnout, such as the introduction of flexible work hours mental health check-ins, they have seen the health and happiness of their employees is maintained.

 

When burnout affects an employee’s wellbeing, this results in a mental health deterioration and a negative workplace culture, with only 19% of workers’ feeling comfortable talking about their mental health to senior leaders in 2023.

 

The research revealed large number of charity professionals want to express their individual concerns as 60% of the respondents wanted to share more about their experience with burnout in the charity sector as a follow up, highlighting the increasing number of professionals turning to external sources for advice and support.

 

The impact of burnout on organisations

 

We know when concerns surrounding burnout are not properly addressed, the impact can be detrimental. While burnout is particularly affecting the charity sector, its wider impact on organisations outside of the not-for-profit sector cannot be overlooked.

 

With burnout resulting in decreased productivity and poor efficiency in their work, which can cause significant impacts on operations. This can lead to high staff turnover and enhanced recruitment costs. As employees experience burnout, and productivity declines, it can result reduced efficiency and lower service quality. This deterioration in performance can create a cycle of operational challenges, where the increased demand for new hires and the strain on existing staff worsen the issue.

 

In terms of employee wellbeing, employees with burnout have also experienced increased absenteeism, resulting in higher sick leave and occupational gaps. External research also found an average of 5.4 days of sick leave in 2023 being taken because of stress, anxiety or burnout. highlighting the wider concern beyond the charity sector.

 

For organisations in all sectors and of all sizes, burnout can result in a loss of innovation and growth, resulting in stagnation and missed opportunities. This can also cause a financial strain on the company, causing decreased funding opportunities and increased legal risks. In 2023, 20% rise in mental-health absenteeism costs was recorded, reaching £7.3 billion in the UK.

 

Other risks include; compromised service delivery, leaving vulnerable populations affected and having their public perception damaged, with 1 in 4 charities worried about staff burnout and half with vacancies forced to pause services.

 

How can we prevent burnout?

 

From our research, we looked to find ways burnout can be prevented, and what operational and strategic solutions can be implemented.

 

These solutions include:

 

•  Training on stress management and resilience

•  Clear boundaries between work and personal lives

•  Open communication and supportive leadership

•  Flexible working hours and remote work

•  Workload management

 

In Stuart’s session at the ACO 2024 conference, the audience were engaged in the topic and asked insightful questions about Stuart’s experience in the charity sector and we’re keen to extend our insights and support to all not-for-profit professionals.

 

As our research shows, burnout is a pressing issue within the charity sector. With the increasing pressure of high demands, long hours, and limited resources, employees’ wellbeing suffers. The detrimental effects of burnout affect operational efficiency and impact their vulnerable communities. This emphasises the urgent need for more effective burnout prevention strategies, such as enhanced support systems, clear communication, and flexible working hours. By addressing both the external and internal factors contributing to burnout, charities can foster a healthier work environment, ultimately improving both employee well-being and organisational performance. It is crucial for leaders to recognise the signs of burnout and implement tailored strategies that take on their employees’ feedback to better support their teams, ensuring a sustainable and impactful future for the sector.

 

At Merrifield Consultants, our team has surplus research, experience and understanding of creative and realistic methods organisations like yours could adopt to prevent and overcome burnout in your workforce.

 

If you would be interested in a confidential discussion regarding these strategies further, please contact our team at info@merrifieldconsultants.co.uk.