We’re no longer in the depths of a pandemic that gave rise to the “great resignation,” driving burnout to reach all-time highs. The truth is, we’re in a period of endemic change that will continue to introduce ongoing disruptions to all of us. The good news is that the overwhelm caused by change can be improved if you’re ready.

In a recent meQuilibrium study, we wanted to trace the most recent impact of the pandemic. We asked members about well-being topics spanning burnout, motivation, stress and work engagement. Member results reveal two favorable wellness trends that shed positive insights on better ways to support your employees. The third in a series, this bi-annual report details changes in overall well-being in a sample of 5,474 meQuilibrium members between December 2020 and July 2021 from a broad range of industries from both individual contributors and managers.

In some ways, the findings from the report lead with the tough stuff on top. Although it wasn’t all positive, here’s the high note we’ve been waiting for all year: As it turns out, the more practical and emotional support we have across work and life, the more protected well-being is.

  1. Employer support and self-care remain strongly protective of well-being.
    Employees who reported the strongest perceived employer support had more favorable well-being trends than those who reported feeling less strongly supported. Those who felt strongly supported by their employer had half the rate of increase as those who felt less well supported. Employees who felt strongly supported by their employer were also less likely to show turnover intent and were more likely to be engaged with their company, job and team. Employees who took an active part in self-care by engaging in digital resilience coaching also had better outcomes than those who did not. Where reports of high stress were up 36% among the least engaged, there was no change among the most engaged members.
  2. Work-life balance, self-confidence, and support systems are highly protective against burnout.
    A key driver analysis revealed that improvements in three resilience factors were particularly effective in reducing the risk of a member showing evidence of burnout in July, 2021. Members who learned practical strategies to help maintain a healthy boundary between work and home, boosted self-confidence, or developed their personal support network were substantially less likely to develop symptoms of burnout over the first half of 2021.

As we’ve discovered, what your employees think about you can influence productivity across your entire organization. Data can help. Changes in stress, burnout, and other outcomes are ongoing but resilience is still the bright side that stands the test of time.

In fact, Deb Olson, Principal Benefits Manager at US Roche Genentech, has said, “meQuilibrium gave us a chance to launch a really great new benefit offering that meets employees where they’re at and also promotes our benefit programs within the app. We are very pleased with the results.”

Learn more about meQuilibrium self-check insights that shed light on well-being trends to build organizational resilience today.

About the Author
Brad Smith

For more than 15 years, Dr. Brad Smith has been telling stories using health data. His career includes roles ranging from policy-focused work with the US Government Accountability Office to evaluation -related work for dozens of state, federal and private sector clients using health services research methods. He currently serves as Chief Science Officer at meQuilibrium, leading efforts to harness data to improve the product, enhance reporting to clients and establish the value proposition. He has served on the faculty of Drexel University and McDaniel College and is the author of more than 25 peer - reviewed articles on health and well-being.

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