Heavy workloads, deadlines, meetings and emails were all reported as factors that make insurance sector employees feel burnout
The majority of people working in the insurance sector (70%) said that they have more to do at work than they have time for, with half (50%) of these respondents saying they were stressed by this.
This was according to the results of a recent survey of 102 UK insurance sector employees, cited during a Dive In Festival session on 28 September 2022 entitled Is burnout the new normal? Strategies for well-being in an always on culture.
Employees that responded to the survey were drawn from Willis Towers Watson, Gallagher, Liberty Specialty Markets, Eliot Partnership and Travelers.
However, 60% of respondents said that they felt that they were provided with organisational support for their workloads by their employers – only 12% felt unsupported.
Another 70% of respondents indicated that their organisations recognised the importance of well-being.
Work vs family pressure
Emma McCarthy, Gallagher’s communications executive, shared her experience of feeling burnt out while working during the Covid-19 pandemic.
She said: “I am a mum of two young boys – one is five and one is eight, the eldest had gone through a rough time – both my kids are severely asthmatic.
”Combine that with me and my husband working very long hours – it’s just a recipe for disaster if you don’t look after yourself.”
Read: Neurodivergence – the ‘absolute commercial opportunity’ for insurance firms
Explore more news content here
She explained that her burnout began because she was home-schooling her children in the evening on top of her own role at Gallagher.
“I could also see my little boy suffering signs of burnout as well. He was on screens most of the day trying to keep up with learning. As a family unit we were all [looking at] screens all the time,” she added.
Jola Adebiyi, a financial solutions, sales and client management analyst at Willis Towers Watson who joined via a graduate scheme, explained: “I have just started the second year of the graduate scheme at WTW and the main thing I have learnt is managing my own expectations – realising I am at the infancy of my career and I am not meant to be able to do every task perfectly.”
When asked, audience members at the session reported that exercise, reading, music and walking were the most effective methods of dealing with workplace stress.
No comments yet