Results of a new Wiley Workplace Intelligence survey of 2,503 employees have revealed a trend that we are calling “The Great Pile-On”: Many employees are being asked to do more without increased resources, support, or compensation thanks to layoffs and/or restructuring. And these aren’t short-term assignments.
This trend is causing a slow erosion of morale and engagement in the workplace. But manager support can help.
Here are some key findings from the report, “The Great Pile-On: When Workloads Rise and Career Growth Stalls”:
- 31% of respondents have recently taken on additional responsibilities at work, and more than half of them say the new responsibilities happened in the wake of a restructuring or layoff.
- These expanded responsibilities aren’t short-term stretch assignments. More than 60% have been doing the extra work for six months or longer, signaling that this is a new baseline.
- Only about one in five employees were told that additional responsibilities could lead to advancement.
- 31% report getting no training for their expanded responsibilities.
- Manager support is one variable that helps employees manage increased expectations, decreasing the risk of burnout by 75% — yet only one in three employees report receiving it.
- Most people are willing to take on more responsibility, but only if the support matches the expectation.
The results are based on surveys completed by 2,503 workers in the U.S. and Canada. The complete report can be accessed for free here: https://www.everythingdisc.com/blogs/the-great-pile-on-when-workloads-rise-and-career-growth-stalls/