A new study has identified hope as a significant remedy for stress and burnout among U.S. and Canadian workers, with 49% of the workforce experiencing these issues according to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace: 2024 Report. The study, conducted by meQuilibrium, reveals that employees who find hope in their work, personal growth, creativity, and the impact of their work are less likely to experience burnout, anxiety, depression, and quiet quitting.
Hope, a combination of optimism and self-efficacy, is a powerful positive force that can protect employees from negativity and stress. The study shows that employees with the highest levels of hope are 74% less likely to suffer from burnout, 74% less likely to suffer from anxiety, 75% less likely to suffer from depression, and 33% less likely to endorse quiet quitting than the least hopeful employees.
The study also finds that resilience, particularly positivity, self-efficacy, and problem-solving, is a key driver of hope. The most resilient employees showed 70+% reductions in the risk of anxiety, depression, and burnout compared to the least resilient respondents.
Managers play a crucial role in employee well-being, with more than 84.1% of employees with strong manager support feeling respected and valued by teammates, compared to only 53% with weak manager support. The study proposes that organizations can foster a resilient workforce by cultivating hope and resilience.
Workers discover hope from various sources, with family, financial stability, personal growth, friends, the fruits of hard work, faith, self-improvement, and creativity being the most significant sources. Political and social change appears to be the least significant source of hope among the employees.
The study’s findings are reminiscent of the teachings of the Stoics and Viktor Frankl, who emphasized the importance of choosing one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances. Employees can apply a hopeful mindset to deal with job stress and prevent burnout, making hope an invaluable asset in the daily grind. Ultimately, hope not only enhances individual well-being and performance but also contributes to a positive and productive organizational culture.
