Remote Working Can Increase Burnout in Tech

In a recent article for ACM News, Esther Shein discussed the occurrence of burnout in IT, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Before the pandemic struck, The Dice 2020 Tech Salary Report found that 60% of technologists who were unsatisfied with their jobs reported feeling burned out,” Shein wrote. And, working remotely can aggravate these feelings. 

In the article, Shein quoted Art Zeile, CEO of DHI Group, Inc., who said, frequent check-ins and an emphasis on openness and communication can help mitigate many problems. Additionally, "employers and technologists also need to set firm, careful schedules in order to ensure that those employees working from home have a proper work/life balance," he said. 

According to Zeile, traditional factors that lead to burnout include workload, lack of recognition for work, lack of work/life balance, and lack of challenges/monotony. Symptoms include "cynicism, lack of energy, irritability and impatience, difficulty concentrating, and negative changes in sleep and eating patterns,'' he said.

Read the complete article at Communications of the ACM.

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