Burned-out workers in Raleigh want more pay, are threatening to quit, survey finds

RALEIGH – A big part of Raleigh’s workforce – most of them younger – is unhappy, looking for more money and is more burned out than a year ago as the physical and mental toll of the pandemic bites deeper into people’s bodies and souls. In fact, the numbers are higher in the capital city area than most metro areas nationally.

How widespread is the burnout? Raleigh ranks second (tied with Dallas) behind Indianapolis.

So says talent management firm Robert Half in a survey based on feedback gathered across 28 major metros. The company puts a big emphasis in recruiting and placement for jobs in the tech sector.

And executives are likely worried since employee retention is a key challenge for corporate executives as documented in recent Duke University-CFO surveys.

Many employees also complain their pay has been cut during the pandemic, too, with only about half getting salaries restored. (The percentage for women is less.)

Nationally, the Robert Half survey found widespread discontent:

“Women (38%) were more likely than men (30%) to report a rise in burnout.
“Nearly an equal percentage of respondents with children in their household (35%) and those without (33%) said they are more worn out from work today versus 12 months ago.
“More employees ages 25 to 40 (37%) than those ages 41 to 54 (32%) and 55 and older (29%) said they are experiencing a higher degree of burnout.”

“The pandemic has piled on new pressures for professionals, many of whom are juggling job and personal needs while working from home,” explained Paul McDonald, senior executive director of Robert Half. “In many cases, employees have also absorbed responsibilities of laid-off and furloughed colleagues and feel they must get more done in a day. But working in overdrive is not healthy or sustainable, particularly as we continue to navigate the changing business landscape.”

Here are the key findings about Raleigh. (A spokesperson for Robert Half said data about female employees and worker ages was not provided by metro area):

43% of workers are more burned out on the job compared to a year ago
55% of workers feel underpaid
36% are more likely to negotiate salary than a year ago
40% of employees said they plan to look for a new job
Of those, 40% said more money would convince them to stay
54% of senior managers said their company started advertising fully remote jobs since the start of the pandemic

Nationally, the survey of workers reports:

The burnout rate is 34%
In terms of pay, 37% say they are underpaid
And 25% are likely to seek to negotiate a salary
Some 32% are likely to look for a new job
But 48% would “convince them to stay”
And 49% of senior managers say their firms have been advertising “fully remote jobs”

The survey included some 2,800 workers.