How can HR address the drivers of fatigue at work
"Fatigue" has been declared as the word of the year by Glassdoor.
The job search platform said in an announcement that the term dominated workplace conversations after logging a 41% increase in mentions across its community.
"This year, workers spent a lot of time on edge — worried about the next headline, technology shift, or economic surprise coming around the corner," it said on a blog post.
"Politics dominated, layoff fears lingered, economic concerns mounted, and AI disruption accelerated. The result? A workforce running on empty."
Drivers of fatigue
The platform attributed fatigue to three main factors, namely politics, economic uncertainty, and AI disruption.
According to Glassdoor, politics was inescapable in workplaces throughout the year, even dragging employees who avoided the topic at work.
"Gone are the days of leaving politics at the office door," it said.
Mentions of the word "inauguration" increased by 875% year-over-year. It comes after US President Donald Trump was inaugurated for a second term in January.
Trump's rise to his second term came with debates in workplaces. His subsequent actions on DEI and federal workforce cuts also made headlines throughout the year.
Economic uncertainty also emerged as another driver of fatigue in workplaces. Glassdoor said mentions of the word "stagflation" went up more than threefold compared to 2024.
"Workers expressed frustration about their compensation not keeping pace with inflation, and concerns about a recession lingered throughout the year," Glassdoor stated.
Disruption from AI was also cited as a major factor in fatigue, according to Glassdoor.
It comes amid recent reports warning that agentic and generative AI are going after human's jobs in the workforce. Some research have even pointed out that AI is already taking away young employees' jobs.
Mentions of "agentic" surged 2,244% year-over-year across the Glassdoor community, according to the job search platform.
"Meanwhile, frustration with looking for a job hit new heights, with professionals expressing job search overwhelm and job security fears time and time again," it added.
Addressing fatigue at work
Fatigue among employees can lead to lower productivity and higher risks of accidents and injuries in the workplace, according to the National Security Council in the US.
Glassdoor's findings indicate that employees' fatigue goes beyond long working hours and too much workload. Instead, it rests on uncertainty from various external factors.
HR leaders can address fatigue by looking at its roots.
Amanda Czepiel, U.S. Country Manager and Head of Content at Brightmine, previously advised HR leaders to implement "clear, enforceable guardrails governing politics" in the workplace to avoid culture atrophy.
Open communication should be encouraged, but civility should be promoted at work through leadership behaviours and employee engagement programmes.
It is also important that employers to foster a workplace where employees feel supported amid uncertainty and financial stress.
"By offering flexible, inclusive support systems that cover the full range of wellbeing, including access to mental health tools, EAP services, and financial counselling, the workforce's mental health can improve, and productivity at work can be boosted," said Julie Cressey, general manager of TELUS Health New Zealand, in a previous statement to HRD.
"This will enable companies to reap the benefits of having happy, healthy employees and equip them to attract and retain top talent."
On AI disruption, employers have been warned that lack of leadership communication may fuel anxieties.
"No leader will have all the answers, and that's okay. But addressing fears through honest dialogue is exactly what this moment calls for," a previous Mercer insight said.
"Not talking about AI or pretending it's a future problem poses a far greater risk than admitting you don't know everything."
