New study reveals surprising drug that protects workers from career burnout, job stress

According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace Report: 2024, 49% of American and Canadian workers are stressed. But employees who find their work meaningful have fewer negative daily stressful feelings. A new poll of 5,989 adults, released last week, reports similar results. Study reveals natural medicine in the heart of employees with less stressful feelings.

According to the report, “Hope can foster a sense of purpose and meaning in one’s work, leading to a deeper connection to organizational goals and values. Employees who find hope in their personal growth, creativity and the impact of their work are more likely to feel engaged and invested in their roles. This, in turn, can contribute to a positive work culture and improved employee retention.”

According to meQuilibrium’s chief science officer, Brad Smith, this study identifies resilience as a key driver of hope. “The data show that it is not just written resilience, but specific cognitive characteristics—positivity, self-efficacy, and problem solving—that underlie a strong sense of hope,” he reports. “Organizations that focus on cultivating these characteristics can achieve tremendous gains in employee well-being.”

The incredible power of hope

The meQ survey encourages employers not to underestimate the incredible power of hope – the combination of optimism and self-efficacy – as a powerful emotion that can protect employees from pessimism and negativity and from workplace burnout and stress. Their data shows that hope is a powerful positive force that can greatly increase employee well-being. 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
• 33% less likely to approve of leaving than less hopeful employees

You have to admit that these are pretty impressive results. Other findings also reveal that hope reduces employee turnover intentions by half (49% less) among the most hopeful employees. Plus, employees with a strong sense of belonging face significantly reduced risks of burnout (-10.1%), anxiety (-19.9%) and depression (-19.9%). The study also found that managers play a key role in employee well-being. More than 84.1% of employees with strong manager support feel respected and valued by their teammates, compared to only 53% with weak manager support.

In addition to serving as a key driver of hope, resilience emerged as an antidote to burnout, stress, letting go, and turnover. The key drivers of positivity, self-efficacy, and problem solving increase hope- and goal-directed behavior by 50-85%. Compared to the least resilient respondents, the most resilient employees showed a 70+% reduction in the risk of anxiety, depression and burnout.

“This study, along with our previous scientific research, continues to demonstrate the vital roles of resilience and strong managers in fostering a thriving workforce,” says Smith. “Now that we’ve identified hope and belonging as powerful forces in significantly increasing employee well-being, engagement, productivity and retention, it’s critical to empower employees with a sense of hope and belonging that will enable them to cope better stress, overcome obstacles and find meaning in their work.”

According to the study, hope can greatly affect an individual’s work life and overall well-being. In the professional realm, research shows that hope can provide employees with the motivation and resilience to persevere through challenges and obstacles. When employees have a sense of hope, the study says they are more likely to approach their work with a positive mindset, which can increase productivity, creativity and overall job satisfaction.

During organizational change and times of uncertainty, the study concludes that hope can play a crucial role. When faced with challenges or difficulties, a hopeful mindset can help employees adapt and embrace new opportunities for growth and development. By cultivating hope, the study proposes that organizations can foster a resilient workforce that is better equipped to navigate tough times and emerge stronger.

The main sources of hope

The MeQ survey reveals that workers discover hope from a variety of sources.

1. Family stands out as the most significant source of hope, with 81.2% of employees drawing hope from family relationships.
2. Financial stability (74.1%) and personal growth (74.0%) are also top contributors to employees’ sense of hope, followed closely by friends (72.2%).
3. A significant proportion of employees (66.4%) derive hope from the fruits of their hard work.
4. Faith plays a prominent role, with 56.9% of employees finding hope in their religious or spiritual beliefs.
5. Self-improvement (55.2%) and creativity (48.9%) are also important sources of hope for many employees.
6. Political and social change (20.5%) appears to be the least important source of hope among employees, suggesting that their hope derives primarily from personal, interpersonal, and financial factors rather than broader social or political change.

A Final Summary

MeQ’s findings are reminiscent of the Stoics, who taught that even if we can’t control external events like workplace pressures, we can choose how we respond to them. The results are also reminiscent of the inspiring account of psychiatrist Viktor Frankl during his confinement in Auschwitz and other camps during World War II.

In his classic book, Man’s Search for Meaning, Frankl described being locked up in a death camp, where he said he selected to be free: “When we can no longer change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves . . . Everything can be taken by a man, but one thing: the last of human liberties – to choose one’s attitude in any set of circumstances, to choose one’s own path.”

Employees can apply such a hopeful mindset to deal with job stress and prevent burnout. After all, hope has proven to be an invaluable asset in everyday life, concludes the MeQ study. It not only enhances individual well-being and performance, but also contributes to a positive and productive organizational culture.