The number of employees with mental stress or even illnesses is increasing, as is the number of burn-out cases. The reason often given: The workload in companies is increasing.

That is true! Things are more hectic in many companies today than they used to be. In addition, employment relationships are often more fragile - from the low-skilled, who today often only find mini-jobs and jobs with temporary employment agencies, to the highly qualified, who often only receive temporary contracts in their first few years of work.

But to see this as the sole cause of the increasing burden is not enough. Our entire lives have changed. Today, for example, people are generally expected to take more personal responsibility and make "private provisions". This also contributes to the increasing burden. But even more importantly, the social structures in our society have changed.

Support system often lacking

Just a few decades ago, families with three or four children were commonplace. And when the offspring grew up and started their own family? This usually happened close to home - if not in the same place. The family support system and the circle of friends that had grown up over the decades were correspondingly large and could be relied on if necessary.

Today, however, single households dominate, at least in urban areas - partly because relationships have become more fragile. And the classic father-mother-child family? It is almost the exception in the big cities. They have been replaced by single parents with children and patchwork families. And the relatives you can fall back on if necessary? In many cases, they no longer exist. Or live hundreds of kilometers away.

This also increases the pressure that working people are under. Because of the lack of support systems, even the smallest things often become a stressful problem. For example, a parcel that needs to be collected from the post office. Or a visit from a tradesman.

Many prevention concepts fall short

The experts unanimously emphasize that the changing world of work is just one of many factors why more people in work today are under a great deal of mental stress than in the past. This is why all company work-life balance concepts that only focus on the world of work fall short. Your starting point should be: How do employees live today and what demands are they confronted with due to their life situation?

The same applies to work-life balance programs. They too often fall short because they focus primarily on families and single parents with children. Singles are often "even more under pressure"

than proud fathers and mothers - partly because they have to invest more time in maintaining a circle of friends and acquaintances that supports them emotionally.

Many working people today are very vulnerable due to the lack of a private support system. As long as everything runs smoothly in life, this is usually not a problem. But if a romantic relationship or marriage breaks down and the person falls into an emotional hole. Or they fall ill. Or a parent becomes a caregiver. This is when many working people quickly reach their limits. If professional worries are added to the mix, the personal crisis becomes acute.

Challenge: Maintaining a balance in life

For almost all those at risk of burnout and those suffering from burnout, the overload also has private or personal reasons. For example, there is the controller who has been suffering from insomnia for years - partly because she can't find the life partner she wants. Or there's the sales manager and father of two who is usually only at home at the weekend, which is why his marriage is in crisis. Or there is the teacher whose father suffered a stroke and now requires intensive care. For all of these people, the excessive demands are also due to professional reasons, but not only.

Many companies have recognized this connection. This is why they are offering their employees more and more support measures to keep their lives in balance. And many are also thinking about how they can ease the burden on their employees - for example, if a parent becomes a carer. In addition to the usual stress management seminars, their training programs increasingly include courses aimed at strengthening employees' resilience - and making them aware of when "being challenged" turns into "being overwhelmed".

Companies develop more sophisticated programs

The fact is: at least in most large companies, something is happening. They are developing ever more sophisticated prevention programs, partly because they know this: If a top performer is absent for several months due to burnout, for example, we suffer enormous damage. And: in the coming years, it will become increasingly difficult for us to replace qualified employees who are absent. So they are investing more time and money in maintaining and preserving the health of their employees - not only for the benefit of the employees, but also for the company.

The author

Sibylle Brechtel is the owner of the training and consulting company Brechtel Gesundheitscoaching, Diez (near Limburg), which supports companies and private individuals in the area of health promotion and prevention.