Symptoms of burnout are higher than the global average for some living in several Middle Eastern countries, a recent McKinsey survey found. According to partner Mona Hammami and colleagues, a quarter of survey respondents indicated they suffer from anxiety and depression, and 55 percent said they experienced distress, well over the global average of 32 percent.

Image description:
A grid chart displays percentages from 0–60%. Dots of different colors represent mental-health symptoms, including, distress, depression, anxiety, and burnout, for 4 Middle Eastern countries: Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia scores the highest in all 4 categories, with Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates trailing by an average of 5 percentage points. Behind the dots are 2 gray areas, signifying regional and global averages for the 4 indicated mental-health issues. The Middle Eastern countries are above the global average, particularly in the distress category, in which all are at least 17 percentage points higher; Saudi Arabia is more than 27 percentage points higher in distress. Footnote 1: Responses for mental health include: reporting having a mental-health or substance-use diagnosis now or in the past; reporting having sought or considered treatment for mental-health or substance-use condition; or having listed at least one of the following: high symptoms of anxiety, burnout, depression, or distress.
Source: Gulf Cooperation Council Employee Mental Health and Well-Being Survey, McKinsey, 2022 (n = 4,064 in 4 countries)
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To read the article, see “Better health among Middle Eastern employees can start with awareness,” January 30, 2023.