Burnout is becoming more common in the workplace. It is one thing Preventing burnout but learning ways to combat burnout is another.
When an individual is experiencing burnout in the workplace, it is usually assumed or categorised as a capability issue. The individual usually has an increase in sickness absences, coming into the office with a cold they can't recover from, low morale, low-quality work and a general stagnancy. More often than not, these symptoms are not due to the individual's capability to perform, instead it can be localised by how the individual is managed, or potentially caused by a wider, systemic issue within your organisation.
By assessing workplace standards, culture, workflows and bottlenecks, you can mitigate the risk of burnout from occurring.
What is burnout?
According to the World Health Organisation, burnout is now an official medical diagnosis. Burnout is a consistent feeling of being overwhelmed, drained, exhausted, depleted, unmotivated and stressed. It is usually combined with excessive amounts of pressure. Burnout is commonly seen in workplaces and may be caused due to a variety of reasons, including extreme stress and a lack of work-life balance.
Causes of burnout
Burnout can make you perpetually exhausted, annoyed, and feeling unaccomplished and unappreciated.
According to the Areas of Worklife Model by Christina Maslach and Michael P, there are six causes for burnout; workload, perceived lack of control, lack of reward, lack of community, fairness and mismatched values.
People can experience burnout as a result of extended emotional, physical and mental health stress in their lives, most commonly with the main stressor being work. Employees may feel as though they are overwhelmed in their job roles, due to responsibilities of a job and constant growing demands of the job.
However, it is important to find the right balance. If an individual feels they are not valued or progressing enough in the company, burnout can begin. It is important to have learning opportunities or progression available for everyone to ensure they do not become complacent and cynical about their job due to a lack of development.
Who is at risk of burnout?
Anyone can be at risk of burnout, however, there are a few categories of individuals more at risk.
For example, 78% of Gen Z workers reported considering leaving their jobs due to burnout. In addition, individuals who are perfectionists, “people-pleasers”, high achievers and caregivers are more likely to suffer from burnout.
Neurodivergent individuals are more susceptible to burnout due to their unique ways of processing information, masking, systematic pressures and responding to stress. This usually shows through chronic exhaustion, increased sensory sensitivity, and a loss of skills. Neurodivergent individuals often require longer recovery time than their neurotypical peers.
In addition to this, research indicates that 79% of disabled employees have experienced burnout, which is almost double the rate of their non-disabled colleagues. This higher risk is driven by a combination of managing chronic health conditions alongside job demands, navigating inaccessible work environments, and dealing with societal stigma or lack of support.
Employer’s responsibility
As an employer, you need to be vigilant and aware of your people’s mental wellbeing. You have a duty of care to your employees which needs to be upheld.
You should make a conscious effort to take steps to reduce the risk of burnout and be able to support a colleague if they experience symptoms.
Formulate an action plan specifically to support someone who may be experiencing burnout. You may want to do a risk assessment to assess if your organisation needs adjustments to combat overstress and burnout.
How can employers and managers combat burnout?
Spot the signs
Great managers and employers will always strive to fully understand and support the struggles of their colleagues. After all, it was Einstein who said, ‘any fool can know. The point is to understand,’
Understanding the signs of burnout and how this can affect your colleagues is essential when creating your action plan on how to support your people. Remember, each individual is different, and one individual may need a slightly different approach compared to another.
Familiarise yourself with all signs of burnout, here are a few examples:
• Exhaustion
• Your people are becoming cynical
• You notice colleagues disengaging with work
• You see a declining productivity or performance
• You notice increasing absentee rates
• You notice and meditate more conflicts
Prioritise consistent employee communication
Communication is key to any organisation and business. However, a major reason why people experience burnout is a lack of communication.
This could be down to not understanding the expectations and responsibilities of their role or feeling unsupported.
It is important to create policies and procedures to encourage managers to communicate with their teams often and set clear and realistic communication expectations, this can include weekly meetings or regular 1-1's.
During communication with individuals, it is important to regularly discuss their wellbeing and check in on how they are feeling, also important to signpost mental health support such as an EAP, even if someone is feeling good. It is better for someone to have the details as a prevention rather than at the time things are going wrong.
It can be helpful to adopt an open-door policy where colleagues can discuss anything honestly. In this situation it is important to not judge and to actively listen to the employee, instead of passive or reactive listening.
Encourage individuals to take time off
Having time off from work is a crucial tool for wellbeing. It allows the body and mind to reset and rest.
It is no surprise that overworking leads to burnout and if your colleagues are not taking the appropriate time to recover, they can suffer from exhaustion and eventually burnout.
If employees are determined to work rather than switch off, they could experience presenteeism, the act of being present at work but not actually working. Presenteeism is a productivity killer, discouraging sufficient headspace to rest and relax outside of work.
It is recommended to take time off at least once a quarter to prevent burnout. You may find some employees prefer the idea of longer weekends as opposed to being encouraged to take full weeks off work.
Encourage good mental health practices
Many companies now have Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) to support colleagues when they need mental clarity. Counsellors offer unique perspectives and assist colleagues in overcoming mental and emotional stresses.
Supplying an EAP to your organisation will give your people access to the ability to better understand themselves. They may also discuss ways in which to cope and offer a space to talk with someone who is unjudgmental and supportive.
Lead by example
As a manager or employer, you should be able to lead your people at all levels of the business. Physical and mental wellbeing should be treated as such.
Actively encourage self-care by modelling healthy boundaries, including switching off from work once working hours end (this includes weekends and days off). While this can be challenging during busy periods, one effective way to set the example is to commit to leaving the office or “clocking off” on time at least one day each week, regardless of outstanding tasks. Promoting self-care should also be embedded in everyday conversations, such as sharing gym or wellbeing activities, or introducing a regular monthly mental health check-in to normalise and support wellbeing.
How an Employee Assistance Programme can support individuals facing burnout
If your people are showing signs of burnout, professional support is essential. At HA | Wisdom Wellbeing, our qualified counsellors can offer in-the-moment support, including day one intervention for those off sick with stress or anxiety. Our services run 24/7, 365 days a year, ensuring support is always available. In addition, if someone has been off sick from work, when someone is ready to return – upon request - our Occupational Health Assessment team will work with them to ensure a safe, supported transition back to work.
Conclusion
Burnout can significantly impact both wellbeing and performance, and it often becomes harder to manage the longer it persists. By encouraging early intervention and promoting self-care, individuals can set healthy boundaries, protect their mental health, and begin to reduce chronic stress and burnout, in turn allowing productivity to remain high in the workplace and sickness absences remain low.
