Burnout is on the rise. This is a growing problem for the modern workplace, which impacts organizational costs as well as the health and well-being of employees. These include potential long-term health risks and, because of its contagious nature, a toxic work environment characterized by low morale, scapegoats and increased office politics.
The annual cost of burnout for the global economy has been estimated at $ 323.4 billion. Because of these costs, the World Health Organization has predicted a global pandemic within 10 years.
Organizations have focused on burnout to protect their profits, accusing employees of losing performance, rather than making adequate adjustments to protect themselves from stress. This focus on employees has led to a psychometric profile of people likely to be exhausted because of their psychological structure, rather than to organizations taking responsibility and making systematic changes to reduce the stress caused. by problems of structural order.
This blame game is often useless. Not only for the employees in question, but also because it may cause a shortage of skilled labor in certain professions such as health and social services. In addition, it also contributes to the cycle of burnout: with limited staff and resources, a reduced number of employees is solicited.
What is causing burnout, really?
Research on burnout has been linked to office politics, basic work tasks that interfere with work tasks and the high work demands that lead to burnout. The increase in workload and the long hours are the main culprits. However, some employees are better able to cope or are more adaptable than others.
The perception of stress is also a contributing factor. If you think that you do not have adequate resources to cope with your workload, or if you feel that your workload is greater than your capacity, you are much more likely to succumb to stress-related disorders.
Individual differences and personality types also play a role in the risk of burnout. Type A personalities, for example – who have a combination of behavioral traits including resistance, impatience, competitiveness and dynamism – and people who like to have a lot of control, are also associated with higher stress rates at work. Research shows that employees with these personalities tend to be more agitated, hostile and time-sensitive, which puts them at greater risk for work stress.
However, it is important not to make trivial assumptions to understand how different people experience stress. This may result in organizations eliminating candidates for positions based on their personality or blaming employees, rather than taking on the responsibility, as an organization, to make the necessary changes to protect their employees stress.
Many global organizations have contingency plans that require employees to manage their health and wellbeing through training programs such as building resilience and building skills. But this often seems to blame employees, while giving up responsibility and making no real change to policies. The reality is that organizations are stressful and often claim an employee wellness program that is not actually implemented.
Organizations should provide a space where introverts can work alone, where their productivity increases and their stress levels decrease. Getty Images
The 3 dimensions of burnout
According to the Maslach burnout inventory, there are three main dimensions of burnout: the most used burnout scale: burnout, burnout and burnout. Cynicism and the feeling of personal accomplishment, exhaustion being the most manifestly displayed. Signs of burnout can vary from employee to employee and can manifest in many sectors, from health care and educational institutions to legal and corporate finance firms.
Burnout causes a whole host of physical and psychological problems and can affect people long after they are no longer confronted with the stressful situation. These include fatigue, irritability, depression, withdrawal, physical and mental health problems and self-medication with alcohol and drug use. Therefore, it is something that employees and organizations must manage with care.
Employees come in all shapes and sizes. As a result, it is imperative that managers and organizations do not prescribe a single model for managing employee well-being. Instead, they should work on an individual basis with each employee, finding flexible interventions and providing an adaptable and agile work environment along the way.
Many workplaces revolve around teamwork, collaboration and endless meetings to mobilize creativity. This model is not, however, a good omen for people whose creativity and energy are exhausted by constant collaboration. In fact, many people, especially those who are more introverted, feel exhausted and have difficulty doing their work in an environment like this.
As such, organizations can provide a space where these personalities can work alone, where their productivity increases and where their creativity can flow. In the same way, organizations can work with employees, providing agile working conditions to help create a sustainable work culture and work-life balance, thereby reducing the risk of burnout.
Of course, individuals also have a role to play. It is important that people manage their personal expectations, use their skills and reflect on their personal values. This is especially the case if you work in a role that does not easily match your own values or predispositions. It is important to think about what matters to you because living an unheard of life can lead to burnout when your personal values are in conflict.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
